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May 18
1978 - Concert scene for "KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park" filmed at Magic Mountain [story]
KISS


By Nathan Solis
LOS ANGELES (CN) – As 2018 dawned and recreational marijuana went on sale, Los Angeles became the nation’s largest market. And it’s been a lucrative two months for the city, which has collected over $2 million in license fees from recreational cannabis business applicants alone – far exceeding expectations.

On Wednesday, the city continued to fine tune its rules over cannabis businesses, like the distance from public parks, advertising, and the bigger question of which communities were negatively impacted by the war on drugs and how they can benefit from the city’s newest industry.

Since Jan. 3, over 100 applicants received short-term licenses to operate their cannabis businesses in the city. But less than half have received their state license, which is also required to sell recreational cannabis.

Cat Packer, director of the city’s Department of Cannabis Regulation, said earlier this month at a committee meeting that Los Angeles will likely see revenue of $3.5 million through June. She called the retail rollout of recreational marijuana “a complex transition from an unregulated market to a regulated market.”

On Wednesday, Los Angeles extended its contract with consulting group Amec Foster Wheeler to determine which ZIP codes should be included in a proposed program that would give back to neighborhoods negatively affected by the war on drugs. The mainly low-income neighborhoods made up of people of color, were specifically targeted by law enforcement and include Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles and communities in the San Fernando Valley.

The social equity program would help eligible people who want to leap into the legal cannabis industry find real estate for their businesses and other subsidies.

Inundated with applications, the city will hire additional staff for the Department of Cannabis Regulation. The 21 employees will include accountants, analysts and managers to process applications, better serve businesses and field questions from the public on the city’s cannabis industry. Up until recently, the department was staffed by three people.

Additional updates to the city’s cannabis rules include restrictions on advertisements to limit children’s exposure, and an 800-foot buffer zone between cannabis storefronts and drug and alcohol recovery facilities, day care facilities, supportive housing, public libraries, parks, schools and homes.

The city will also wrangle with cannabis use in private clubs, lounges and special events hosted by licensed businesses outside their storefronts.

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48 Comments

  1. James Jacobi says:

    Yet no dispensary will ever come to scv

  2. KJ Slo says:

    Keep that cr8p out of SCV!

  3. $$ Is the only reason why politicians want to legalize drugs …too many crimes under the influence due to drugs incidence are happening ..not good for society …

  4. Chris Hosea says:

    Can’t wait to see this money reinvested in our communities. Colorado is already improving.

  5. William Reel says:

    So, SCVTV, since this is a “school” site, do you think it’s appropriate to celebrate drugs in the name of tax revenue? (Exceeding Expectations”) You guys have a obvious agenda. Dumbing down a society, starting with children (school site) to support your hero Kamala Harris, perhaps. Oh, I know, it’s just news…

  6. There’s nothing wrong with legalizing marijuana. All of the people against it are out of touch with the times and have been raised to believe it’s a bad thing. Alcohol is way worse, statistically and yet people are fine with it being sold.

    • Bart Joseph says:

      You cant control what you dont control. We legalize drugs that spend more time telling you why not to take it, and then silence food producers who say their food helps conditions.

  7. Bart Joseph says:

    As usual this article was not read by the commentors.

    This has to do with liecensing fees collected and regulatory issues.

    Ignorance maybe bliss, but there comments are hilarious.

    • Bryan Pievac says:

      What got me in the article is how they are trying to figure out the regulatory factors as if they didn’t already have the same factors set for smoking and vaping (ex: distances from buildings, no smoking indoors at public places, not on school grounds, etc.)
      As for the licensing and regulatory issues, there’s already states, cities, and towns they SCV can take note of.
      Obviously we would price adjust for our town but it seems like we are dragging our feet a bit on the issue

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KISS
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