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Melina Brown (left), Maisha Bahati (center) and Bryan Brown of Crystal Nugs.

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A landmark for cannabis equity

Sacramento City Council approves 10 new dispensaries for minority owners

by Ken Magri

In a landmark decision, the Sacramento City Council unanimously voted to add 10 new storefront cannabis dispensaries over the next two years and award the new licenses to applicants who participated in the city’s social equity program.

Allowing five storefront dispensaries in 2020 and another five in 2021 represents a one-third increase, bringing the total number of Sacramento dispensaries to 40. The current cap of 30 limited opportunities for those who went through the city’s Cannabis Opportunity, Reinvestment and Equity program.

“The work is never done, certainly not done to address equity, but this is a significant advance,” Mayor Darrell Steinberg said after the Oct. 13 vote. “There were some who said it should only be two or three [dispensaries],” he said.

The council’s action capped a three-year effort to expand the number of dispensaries, while making progress toward its goal that at least 51% of ownership comes from CORE participants. Such social equity programs fulfill one of the promises of Proposition 64, the 2016 statewide ballot measure that legalized marijuana for adult as of Jan. 1, 2018—to correct injustices from the war on drugs and “reduce barriers to entry into the legal, regulated market.”

Sacramento’s CORE program started in 2018 to help participants who have previous cannabis convictions and come from neighborhoods affected by the war on drugs. It is administered by the Greater Sacramento Urban League and the Sacramento Asian-Pacific Chamber of Commerce.

Participants in the program receive technical assistance when trying to start a cannabis business. License fees and some overhead costs are temporarily waived, giving the new business time to establish a foothold in the industry.

Under the new ordinance, 25% of all Sacramento dispensaries will be minority participants, who are waiting for us owned. The permits will require at least to release this process, for them to be 51% ownership and profit sharing by involved, because what happened before CORE participants for at least 10 years. them isn’t correct,” she said.

Malaki Seku-Amen, CEO of the Ashby was referring to the problem California Urban Partnership, reminded with dispensary ownership transfers that the council that it had gone only halfway allowed the monopolization of several towards its goal for 50% minority businesses, which violates an ownership ownership of all Sacramento dispensa- rule set out by the city. It was discovered ries. Del Paso Heights was set aside last year that two individuals granted as a special planning district dispensary licenses in 2011 allowing dispensaries later broke the rule by to be located within acquiring seven more shopping centers “It’s a huge dispensaries with and along the Arden Way opportunity for those new business partners, and corridor. who have been most renaming them Other public comments affected by the war on drugs, under the Kolas brand. during the Oct. and definitely a step in the In 13 council meeting were right direction for social response, in October concerns that equity here in Sacramento.” 2019, the veterans were being left out of the process, that a Maisha Bahati, co-owner, Crystal Nugs City Council placed a 120-day moratorium on lottery system would any new ownership be the fairest way to transfers, but nothing award licenses and that 10 else was done to correct the dispensaries at once were too many. rule violation. “We are not enforcing

But council members Rick Jennings, it, and we need to figure out a way to do Steve Hansen and Larry Carr, who that,” said Ashby. pressed for 10 dispensaries, were particu- She would have preferred to weed out larly excited to approve the expansion. current owners who broke the rule and

“I don’t want to live in a city where I reissue those freed-up licenses to CORE can’t say we have one African-American participants. Ashby said she fears that by dispensary in my city,” said Jennings, simply adding more storefronts, the local emphasizing his “150% yes” vote. “I am cannabis market could soon become happy that 10 permits will be issued at oversaturated. the same time.” “I am excited that there is a unani- Who will get new licenses? mous vote for the first time ever on a The process of awarding the 10 cannabis item,” Hansen added. new licenses will be conducted by

Mayor Pro Tem Angelique Ashby Sacramento’s Office of Cannabis made the vote unanimous, despite having Management. Director Davina Smith told reservations about more dispensaries. council members that an RFQ (request “It’s time to stop punishing the CORE for quotation) process will be conducted,

Photo by Chris Loftin

rather than using a lottery system.

“The submittals will be evaluated by neutral, unbiased individuals who have relevant knowledge and expertise, and are not involved with the cannabis industry in Sacramento, and are not employed by the city,” said Smith.

CORE participants were given a chance to prioritize the evaluation criteria through a survey they completed afterwards. Smith reported to council members that the 81 respondents put extra importance on CORE participation, business skills and demographic background, and the least importance on letters of recommendation or memberships in industry organizations.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Maisha Bahati, owner of Crystal Nugs cannabis delivery and a CORE participant. “It is a huge opportunity for those who have been most affected by the war on drugs, and definitely a step in the right direction for social equity here in Sacramento.”

Bahati, who was accepted into CORE in 2019, and her partner Melina Brown opened Crystal Nugs as a delivery service. “The program has presented Crystal Nugs with a multitude of opportunities, and has definitely contributed to our sustainability and growth,” Bahati said. CORE waived a $9,700 annual business operating permit for the first two years, and granted $25,000, which Crystal Nugs used to buy three delivery vehicles. Like many delivery companies, they have done well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, they hope to transform their business into Sacramento’s first Black-owned storefront dispensary.

“Though there are many ways to participate in the local cannabis industry—including cultivation, manufacturing, testing and delivery—the storefront dispensary is the most sought-after business model,” said the city’s Smith. Ω

CC cannabis

Cannabis basics

By Ngaio Bealum

ask420@newsreview.com

This may seem kind of random and simple, but probably discuss this with your health care professional. I know weed can have a stigma: Kaiser here is my question: What is the best way to smoke pot? Permanente won’t let you apply for certain mental health programs if you test positive for weed, but most doctors (at least on the This is a great question. Stoners have West coast) have had to learn to be a little argued and debated about the best way to more understanding about cannabis use. smoke weed for decades. Each method has its That acceptance brings new questions pros and cons. and concerns. For instance, a new study

Bongs are great for big giant lung-busting published in the Journal of the American hits, although contrary to popular myth, the College of Cardiology claims that cannabis water doesn’t really filter out many toxins. can increase increase the effects of certain Bongs can also be messy (freshly spilled bong blood thinners like warfarin and can also water is the worst) and a pain in the keester increase the effects of drugs used to control to keep clean. blood pressure. What happens

Joints (my personal favorite) is the liver uses the same are a tad wasteful, although they are easy to use (and Stoners enzymes to process the statins that it does to easy to eat if you are in have argued process THC, thereby a place where marijuana is still illegal) and and debated about increasing the strength of the statins and blood they taste great! Some folks complain about the best way to smoke thinners. Now, this is a small study and more the taste of the paper, weed for decades. research is needed, but there are plenty of upscale rolling paper Each method has its but if you are on blood pressure medication, brands that burn clean and are virtually ash-free. pros and cons. you should definitely talk to your Also, if you drop a joint on doctor about your the sidewalk, it probably won’t cannabis use. shatter into a million pieces. It’s the same with CBD.

Pipes are probably the most convenient According to Aaron Cadena from way to smoke cannabis, and they are my CBDorigin.com, THC and CBD should be preferred method for fancy-pants weed tast- treated like grapefruit juice when it comes ing. My friend Michael Backes, author of to checking for interactions and Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to contraindications. Hope that helps. Have a Medical Marijuana, recommends a good hit good one. Ω from a clean glass pipe as the most efficient and cleanest way to smoke cannabis. He also says that you don’t have to hold your breath. One good inhale and exhale should give you exactly what you need.

So now you know. But really there is no wrong way to smoke cannabis. It’s all good.

Hey do you know if THC or CBD will interact with any of the other medications I am using? Good question. Let us begin with the usual disclaimer: I am not a doctor. You should

Ngaio Bealum is a Sacramento comedian, activist and marijuana expert. Email him questions at ask420@newsreview.com.

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