CSP C-Store Cannabis Board launches hemp and cannabis compliance training for retailers

The CSP C-Store Cannabis Board has teamed with Element Training to give convenience stores county-specific hemp and cannabis compliance training for employees. The program aims to help retailers manage fast-changing rules on age checks, labeling, potency and product placement while improving point-of-sale customer guidance.

Why it matters: - Convenience stores are facing a patchwork of hemp and cannabis rules that vary by federal, state and county jurisdiction. - The new training is designed to help retailers reduce compliance risk, strengthen age-gating, and give employees a clearer script for customer questions at the register. - The initiative could also help convenience retailers defend their place in age-restricted categories as regulators debate THC access.

What happened: - The CSP C-Store Cannabis Board partnered with Element Training to expand access to hemp and cannabis education for convenience store operators and their teams. - The program is tailored to each store location so the training matches local requirements. - The rollout centers on a simple retailer standard: “Sell It Right. Know the Rules. Get Certified.”

The details: - The training covers product knowledge, ID checks, THC, THCA and CBD, and applicable federal, state and county regulations. - Employees complete seven short lessons in about 25 minutes on a mobile device. - Each employee receives a verifiable certificate with a unique certificate ID and QR code. - Retailers, regulators, insurers and auditors can use the certificate to confirm completion. - Retailers also get access to a compliance library that outlines county, state and federal requirements. - The library flags updates when regulations change. - The program can be set up for one location or hundreds of locations. - Retailers can upload locations manually, import a CSV file, or use a website URL to pull store locations. - Businesses can pay for all locations in one charge or create separate payment links for each location. - Each location includes unlimited staff access. - Current pricing and rates are available on the Element Training App. - Promo codes are available for launch and multi-location groups. - The annual fee supports upkeep of the training program provided by Alchemy Digital Collective. - Retailers can enroll stores through the CSP Cannabis Forum website.

Between the lines: - Melissa Vonder Haar, managing director of TradeWorks for iSee Store Innovations and chair of CSP’s C-Store Cannabis Board, said the retailer-led approach matters because states are trying to shut convenience stores out of THC and other age-restricted categories. - Vonder Haar said BLNCD, Keef and Torch volunteered to help fund the launch, and several retailers helped develop the tool. - The structure suggests the board is trying to turn compliance training into an industry standard rather than a one-off course. - John Giarrante, senior vice president of business development at Torch Drinks LLC, said the biggest challenge is inconsistent rules for age verification, potency, labeling, packaging and product placement. - Giarrante said the uncertainty points to a need for Congress to pass regulations or extend the current framework to create a clear federal standard. - Blake Patterson, chief revenue officer at Keef Brands, said trained front-line workers can improve customer experience and help customers understand dosing, milligrams and brands. - Patterson said a poor interaction caused by lack of knowledge could turn customers away, while a thoughtful conversation could help retain them and attract new ones. - Beecher Vaillancourt, founding principal at Global Organic Distro and a CSP Cannabis Board member, said industry-wide training can bring consistency, confidence and community to retailers.

What's next: - The board is directing retailers to the CSP Cannabis Forum website to enroll stores or get started. - Retailers that adopt the program may use the certificates and compliance library as regulations change across counties and states. - The training model appears positioned to scale as more convenience stores add hemp and cannabis products and as local requirements continue to shift.

The bottom line: - CSP’s new program turns compliance training into a practical tool for convenience retailers trying to sell hemp and cannabis products without falling out of step with local rules.