A majority of the cannabis-related initiatives that have been permitted have been situated in Los Angeles and San Diego counties, inexperienced lighting the potential of 70 extra cannabis retail licenses. In California, Los Angeles leads as probably the most populated county, adopted by San Diego County, Orange County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County.
Los Angeles County voters permitted 25 retail licenses with Measure C by 59.88%, which enacts taxes in unincorporated areas of the county. This contains $10 per sq. foot for cultivators, 6% tax on gross retail receipts (in addition to a gross receipts tax, together with 2% tax for testing amenities, 3% tax on distribution, and 4% for “manufacturing and different marijuana enterprise amenities.”) Moreover, Santa Monica voters permitted Measure HMP with a 66.79% “sure” vote to implement taxes for non-medical hashish retailers, medical retailers, and all different licensed hashish companies (town presently solely has two licensed retailers). Hashish-related measures in Claremont, Cudahy, Lynwood, and South El Monte additionally handed. Nevertheless, there have been quite a few cities that selected to not embrace hashish resembling Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and El Segundo all selected to keep up bans on business hashish companies.
San Diego County, which has solely permitted 5 hashish companies up to now, noticed the approval of a hashish tax by way of Measure A with 57.28%. This implements a 6% tax on retail companies, 2% on testing, 3% on cultivation (or $10 per cover sq. foot, which is an adjustment for inflation) and 4% for all different companies. County officers estimate that these taxes might generate as much as $5.5 million annually in the general fund, and will result in 20 new hashish enterprise licenses. In accordance with George Sadler, CEO of the San Diego-based hashish model Gelato, any information is sweet information. “Entry has all the time been a problem,” stated Sadler. “Any progress is a giant plus.”
Presently, most of Orange County doesn’t enable for hashish companies with the exclusion of town of Santa Ana. Nevertheless, final week Huntington Beach voters permitted Measure O with a sure vote of 54.69%, to approve an ordinance that may implement a 6% tax on gross receipts for retailers, and 1% of gross receipts for different hashish companies (estimated to generate $300,000-$600,000 yearly). This might result in as much as 10 retail hashish licenses. In Laguna Woods, voters additionally permitted a hashish tax that might go towards normal metropolis companies with Measure T with 62% of the vote.
In Northern California, Sacramento County voters have been introduced with a hashish tax measure known as Measure B however it failed. Though 53.49% of voters permitted of this initiative, it required a 2/3 vote (or 66%+) to cross. Neighboring cities resembling Monterey and Pacific Grove permitted tax measures. In Sonoma County, Healdsburg voters permitted Measure M.
In San Bernardino County, voters permitted a tax initiative in Montclair with Measure R. Central Californians in Kings County, Avenal permitted a tax initiative as nicely with Measure C, in addition to voters in McFarland, which is situated in Kern County.
Whereas native cities and counties in California delivered on hashish initiatives, the state has additionally been implementing different adjustments not too long ago.
California state voters additionally selected to maintain Gavin Newsom as governor for one more time period. Earlier in October, Newsom signed a invoice known as the “Alternate Plea Act” that may assist defendants who’ve been charged with drug-related offenses. In accordance with the Drug Coverage Alliance, the “public nuisance plea will carry the identical felony penalty because the drug offense charged however with out triggering the collateral penalties.”
“With this plea choice, people will be capable to resume their life after incarceration and never be blocked from securing housing and employment,” the group defined.
In September, Newsom additionally signed a invoice to guard workers who select to eat hashish off-the-clock. “For too many Californians, the promise of hashish legalization stays out of attain,” Newsom stated in a press launch. “These measures construct on the essential strides our state has made towards this objective, however a lot work stays to construct an equitable, secure and sustainable authorized hashish trade. I look ahead to partnering with the Legislature and policymakers to totally understand hashish legalization in communities throughout California.”