Operating a cannabis dispensary comes with potential threats and inherent security risks. With twenty-nine states legally approving the use of medical marijuana for distribution, businesses associated with it still find themselves operating in something of a gray area these days when it comes to the law.

One apparent threat associated with operating a marijuana business comes from the cannabis industry’s reliance on cash, leading to break-ins and robberies across the country.

The problem stems from the fact that marijuana remains classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance at the federal level. As a result, the medical marijuana industry faces several unique challenges, particularly in the area of providing security for dispensaries.

But dispensary owners can’t focus solely on their physical store security, there are also dangers related to cybersecurity that must be accounted for.

Medical marijuana dispensaries, therefore, run a significantly higher risk of being targeted for theft, robbery, and burglary—much greater than many other businesses. These facilities will carry stocks that have a considerably elevated street value compared to what they sell for through a dispensary.