Marijuana Control Act
Statement on House Bill 1 and House Bill 2

The Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS) will work in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) to implement House Bill 1 and House Bill 2 (the Marijuana Control Act). Creating the framework for the production, manufacture, and sale of legal recreational marijuana involves many important steps. Over the next several months, the State will propose new health and safety regulations on marijuana cultivation and will hire and train new staff to manage licensure and enforcement under the Act. Interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed regulations. The State anticipates that licensure applications will be available by May 2024.

For more information you can review the full text of the laws at https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislationId=129970 and https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislationId=129969.

Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (ATE) Vision and Values:

The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (ATE) is a state law enforcement agency. Officers of the Division are primarily tasked with the enforcement of Title 4 - The Liquor Control Act and the Administrative Rules of the Delaware Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner. The Division of Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement is also tasked with checking all establishments that sell tobacco for compliance in regards to youth access to tobacco laws. In July of 1991, Delaware passed House Bill #65 which mandated that all servers must be trained prior to serving alcohol. At that time the Division began to administer The Alcoholic Beverage Server program. Officers of the Division are certified police Officers in the State of Delaware. Officers have statewide jurisdiction and arrest powers, which give them full authority to enforce all laws of the State of Delaware, including liquor, drug, criminal and traffic statutes. Due to the nature of investigations, Officers primarily work in an undercover capacity. Officers conduct investigations that involve selling alcohol without a license, selling alcohol and/or tobacco products to minors, over-service of alcohol to intoxicated patrons, prostitution, illegal gambling, illegal narcotics, hidden ownership, tobacco smuggling, tax evasion, organized criminal activity, disorderly premises and any other violation of law that they may encounter during the normal course of an agent’s duties. Officers also work with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies on multi-jurisdictional investigations.

Vision:
Through its commitment to serve the people of Delaware, the Division will continually strive to be a law enforcement agency that is respected for skilled, dedicated and professional staff, who apply consistent education, enforcement and proactive measures, in order to encourage voluntary compliance and create safer communities.

Values:
The four core values of the Division are integrity, fairness, competency and accountability. The Division will continually strive to maintain these core values in the furtherance of its mission.

Mission:
To protect the health, safety and welfare of people in Delaware through the enforcement of state liquor and youth access to tobacco laws, while maintaining the highest state of preparedness for responding to threats against homeland security.

Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (A.T.E.) agency brochures:

  • Free online tobacco training to all licensed tobacco retailers and their employees in Delaware (PDF)
  • How to Check a Delaware ID/License (PDF)
  • Pocket Folder 9x12 (PDF)
  • Under 21 Tobacco Sticker (PDF)
  • Understanding Youth Tobacco Laws in Delaware (PDF)