Cat Packer stepped down from her function as govt director of the Los Angeles Division of Hashish Regulation (DCR), house to one of many largest, most difficult hashish markets on the earth. It’s with gratitude that we thank her for her service as the town’s first “hashish czar.”
Packer served almost 5 years, as the primary particular person to imagine the function of govt director of the DCR. The division is liable for administering the hashish licensing and regulatory program established by the Los Angeles Metropolis Council.
DCR processes all functions for 1000’s of hashish licenses within the Metropolis of Los Angeles, makes licensing selections or licensing suggestions to the Hashish Regulation Fee and regulates the operations of licensed hashish companies within the metropolis.
Underneath the title, Packer suggested Los Angeles officers on hashish regulation, coverage and regulation, and oversaw the town’s licensed business hashish market. It was a difficult place for anybody to sort out. Over 1,200 enterprise licenses have been granted with Packer on the helm.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti first introduced her departure on Twitter. “Underneath Cat’s management, DCR issued over 1,200 licenses, with over 350 granted to Social Fairness candidates,” Garcetti wrote in a tweet. “DCR has generated over $320M in tax income since 2018. Cat’s tenure at DCR made the division a nationwide mannequin in establishing equitable hashish coverage and implementation.”
Packer wrote a resignation announcement on March 14, outlining a few of her accomplishments throughout her tenure as govt director. “I’m assured that the Metropolis will proceed to deepen its dedication to deal with hashish coverage reforms and the disproportionate impression of the Struggle on Medication, and to enhance upon current efforts that make hashish public coverage extra accountable and equitable,” Packer wrote. “Moreover, I belief that DCR will proceed to maintain fairness on the heart of its mission, and increase and enhance hashish applications and providers.”
Ironing Out Licensing Hurdles
Garcetti appointed Packer to the position in August 2017, after metropolis voters accepted the native regulation and taxation of adult-use hashish earlier that yr.
Packer confronted overwhelming odds and strain throughout her reign, with challenges that might be anticipated in America’s second-largest metropolis. Licensing processes have been underneath fixed hearth. In 2020, for example, hashish enterprise license candidates in Los Angeles sued the town, claiming the method for making use of for a license is flawed.
A lawsuit was filed by the Social Fairness House owners and Employees Affiliation—demanding that the town vet all functions based mostly on a first-come-first-served foundation or provide you with a brand new system that’s extra equal and clear.
Virgil Grant, co-founder of the California Minority Alliance, stated Packer is the “fall person” who took the blame for varied issues from the get-go, in response to The EUR/Digital City Report, whereas others cited different points.
“It took a substantial period of time for us to get the assets, whether or not or not it’s workers or in any other case, to place our licensing program ahead,” Packer instructed Excessive Instances final July. Packer’s workers was finally tripled to fulfill the rising wants. As of final yr, her staff grew from a tiny five-person workers to a extra cheap 15-person workers.
Initially, Packer sought out to grow to be a civil rights legal professional specializing in LGBTQ rights. However issues modified in 2012 when Colorado and Washington legalized adult-use hashish. Whereas conscious of the difficulty, she didn’t suppose critically in regards to the matter for a number of extra years.
However then in 2015, her last yr in regulation college, Cat Packer started taking programs on how the regulation impacted on a regular basis folks. As soon as she was launched to The New Jim Crow by civil rights lawyer Michelle Alexander, a professor on the college, she stated her eyes have been opened. She agreed that nothing had contributed extra to the systematic mass incarceration of individuals of shade in america than the Struggle on Medication.
In 2016, whereas working with Californians for Accountable Marijuana Reform, Packer campaigned for Proposition 64 with the Roll Up the Vote get together with The Sport and DJ Nitrane. It was round that point that Excessive Instances obtained emails from her and her marketing campaign, urging volunteers to make calls to voters and get to work.
Within the meantime, Michelle Garakian, assistant govt director of the Division of Hashish Regulation, has been appointed interim govt director. Garakian was additionally a frequent correspondent with cannabis-related media.