West LA Times

At last week's meeting, the Santa Monica City Council made significant progress in the development of the city’s ordinance on adult-use cannabis, with a specific focus on advancing social equity within the industry.

The council's decision was guided by the goal of ensuring that communities most impacted by cannabis enforcement policies have the opportunity to benefit from the newly legalized industry. As stated by an unidentified council member, "The goal of the cannabis social equity component is to develop a program that helps ensure that the communities most impacted by federal and state cannabis enforcement policies are provided an opportunity to benefit from the newly legalized industry."

Acknowledging the historical disparities caused by the criminalization of cannabis, the council emphasized the importance of social equity in the cannabis sector. They recognized that marginalized communities have been disproportionately affected by anti-drug laws, despite similar cannabis usage rates. The council member further highlighted that "Social equity in cannabis recognizes the impact that the criminalization of cannabis has had on institutionally oppressed communities."

To address these disparities, the city secured a $40,000 Cannabis Equity Grant to conduct an equity assessment in Santa Monica. This assessment aims to identify the local impacts of cannabis enforcement policies and the groups most affected. Once completed, the findings will inform policies that promote equity, such as priority application and expedited licensing for equity applicants, technical assistance, and investment of cannabis tax revenues in community programs.

The council's decision to move forward with the equity program was based on insights gained from researching equity programs in neighboring jurisdictions. Staff presented key lessons learned on implementation strategies, including considerations on timing, license allocation, applicant selection, staffing, and overcoming challenges in program development. As expressed by a council member, "The council gave direction for staff to move forward with a program based on general best practices learned through their research on equity programs in nearby jurisdictions."

Looking ahead, the city is in the process of hiring a consultant to conduct the equity assessment, with an expected completion date by the end of 2024. Upon the assessment's conclusion, staff will present the findings and recommendations to the City Council for further action and implementation.