Hello,
Recently, the Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) announced two new webinars important to the DCR’s goals for 2025. The first webinar took place on January 30 and it focused on Social Equity Individual Applicant (SEIA) Verification, a process that allows folks the opportunity to request participation in the Social Equity Program and to have cannabis business licensing opportunities exclusive to SEIAs. The second upcoming webinar on February 12 focuses on California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), an integral part of the Annual License process that is required by all licensed cannabis businesses.
Additionally, DCR has sent out previous communications about cannabis businesses that may have been affected by the recent wildfires. DCR would like to reiterate, if your business has been affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, reach out to DCR, read more about it here.
Finally, February marks Black History Month, an important time to pay particular attention to the enduring contributions of this community to our Angeleno and national experience. DCR honors this important moment of reflection.
Best,
Jason Killeen, Acting Executive Director
DCR recently held a webinar for people interested in requesting verification as an Social Equity Individual Applicant (SEIA), a designation that allows folks to participate in the Department’s Social Equity Program, and have opportunities to apply for certain cannabis business licenses that are earmarked for this group specifically. If you missed it, the webinar held on January 30, 2025, was recorded and is now available here. You can attend an additional webinar set for 12:00 PM, February 25, 2025, with more information on the process. Click here for more information.
The Social Equity Program focuses on the inclusion and support of individuals in the City’s legal cannabis marketplace who may have been negatively or disproportionately impacted by prior cannabis criminalization. As part of that effort, cannabis business licenses for retail, delivery and cultivation are exclusively available to verified Social Equity Individual Applicants until December 31, 2025. Verified SEIAs who do not currently possess a license or were previously selected in a past lottery will be able to participate in an upcoming retail application lottery in 2025. To learn more about the SEP program click here.
This process is important because it identifies individuals who have been impacted by biased cannabis criminalization, many of whom are people of color, and allows them the opportunity to participate in this industry. To support a more equitable market and those without industry know-how, DCR’s Social Equity Program provides instruction opportunities to gain business preparedness, and information on seeking investors. With this, SEIA’s can have the tools to better maneuver the legal commercial cannabis territory.
The webinar will review the SEIA Verification process based on the criteria set forth in Los Angeles Municipal Code section 104.20, what documentation is needed, and how to submit a request.
To join or RSVP the other upcoming SEIA Verification webinars, please click here.
As part of the Annual License Application process, all licensed cannabis businesses must satisfy requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). DCR is the CEQA lead agency for the City of Los Angeles’ cannabis businesses and will host a CEQA/Notice of Exemption webinar on February 12, 2025, at 12:00 PM.
The webinar will review how DCR handles businesses that qualify for a CEQA exemption, next steps, and explain what happens if the business does not qualify for an exemption. It will also discuss how the California Provisional License expiration dates affect the timeline for this process.
To RSVP and submit questions, click here. To attend the webinar, click here.
The California Department of Cannabis Control has a new one-stop portal for consumers to check for recall or safety notices for all cannabis products sold at legal stores. If a consumer is unsure about a product they purchased, they can check here.
| Join DCR’s monthly Q&A Virtual Lunch session at noon, February 26, 2025, with Acting Executive Director Jason Killeen to get answers to your questions. |
