Board Approves Commercial Cannabis Licensing in Unincorporated LA County

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Feb. 15, passed a motion directing the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs’ Office of Cannabis Management to start the development and implementation of an equitable commercial cannabis licensing program in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.

The Office of Cannabis Management proposed recommendations in December 2021 following a July 2021 Board directive for a cannabis regulatory framework. The framework was to address administrative barriers that create inequitable outcomes and to call for investments  bridging  educational, technical and financial resource gaps caused by systemic racism and exacerbated by the War on Drugs.

The recommendations include launching the commercial cannabis program with a low number of licenses (up to 25 retail, 25 delivery, 10 cultivation, 10 manufacturing, 10 distribution and 10 testing licenses) with priority for equity applicants. This would allow the County to lead the program with equity, to monitor and assess community impacts and efficacy of regulations, and to build appropriate infrastructure to support potential expansion in the following years.

Until LA County fully develops and launches its cannabis licensing program, all commercial cannabis activities, including retail, delivery, manufacturing and cultivation, remain prohibited in unincorporated LA County.

The Board also approved the Office of Cannabis Management’s recommendations for a robust equity program, providing referrals and access to resources such as education, job training, technical assistance and capital for qualified candidates. The impact of this program would be monitored by a Cannabis Working Group of subject matter experts and County Departments to track equity data and promote data-driven decision making.

The Office of Cannabis Management will work in collaboration with County departments, community stakeholders and partners and will hold community engagement meetings to share information and gather feedback.

Details: cannabis.lacounty.gov.