L.A.’s promise of social equity for marijuana businesses has been painfully slow for entrepreneurs
LA TimesWhitney Beatty in her empty South Los Angeles storefront last week. “But it’s draining applicants who are the least financially able to handle these costs.” Los Angeles has long since granted licenses to some long-standing cannabis shops that met city requirements, but new retailers — those in its social equity program — have been slower to get approval. It’s “ludicrous” to even call it a social equity program, said Rusty Savage, a social equity applicant seeking to open a marijuana business in South Los Angeles. But for people paying rent on empty shops, “that’s no consolation to them.” Last fiscal year, the Department of Cannabis Regulation was granted $5 million by the city for its social equity program, including $3 million for business, licensing and compliance assistance. “This program works to right the wrongs of victimizing Black and Brown communities which is long overdue.” Aja Allen, another social equity applicant, said that when the program was first launched, she was excited to see that “the city wants to right the wrongs.” “It doesn’t feel like that anymore,” Allen said.
History of this topic
The drug war devastated Black and other minority communities. Is marijuana legalization helping?
Associated Press
8 trailblazing weed shop owners who survived the war on drugs — and City Hall
LA Times
California promised ‘social equity’ after pot legalization. Those hit hardest feel betrayed
LA Times
Group forms to help give equal access to new cannabis market
Associated Press
Marijuana social equity: Seeds planted but will they grow?
Associated Press
Cannabis entrepreneurs agree to drop lawsuit over ‘flawed’ licensing process
LA Times
L.A. revamps rules for cannabis licensing, hoping to redress harm from war on drugs
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