SACRAMENTO – Consumers have come to trust appellation labeling with wine. The appellation system is an indicator of quality here in the United States, focused on specific geographic regions where the wine grape crop was grown.

For years, cannabis farmers have been wanting to secure the same protections and transparency the California wine industry implemented decades ago.

On Oct. 12, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Sen. McGuire’s bill – SB 185 – which establishes for the first time in history, appellation protections for cannabis.

Now law, SB 185 expands the prohibitions already in statute on improperly using county names for cannabis products to include appellation protection based on specific geographic regions and/or using any similar sounding name of appellations on the product label.

“This law will prevent cannabis manufacturers from claiming, for example, their product is grown in the emerald triangle, when in fact it was grown in Sacramento. The law takes into account the critical ingredients to a successful appellation designation such as geographic location, soil types, farming techniques and microclimates,” Sen. McGuire said. “Customers have come to expect truth in labeling in wine and this critical bill ensures manufacturers market products that meet similar appellation requirements with Cannabis.”

SB 185 was endorsed by Secretary of State Padilla, the California State Association of Counties, Humboldt County Growers Alliance and the California Cannabis Industry Association.