Urgent Action Needed for Cannabis Equity

Dear San Diego ASA friends,

We have an urgent request for you to save the following date:

When: January 10, 2024 @6PM

Where: Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

What: Roll Up for Cannabis Equity Rally

What Else: Please wear a white shirt

Many of you know that SDASA has been working very hard to help usher more cannabis collectives into the city of San Diego through the proposed Cannabis Social Equity and Economic Development (SEED) program. Our goal in pushing for this program is to achieve greater access to medical cannabis for patients, especially in underserved areas where there are deserts to access. These 36 potential retail collectives added would have priority licenses and considerations for people who have been incarcerated for cannabis and reside or resided in areas of San Diego which have been historically over-policed. It is a social justice program funded by the state in the form of grants to cities interested in mitigating the harms of over-policing and fulfilling the state’s push to get more regulated retail access operating in the state’s cities and counties.

We thought with a progressive Mayor and Council we could achieve this important goal of increasing equitable access to regulated cannabis in low-income communities while expanding wealth-generating opportunities for a demographic that has been systematically and discriminatorily criminalized for engaging in the activities that many are profiting off of today. We were wrong to think it would be easy.

As evidenced by this letter below, sent to the Mayor, press, state officials, and other interested parties, the work must ramp up.

Mayor Todd Gloria is running for another term. He has a challenger – a cannabis community favorite in Geneviéve Jones-Wright – who just announced her run to take his position. Jones-Wright is deeply committed to the cannabis community. In her bid for District Attorney several years ago, she made lasting friendships with our folks.

If, as the letter states, we are not seeing a strong commitment to advancing social equity by the Mayor’s office, we will be protesting alongside our friends and coalition partners from the San Diego Diversity Cannabis Group at the Mayor’s State of the City Address (watch the Mayor’s press office for any changes to that date and location). If the Mayor should make a commitment to the equity program, we will pivot our efforts to support him with jubilance.

Either way, please tentatively save the date: Jan. 10th at 6PM at Balboa Theatre Near 4th and E St. at Horton Plaza. Please wear a white shirt if possible, patches and signs will be available or bring your own. Stay tuned to SDASA’s Facebook event page and the Mayor’s press office in the event that the date of the State of the City Address is changed.

Here is the letter to the Mayor:

December 21, 2023:

Dear Mayor Todd Gloria,

We are writing to express profound disappointment and concern on behalf of the true community stakeholders regarding the handling of the cannabis social equity program. Our collective frustration has reached a point where we are preparing to peacefully protest at your upcoming State of the City (SotC) address.

For over two solid years, we, as dedicated residents of San Diego, have actively participated in the civic process. We have strived to ensure that equity is a priority in an industry that our communities were significantly impacted by, yet we continue to find ourselves sidelined. The present course, seemingly influenced by high-paid lobbyists, lawyers, and existing cannabis retail facilities, such as March and Ash, is not only disheartening but also contrary to the principles of fairness, equity, and justice.

As taxpayers, family people, and integral members of the San Diego community, protesting is not an action we take lightly. Our time is valuable, and our preference would always be to engage constructively. However, the current situation — which has been exacerbated by your actions and those of your Chief of Staff — leaves us little choice.

As this all might be a misunderstanding — which we wholeheartedly hope it is — we require a firm commitment, in writing, to a cannabis social equity program that includes no fewer than 36 new retail licenses for social equity applicants before January 8, 2024 to avert this protest. We ask that you not only acknowledge the cannabis social equity program as laid out herein in your SotC address, but also provide a comprehensive plan to rectify current deficiencies. We expect a clear outline of your support for the recommendations already put forward by the City’s Cannabis Business Division as well as a timeline.

This situation represents yet another instance where POC and LGBTQ+ communities are compelled to fight for equitable treatment — a struggle that would not be necessary in a just and equitable society, let alone under this administration that professes to govern by such principles. We are organized, prepared, and resolute in our pursuit of a satisfactory resolution.

We await your prompt response to this matter, Mayor Gloria. It is our hope that a constructive dialogue and a firm commitment to our equitable solution will replace the need for protest, leading to outcomes that reflect the values and needs of all San Diego’s residents.

Respectfully,

Lawrence Wilson

San Diego Diversity Cannabis Group

Timeline of Developments in San Diego’s Cannabis Social Equity Program

September 7, 2022: The City of San Diego presented its final draft of the cannabis equity assessment to the EDIR Council Committee. View Report
October 11, 2022: The San Diego City Council adopted the Social Equity Assessment Cannabis Equity Report, marking a significant step in addressing cannabis equity.
February 2023: California State awarded San Diego over $800,000 in grants. The funding was relatively modest, attributed to the City’s lack of an established program at the time.
April 24, 2023: During the budget announcement, Mayor Gloria did not include cannabis social equity in the City’s 2024 budget, raising concerns among stakeholders.
July 2023: In response, the City Council amended the budget, adding $1 million specifically for the social equity program.
July 13, 2023: LUH presented zoning recommendations and code amendments as part of the Current Code Amendment Package. View Details
August 8, 2023: The program underwent a significant transition with the transfer of responsibilities from the CBD to the Office of Race and Equity (ORE).
Missed Opportunity: Unfortunately, San Diego missed the phase 2 GoBiz social equity grant, which could have provided an additional $2 million in funding.
Current Status: Despite clear proposals from the City’s Cannabis Business Division, there appears to be a pivot in the program’s direction. Under Chief of Staff’s guidance, the Mayor’s approach seems to align more with certain political influencers and special interests, and high paid lobbyists deviating from the originally proposed plans.

This timeline outlines the recent key milestones and current challenges in San Diego’s journey towards establishing a fair and effective cannabis social equity program.

Lawrence Wilson

San Diego Diversity Cannabis Group

SpokesPerson and Community Advocate