Would you like to see a Cannabis Equity Program in San Diego?
Yes
How does the current cannabis industry impact you, your family, and/or your community?
As an essential business, the Cannabis Industry is my Livelihood. I have made a solid career in development in the industry based on the hard lessons learned in the cannabis industry.
Who in your family and/or community has been impacted by the current cannabis industry?
I have personally lost a locally licensed retail/cultivation in the County of San Diego in 2011-2012 Lic# MMJ-00001. Lost all I had at the time, a successful business and nearly a half a million dollars invested. We never had criminal charges because we did it the right way, still lost.
How can the City's Cannabis Equity Program help address disparities in the cannabis industry? (Please rank the top response as your highest priority and the bottom response as your lowest priority.)
Please rank the top response as your highest priority and the bottom response as your lowest priority.
Please list other ways the City's Cannabis Equity Program can help address disparities in the cannabis industry.
Speaking from self interest. In regards to eligibility for an equity applicant; it usually is determined on if someone has been arrested or charged of a cannabis offence. I would love for the incorporation of wording to allow for something like " owners of previous licensed cannabis operations that were negatively affected by the war on drugs in the county/city may be eligible ". The wording may be to open but, you understand my want to reclaim something unjustly taken from the war on drugs. We technically lost the ability to operate through an eviction process because of a blanket letter sent out by the federal government the the property owners in San Diego County during 2011.
Who should be able to obtain licenses through the future Cannabis Equity Program? (Please pick as many as apply.)
Individuals with a conviction history associated with nonviolent cannabis-related or other nonviolent drug offenses.
Individuals with an immediate family member with conviction history associated with cannabis-related or other drug offenses.
Target applicants who earn less than 80% of the median income in the City of San Diego (the median income for a family of four in San Diego is currently $104,100).
What do you feel are the most significant barriers to operating a cannabis business? (Please pick up to three.)
Access to Capital: Business startup costs, banks, loans, insurance cost
License access and application process
Business knowledge, experience, and education
If offered the opportunity, would you apply for a cannabis license?
Yes
If no, please explain.
No response.
If you have any additional thoughts, please share them here.
Mother Earth was the First Licensed Medical Marijuana Dispensary in all of Southern California at the time it was permitted. (LIC# MMJ-0001. 07/04/2011(Opening Day). Operating out of the County of San Diego, Mother Earth had been the first pioneers of the counties previous ordinance and also added revisions to the ordinance to ensure highest quality of business practices. Our facility in the county of San Diego was subject to regular inspections every 6 weeks to ensure all products and funds were accurately accounted for. We had incorporated a legitimate “track and trace” capability to our POS System in 2011. Metrc before Metrc. We were heavily regulated and monitored during the entirety of our operation and to never received a letter of incident in regards to inventory or record-keeping. In late 2012 San Diego City/County had issued a state of emergency to combat the illegal presence of dispensaries in which they requested federal assistance at the time to combat the influx in illegal operations that they just didn’t have the funding to control. The Federal Government sent a blanket letter to 212 Landlords housing dispensaries in the entirety of the County of San Diego area that stated the landlords were renting to illegal operations under federal law and that they should take action to evict or they would take action against the landlord by seizing building through asset forfeiture. Regardless of local regulations it was brought to a federal court and ruled in the landlords favor. A few months later Aug/2013 the J. Cole Memo was released stating that the federal government would step back and allow the states to govern their own laws in regards to Cannabis. Our license to operate on the County level was never revoked or suspended for any fault of the operator but merely expired as there was no viable alternate location within the county. We got squashed by the federal government with a local license. A direct negative impact as a result from on the war on drugs. In regards to the struggle, history of medical cannabis and the fight for safe access we respectfully played our part and when we couldn't anymore we exited gracefully.
What is your zip code? (Your zip code helps City employees better understand and assess specific community needs.)
90631 Currently; I used to live in Santee from 2010-2012 whilst operating Mother Earth in El Cajon.
What is your age?
26-34
Which race category best describes you? Please select one.
White
Are you of Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish ethnicity?
No, not of Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish ethnicity
With which gender identity do you most identify?
Male
Open Town Hall is not a certified voting system or ballot box. As with any public comment process, participation in Open Town Hall is voluntary. The responses in this record are not necessarily representative of the whole population, nor do they reflect the opinions of any government agency or elected officials.
Translate
Would you like to see a Cannabis Equity Program in San Diego?
How does the current cannabis industry impact you, your family, and/or your community?
As an essential business, the Cannabis Industry is my Livelihood. I have made a solid career in development in the industry based on the hard lessons learned in the cannabis industry.Who in your family and/or community has been impacted by the current cannabis industry?
I have personally lost a locally licensed retail/cultivation in the County of San Diego in 2011-2012 Lic# MMJ-00001. Lost all I had at the time, a successful business and nearly a half a million dollars invested. We never had criminal charges because we did it the right way, still lost.How can the City's Cannabis Equity Program help address disparities in the cannabis industry? (Please rank the top response as your highest priority and the bottom response as your lowest priority.)
Please rank the top response as your highest priority and the bottom response as your lowest priority.
Please rank the top response as your highest priority and the bottom response as your lowest priority.
Please rank the top response as your highest priority and the bottom response as your lowest priority.
Please rank the top response as your highest priority and the bottom response as your lowest priority.
Please list other ways the City's Cannabis Equity Program can help address disparities in the cannabis industry.
Speaking from self interest. In regards to eligibility for an equity applicant; it usually is determined on if someone has been arrested or charged of a cannabis offence. I would love for the incorporation of wording to allow for something like " owners of previous licensed cannabis operations that were negatively affected by the war on drugs in the county/city may be eligible ". The wording may be to open but, you understand my want to reclaim something unjustly taken from the war on drugs. We technically lost the ability to operate through an eviction process because of a blanket letter sent out by the federal government the the property owners in San Diego County during 2011.Who should be able to obtain licenses through the future Cannabis Equity Program? (Please pick as many as apply.)
What do you feel are the most significant barriers to operating a cannabis business? (Please pick up to three.)
If offered the opportunity, would you apply for a cannabis license?
If no, please explain.
No response.If you have any additional thoughts, please share them here.
Mother Earth was the First Licensed Medical Marijuana Dispensary in all of Southern California at the time it was permitted. (LIC# MMJ-0001. 07/04/2011(Opening Day). Operating out of the County of San Diego, Mother Earth had been the first pioneers of the counties previous ordinance and also added revisions to the ordinance to ensure highest quality of business practices. Our facility in the county of San Diego was subject to regular inspections every 6 weeks to ensure all products and funds were accurately accounted for. We had incorporated a legitimate “track and trace” capability to our POS System in 2011. Metrc before Metrc. We were heavily regulated and monitored during the entirety of our operation and to never received a letter of incident in regards to inventory or record-keeping. In late 2012 San Diego City/County had issued a state of emergency to combat the illegal presence of dispensaries in which they requested federal assistance at the time to combat the influx in illegal operations that they just didn’t have the funding to control. The Federal Government sent a blanket letter to 212 Landlords housing dispensaries in the entirety of the County of San Diego area that stated the landlords were renting to illegal operations under federal law and that they should take action to evict or they would take action against the landlord by seizing building through asset forfeiture. Regardless of local regulations it was brought to a federal court and ruled in the landlords favor. A few months later Aug/2013 the J. Cole Memo was released stating that the federal government would step back and allow the states to govern their own laws in regards to Cannabis. Our license to operate on the County level was never revoked or suspended for any fault of the operator but merely expired as there was no viable alternate location within the county. We got squashed by the federal government with a local license. A direct negative impact as a result from on the war on drugs. In regards to the struggle, history of medical cannabis and the fight for safe access we respectfully played our part and when we couldn't anymore we exited gracefully.What is your zip code? (Your zip code helps City employees better understand and assess specific community needs.)
90631 Currently; I used to live in Santee from 2010-2012 whilst operating Mother Earth in El Cajon.What is your age?
Which race category best describes you? Please select one.
Are you of Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish ethnicity?
With which gender identity do you most identify?