The Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarification Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025 addresses the urgent need to amend the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Initiative of 1999. The resolution aims to clarify the definition of unlicensed establishments and ensure that all such entities are subject to enforcement actions starting April 1, 2025. It specifies that the current statutory compliance exemption does not apply to unlicensed establishments selling Schedule I substances, such as psychedelic mushrooms and Dimethyltryptamine. The resolution also empowers the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board (ABCA) to summarily close unlicensed businesses that continue to sell these substances, thereby promoting public health and safety.

The resolution follows a recent Council joint committee public roundtable that highlighted the need for additional enforcement measures against unlicensed cannabis establishments. As of February 19, 2025, 31 unlicensed cannabis establishments have already been closed by the ABCA and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The emergency legislation seeks to create a level playing field between licensed and unlicensed cannabis businesses and allows for the summary closure of licensed establishments engaging in illegal activities that pose an imminent danger to public health and safety. The Council has determined that these circumstances warrant immediate action, allowing the resolution to take effect without delay.