December 2023
Happy Holidays | Feliz Navidad | Maligayang Pasko | Buon Natale | Joyeux Noël
The Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) and the Social Equity Program (SEP) team wishes you and your loved ones a happy and healthy Holiday Season.
In observance of the Christmas holiday, DCR will be closed on Monday, December 25. We will resume normal hours the following day.
A Year In Review
As we look forward, the DCR celebrates and reflects on the SEP accomplishments and successes of 2023. The SEP is designed to support, educate, provide knowledge and accelerate the professional development of Social Equity Individual Applicants (SEIAs), licensees and operators.
Additional 2023 DCR-SEP highlights:
- Organized the SEP Stakeholder Advisory Group made up of licensed operators and applicants who are in the final stages of opening their doors for business. This voluntary advisory group met in July and October and provides grassroots, frontline input, ideas and suggestions to the SEP program
- To date, the Pro Bono - Low Bono Legal Services Program has benefited 98 SEIAs with critical legal advice
- Learning Management System (LMS) with easy-to-follow curriculum pathways focusing on accounting, human resources, management, operations and more now contains 160 hours of self-paced educational content on key topics to assist with standing up your business and staying in compliance
The City of Los Angeles has a population of almost 4 million people and estimated 2023 cannabis sales of $2 billion. DCR is arguably the largest Social Equity program in the country. It remains committed to leveling the playing field, creating progressive policy reforms and providing equal opportunity and access to those communities that were disproportionately impacted by the failed war on drugs.
All social equity applicants, entrepreneurs, licensees and operators are encouraged to continue utilizing all DCR-SEP resources, tools, and programming to gain knowledge, expertise and a competitive advantage. Keep moving, stay focused and cultivate your business.
SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAM (SEP)
To date, DCR has awarded 457 Social Equity Licenses split between 5 activities. DCR projects that at least half of all licensed businesses will be owned by Social Equity Individual Applicants by 2025.
Click here to see DCR-SEP 2023 memories
Q&A Virtual Lunch Hour
Get your questions ready! The next installment of the Q&A Virtual Lunch with Assistant Executive Director Jason Killeen is Wednesday, December 13, at 12:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to ask Jason your licensing and application questions.
RSVP and submit your question HERE!
Participate in the Local Demographic Licensee and Applicant Survey
Please take a minute and complete this brief survey questionnaire so Los Angeles commercial cannabis applicants and licensees can continue to benefit from funding from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).
DCR-SEP fee waivers and the recent SEED Rental Assistance Program were funded by GO-Biz.
BLC Spotlight
Click here to view a DCR-SEP interview from LA cannabis pioneer Chonsie Bullock, CEO Go Verde Incubator and Green Haven LA, as she shares her keys to success by accessing DCR resources, tools and programming and “clicking on everything.”
Pro Bono - Low Bono
All Social Equity Individual Applicants who have passed the Pre-Application stage are now eligible to apply for Pro Bono - Low Bono Legal Services offered by the DCR Social Equity Program in partnership with the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA).
Access to affordable legal services continues to be a major barrier for the Social Equity community. It is critical that Social Equity Individual Applicants and licensees seek and obtain legal counsel early to avoid predatory practices, pitfalls, and mistakes. Applicants can apply to receive up to 40 hours of legal services: 10 hours of free pro bono assistance and 30 hours of low bono assistance for $35 per hour.
Try the FREE Learning Management System (LMS)
As part of the BLC Assistance Program, this online Learning Management System (LMS) provides you with over 160 hours of self-paced educational content on key topics to assist with standing up your business and staying in compliance.
If you are accessing the LMS system for the first time, please log in using the email address linked to your DCR Accela Account and use “Password1”. If you are having difficulty logging into the LMS, contact us at dcr.sep@lacity.org
Get the latest cannabis news from around the country.
News
- Where is cannabis legal? A guide to all 50 states.
- Multiple cities in Ohio decriminalize cannabis as voters widely approve legalization.
- This Texas city will have the chance to vote for cannabis decriminalization on the ballot after lawmakers reject voter initiative.
- A recent study finds that states that have legalized cannabis see significantly lower rates of cannabis use disorder cases at ERs compared to non-legal states.
- People have replaced prescribed sleep aids with cannabis and it has allowed them to wake up more focused and refreshed, this study indicates.
- NCAA Panel formally recommends removing cannabis from the list of banned substances for college athletes.
- Detroit grants 37 adult-use cannabis business licenses in Round 2 issuance.
- Connecticut adult-use cannabis sales adult-use cannabis sales reach new high in October, while medical cannabis declines.
- How Schedule 3 could impact cannabis sales.
- Tourists embrace cannabis shopping in Los Angeles.
BLC Resources
- Free Pro Bono - Low Bono ($35/hour) Legal Services
- Learning Management System (LMS)
- Support Social Equity Program (SEP) stores - Find a retailer HERE
Contact Us
Thank you for reading our monthly CannaDispatch newsletter, designed to provide timely and useful information about DCR-SEP news, services, and resources for the Los Angeles Social Equity community, SEIAs, licensees and operators.
If you have suggestions for future newsletter topics, please email us at dcr.sep@lacity.org. The DCR public counter is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at 221 N. Figueroa St, Suite 1245, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Call (213) 978-0738 to speak with a DCR representative.