Cannabis facilities, which include dispensaries, grow houses and cultivation and processing facilities, contain what must be today's easiest resalable item. Cannabis cannot legally be transported over state borders and remains a much-in-demand cash crop, so the lure of breaking into a facility is easily understood.
Individual facility owners as well as MSOs (multi-state operators) also do not want to run afoul of local laws and authorities. While some states barely offer regulations or guidance regarding securing facilities, others are quite prescriptive regarding the level of security to be provided.
Security Standards and Codes
Organizations like the Security Industry Association (SIA) are excellent resources to use to stay current with state regulations. SIA published the “SIA Guide to Cannabis Security Requirements” in October 2023 and ASIS International will soon unveil a Cannabis Security Standard.
Meeting standards achieve a basic level of protection. Frankly, facilities need to go a step beyond basics due to the high dollar value of their contents. This brings them to the level of upper-market retail facilities like jewelry stores and luxury goods purveyors. The combination of electronic security elements (alarms, cameras & monitoring as well as forced entry locks) form the pillar of a successful security program.
A quick word regarding life-safety codes. They cannot be ignored while providing forced entry protection. The most basic tenet shared by NFPA, IBC as well as state and local regulations is single-motion egress. Exiting without special knowledge is key. Delayed egress may be allowed to prevent grab-and-run exiting, but the use of these systems requires integration with a fire alarm system.
What Door is Right for the Job?
Selecting the right door and frame is critical in preventing forced entry. A weak, residential-type door and frame will offer little protection against the simplest forced-entry methods, such as crowbars and frame spreaders. These are commercially available items a burglar could procure from a hardware retailer or online.
How effective have products such as Securitech’s Trident multi-point exit lock or the Auto-Bolt Max multi-point lock or exit device been in effectively preventing forced entries? We have received many photos and videos demonstrating their effectiveness. Videos of trucks trying to ram the door or pull the door out-of-the frame attest to the seriousness of would-be burglars as they try to steal valuable merchandise.
The most striking images are ones where you can see the failed door break-in attempts and the successful (sadly) entries through other openings, such as sledgehammering through the wall. Nothing attests to the value of multi-point deadbolt locking and good doors and frames as much as these types of break-ins.
Security requires recognition that multiple design elements are needed to effectively secure a facility. Interior spaces, as well as perimeter walls, need to be properly reinforced to work in tandem with secured doors to prevent break-ins. Security professionals are aware of the best practices in multiple areas and should be involved in the facility design process for the best results.
Mark Berger is the General Manager of the Securitech Group, Inc. and a veteran of the security and door hardware industries.
ANSI standards to help shape cannabis security programs
While the cannabis industry has seen stratospheric levels of growth in the last several years, the task of keeping businesses serving the industry safe has been a challenge. Now cannabis businesses and industry vendors and consultants now have a set of standards to guide them in building a security program for business owners after ASIS International released cannabis security standards approved by the American National Standards Institute.
The standards provide comprehensive requirements and guidance for the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and maintenance of a cannabis security program.
There have been previous efforts to establish security standards, but Tim Sutton, vice chairman of ASIS International’s Profession Standards Board, proclaimed they don’t match the comprehensive and well-organized nature of the ASIS measures.
“This standard is not only needed, but anxiously anticipated by the industry,” said Sutton, who is co-chair of the technical committee for the Cannabis Security Standard’s development.
Tony Gallo, managing partner of Sapphire Risk Advisory Group, says that although the ASIS International standards are guidelines, not regulations, he still expects them to have an impact on future cannabis projects.
“Every industry needs to understand security best practices and now we have a document we can refer to for future projects,” Gallo says. “As these guidelines become more and more accepted, it will become the norm for future projects.
“Anytime an association like ASIS International supports an industry it gives more value to a properly designed security system.”
ASIS International says members of the standard’s technical committee represented security professionals actively working within the industry and other related subject matter experts who understand security best practices and the importance of applying industry-recognized security risk management principles.
Key elements of the Cannabis Security Standard include:
Comprehensive security program guidance: The standard offers a framework for the design, implementation and continuous improvement of cannabis security programs. It encompasses every aspect of security risk management, ensuring a thorough and proactive approach.
Physical protection systems (PPS) requirements: Providing guidance and minimum-security requirements, the standard focuses on the identification, application and management of physical protection systems. This includes safeguarding assets such as people, property and information associated with cannabis operations, storage and transport.
Exceeding jurisdictional compliance: In some instances, the standard surpasses the requirements mandated by local jurisdictions. This ensures that cannabis organizations adopting this standard are equipped with the highest level of protection, ASIS says.
Mitigation strategies: A key highlight of the standard is its emphasis on mitigation strategies, ASIS says. From threat assessment to response planning, security practitioners gain access to proactive measures that fortify the resilience of cannabis organizations against potential risks.
“In an industry evolving at a rapid pace, our standard not only meets but exceeds expectations, reflecting our commitment to advancing security practices,” says Susan Carioti, CAE, CStd, Vice President, Certification, Standards and Guidelines for ASIS International. “This standard is a testament to our dedication to providing best-in-class solutions that fortify cannabis organizations and contribute to the overall safety of the industry."
For more information and to access the ANSI-accredited Cannabis Security Standard, visit https://www.asisonline.org/publications--resources/standards--guidelines/cannabis-security-standard/.
