Security Lighting Guide for Cannabis Businesses

Lights are the first line of defense for any brick-and-mortar store, but in the cannabis industry, they are an even more crucial component of the security system. A proper security lighting system can both prevent and deter potential intruders, secure parking lots and outside perimeters, and illuminate areas that receive little or no light from adjacent properties.

Outside, exterior lights allow security personnel to observe the activity of people and vehicles. Inside, sufficient interior lighting allows employees to verify access to the property and properly match badges and IDs. Similarly, security personnel will be able to effectively manage threats, and have an easier time monitoring or re-watching camera footage.

Types of Security Lighting

General Outdoor Lighting

Flood Lights

Areas with the least amount of illumination will utilize flood lights to emit broad beams onto large spaces. Some examples of placement include parking lots, concert halls, and professional sports arenas.

Lamp Posts

Are typically located next to roads, driveways, and areas where cars frequent.

Outdoor Wall Lights

These lights are installed along the sides of buildings, with special consideration around doors and windows.

Spotlights

Spotlights are used to light a specific area of a building or text on business signage.

Stoplights

Stoplights are often used to identify steps or uneven surfaces outside the building for safety purposes.

Motion-Detecting Lights

Though lights are an effective tool, leaving them on 24/7 can be costly, but can also show an intruder a clear path to a facility’s points of entry. To prevent this, motion-detecting lights can be used so that when activity is sensed, the light turns on and after a set period of time, they turn off. More advanced models can pick up infrared absorption for bigger heat sources and distinguish a person or car from “insignificant triggers” like animals and insects.

Strobe & Siren Lights

The last thing an intruder wants to experience is anything that reminds them of law enforcement. Strobe and siren do just that by heightening the sense of urgency with flashing lights and discomforting sounds. As it is certain to grab the attention of anyone in the building, an intruder would then have to make a split-second decision to either continue the unlawful activity by remaining in the facility or fleeing the scene. This is a perfect example of security lighting functioning as a psychological deterrent.

Decoy Lights

Decoy lights are purely there to deter intruders. Many businesses and home-owners assume that all they need is for devices to appear to be working, but like cameras, a good thief or intruder will be able to tell if the device is a fake by its location and mounting and appearance.

Light Timers

Timers allow businesses to customize their lighting needs based on patterns of use. Indoor lights would only have to remain on during the day and can remain off at night – or can be programed so that lighting settings fluctuate from room to room throughout the night, which can give the illusion that someone is in the building. Similarly, timers on exterior lights can be set to turn on during nighttime hours, mimicking daily or human activity.

Smart Lights

No complex wiring or electrician-level knowledge is required for smart lights. Using bulbs, plugs, and switches, and capable of being synchronized with smart phones, these lights are simple to install, easy to use, and even such platforms like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can integrate their use.

How Can Sapphire Risk Help?

Tony Gallo and the team of experts and consultants at Sapphire Risk Advisory Group have worked to secure medical marijuana and recreational cannabis businesses in 36 states. Follow us on social media to stay up to date with more security best practices and cannabis industry updates!