Justice Cannabis Relies on Hanwha Cameras to Keep Things Safe, Secure & Legal

To help Justice Cannabis get the most effective security solution, Rodhouse and Johnson selected cameras from Hanwha Techwin and began installing them at existing and new facilities. Johnson had most recently worked for two high-profile companies that both use Hanwha cameras and was impressed with his experience with them. He felt they would be a good choice at Justice as well, given the unique security issues presented by the cannabis space.

Prior to Johnson coming on board, Justice already had a collection of various cameras from different manufacturers; but Johnson felt they weren’t up to the job and encouraged the company to standardize going forward on the Hanwha line, including the 5MP dome and 4K AI cameras for most of the daily needs in the retail environment; XNF-8010R fisheye infrared cameras; QND-8080R vari-focal domes over the cash registers; and PNM-9084 RQZ motorized PTRZ cameras for exterior corners to get a good view from all sides of the buildings.

They have also used P Series AI cameras which include the ability to capture and search for unique personal attributes such as color of clothing, wearing of glasses, carrying a bag, and approximate age and gender in showrooms to help track and review any incidents.

Justice Cannabis uses Milestone for its VMS. Along with the cameras, this integration has been helpful in catching some unlawful activity, Johnson says.

For example, at one location, the cameras were able to pick up activity in the parking lot when the Utah facility employees suspected several people of straw purchasing for medical marijuana, then selling it for recreational purposes in the parking lot. Upon review of the footage, they were able to identify them on camera. “The cameras were so clear we could see the license plate numbers,” Johnson says. “We actually saw hand-to-hand dealing. It was phenomenal.”

While they didn’t want to bust any potential customers, Justice Cannabis does have to walk a fine legal line in every state it operates in; and in Utah, the company only has a license for medical distribution. “We had to explain it is illegal in this state so please don’t do it in our parking lot; we don’t want to lose you as a customer,” Johnson recalls.

Cannabis is a tricky industry for more than just legal and regulatory reasons. For example, in the growing areas, Johnson and Rodhouse needed to use outdoor-rated cameras that could function in a humid environment. But besides worrying about the damage the environment might do to the cameras, they also had to worry about the damage the cameras could potentially do to the plants.

“You would think marijuana would grow anywhere, but it is very delicate,” Johnson says. “IR lights can affect the plants’ growth and even prevent them from budding, which is bad for business.” For that reason, Johnson and Rodhouse are in the process of switching out some of the non-Hanwha IR cameras that were previously installed in the growing areas.