Anaheim Discussing Licensing Cannabis
After almost four years since the legalization of recreational cannabis in California, two-thirds of California municipalities ban cannabis facilities within their borders. To date, only 172 of California’s 482 municipalities and 26 of 58 counties allow any form of legal commercial cannabis activity within their borders. Of the municipalities that license commercial cannabis businesses, many of them set up selective regulatory structures to ensure they license only the best-in-class cannabis operators. Due to the resulting legal patchwork across California’s municipalities, Global Go presents this local jurisdiction series to simplify the complicated and take a deeper look at how emerging jurisdictions are structuring their rules for cannabis operations. Today, we take a look at Anaheim.
In 2017, Anaheim’s City Council adopted an ordinance banning all commercial marijuana activities—both medical and recreational—within city limits. But since this ordinance has taken effect, Anaheim has been dealing with a growing presence of illegal cannabis businesses, which has cost the city in unpaid taxes and law enforcement. Anaheim police estimate there are as many as 30-40 illegal cannabis businesses operating in the city. Illegal cannabis operations can be very dangerous because they do not operate in compliance with the necessary state and local cannabis regulations to keep consumers and the public safe. Only three months ago, five Anaheim businesses collocated in a strip mall burned down and police suspect that illegal cannabis cultivation may have caused the blaze.
In light of this issue, Anaheim is in the early stages of discussing licensing legal cannabis businesses within the city to help curb illegal businesses, provide the city with access to safe cannabis products, and bring a wave of economic growth into the city. To further explore licensing cannabis businesses in Anaheim, the city’s Chamber of Commerce has established an “Anaheim Cannabis Policy Task Force” with policy experts, neighborhood associations, business leaders, policymakers, and law enforcement to explore options and ideas.
While the proposed framework for Anaheim’s new policy in in very early states, here are a few things we can expect to see:
• A limit on the number of retail cannabis businesses
• Designating most cannabis business activity to industrial zoned areas, such as Anaheim Canyon
• No cannabis cultivation, production, distribution, or retail businesses in residential zones or within 600 feet of schools, parks, youth-sensitive places, or Disneyland Resort Specific Plan areas
• Strict security and product safety regulations
Although license applications are not yet open, we can help clients take early steps to prepare for a successful application by identifying real estate, drafting a business, plan, and creating compliant standard operating procedures. We have a 99% success rate in license applications across 16 states and know exactly what municipalities are looking for when selecting cannabis businesses for their cities.
If you plan on opening a cannabis business in Anaheim, learn more about Global Go’s world-class consulting services below and get in touch to start working on your Anaheim cannabis business today!
Simone Sandoval
Partner / Director of Licensing and Compliance
Simone focuses on cannabis licensing and compliance and has extensive experience in understanding and deciphering complex cannabis regulations. Prior to entering the cannabis industry, Simone worked in Washington, D.C. as an intern for Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36). During her time on the Hill, she worked on legislation, and researched policy on renewable energy, healthcare, and tribal relations.
About Global Go
Global Go provides sophisticated consulting services to the global cannabis and hemp industry. In tandem with strategic allies around the world, Global Go serves clients throughout the world from offices in Austin, Bogota, Chicago, Cyprus, Denver, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Quito, São Paulo, Silicon Valley, Toronto, and Zurich. Powered by a team of cannabis industry pioneers and world-class consultants, Global Go helps leading cannabis funds and companies assess and enter new markets; acquire assets; raise capital; launch new product lines; improve SOPs; comply with regulations; implement technology and security systems; find talent; diagnose and execute solutions to growth obstacles; and apply for cannabis licenses (with a 99% success rate on over 175 cannabis license applications across the United States). Learn more at https://globalgo.consulting.