A bill introduced by Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D) would allow medical marijuana retailers in Washington, D.C. to prepare and sell certain cannabis products on-site, under a newly created “craft preparation endorsement.”
The measure has been assigned to the Committee on Business and Economic Development.
The legislation, which has been assigned to the Committee on Business and Economic Development, is titled the Medical Cannabis Retailer Craft Preparation Endorsement Act of 2025. It would allow licensed medical cannabis retailers apply for an endorsement from the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board that allows them to produce shelf-stable edibles, topicals, and prerolls at their retail locations for sale to qualifying patients and caregivers.
Retailers with the endorsement would be barred from producing products requiring refrigeration or any items not prepared using cannabis materials purchased from licensed manufacturers. Transdermal patches and cannabinoid extraction using butane or explosive gases would also be prohibited.
The bill sets strict parameters for in-store preparation. Only 20% of the total floor space could be used for crafting products, and retailers would be limited to storing no more than 2 kilograms of cannabis flower and 1 liter of oil or tincture. All ingredients would need to come from licensed cultivators or manufacturers.
Sales would be limited to patients and caregivers, though retailers with delivery endorsements could deliver the products. Retailers would not be allowed to resell or distribute the items to other businesses or entities.
The bill also includes rules to ensure public safety and prevent nuisances. Businesses could not produce any detectable odors or by-products and would not be allowed to permit on-site consumption unless separately endorsed as a safe-use treatment facility.
The legislation is one of several recent moves by D.C. lawmakers to expand and regulate the city’s growing medical marijuana market, while balancing access with oversight. It must pass the council and undergo a 30-day congressional review period before becoming law.
