The origins of 4/20 as a cannabis culture holiday can be traced back to the early 1970s in California. The most widely accepted story involves a group of high school students in San Rafael, California, who would meet at 4:20 PM for their daily ritual of smoking marijuana. Eventually, the term "4:20" spread among their peers and the larger cannabis community, becoming associated with the broader celebration of cannabis culture.
Over the years, the significance of 4/20 expanded into more than just a day celebrated by cannabis enthusiasts around the world. The day has grown to symbolize activism for cannabis legalization and policy reform. Public celebrations, symposiums, protests, and rallies are held in various cities, and it has become a day of solidarity among those advocating for cannabis rights.
Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for an announcement regarding the 2025 Retail Application Lottery of 2025.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FROM THE SOCIAL EQUITY PROGRAM IN 2025?
April 2025
FREE COACHING
DCR offers over 1,500 hours of free business, professional, and workforce development coaching with subject-matter experts. Complete and submit the Coaching Indemnification Form. THEN, CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR NEXT COACHING SESSION
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The Business, Licensing & Compliance Assistance Program’s 2025 Webinar Series has begun! For the latest one on Tax Compliance click below.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH
FREE & LOW-COST LEGAL SERVICES
You are eligible to apply for 10 hours of free legal assistance and 30 hours of legal assistance for $35 per hour.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LMS COURSES
THE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS) LETS YOU ACCESS POPULAR
TRAINING TOPICS FOR FREE
GET STARTED TODAY!
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.
Meet Toni Forge Esq., an attorney and Social Equity Program Coach, who specializes in cannabis tax law, compliance and policy reform. With her extensive background and experience, she has assisted cannabis small business owners with becoming more proficient in cannabis financial literacy and business development.
Complete and submit the Coaching Indemnification Form. Then, click here to schedule your next coaching session.
Branding for Cannabis Startups: Everything You Need to Know
Branding is everything. In a competitive market, your brand needs to do more than just stand out—it needs to build trust and loyalty.
DCR’s Social Equity Program webinar “Branding for Cannabis Startups” covers the fundamentals of cannabis branding, including crafting a strong identity, leveraging social media, and navigating the unique challenges of marketing in this industry. Led by Jake Kuczeruk - a cannabis investor, consultant, and mentor/advisor - the webinar reviews when to outsource vs. hire in-house, the importance of research, and how to create a brand that resonates with your audience.
Whether you're launching a new cannabis business or refining an existing brand, this session will equip you with the strategies and insights to establish a lasting presence in the market.
STAY TUNED FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS ON UPCOMING WEBINARS
Annual Licensing
To date, 304 retailers have received approval for Annual Licensure from the City of Los Angeles Cannabis Regulation Commission (CRC).
Community meetings are a requirement prior to scheduling a hearing in front of the Cannabis Regulation Commission, who is ultimately responsible for the approval or denial of an Annual License.
DCR continues to prioritize the review of all annual applications based on the following criteria: (1) upcoming State license expiration dates; (2) non-retail Social Equity businesses who do not have a state provisional license; (3) Social Equity retail businesses; and, (4) all other businesses.
To find out more about the Annual Licensing process, please visit our website. DCR will be releasing a guide with next steps this month for all recent recipients of an Annual License, stay tuned.
Is Your DBA On File With DCR?
Do you have a DBA (Doing Business As)? Is it registered in Accela?
If not, you will also need to submit a Modification Request with DCR (via Accela) to add your DBA.
To complete this process, please submit form LIC-4001-MOD and include the FBN filing stamped by the LA County Registrar Recorder/Clerk. Modification requests are free of charge.
Please file this ASAP as it needs to be completed before you receive a Notice of Completed Application pertaining to the annual licensing process. If you have any questions about the DBA process, reach out to your assigned DCR licensing staff member.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR DCR UPDATES
IN THE NEWS
- Beverly Hills man sentenced for stealing over $ 18 million through cannabis scams
- Cannabis Consumers Respond Better To 'Realistic' Anti-Impaired Driving Message That Avoid Stoner Stereotypes
- Tips on taking a cannabis brand global
- The road ahead for cannabis lending in 2025
- California State Fair Will Again Feature On-Site Cannabis Sales And Consumption, With New Award Categories For Blunts, Hash And Chocolates
- The Cannabis Component CBD Reduces Epileptic Seizures At Twice The Rate Of Placebo, New Scientific Review Shows
- As cannabis consumer tastes evolve, industry must look beyond potency
CLICK HERE FOR MORE DCR NEWS
Thank you for reading our monthly CannaDispatch newsletter, designed to provide timely and useful information about DCR-SEP news, services, programming 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.
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Department of Cannabis Regulation.
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