San Francisco to Launch Cannabis Oversight Committee
San Francisco city officials announced plans to create a committee that would oversee and assess cannabis industry regulations throughout the city.
Proposed by Supervisor Sandra Fewer, the Cannabis Oversight Committee is intended to examine the work being done by the Office of Cannabis, gauge the effectiveness of existing regulations, and make sure those hardest hit by the War on Drugs are benefiting through retail permits and living wage jobs.
If established, the committee would oversee the Office of Cannabis, make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and Mayor Landon Breed regarding cannabis regulations, and provide basic tracking details to the city for cannabis licensees.
“We really want to hear on the ground, is it working?” said Fewer. “Does it need amendments? How should we amend this? How should we meet the needs of our equity applicants?”
The committee would have nine voting members and five non-voting members, with representation of labor unions, cannabis business owners, equity applicants, and workforce training and medical cannabis patients.
“There is still a lot of unanswered questions,” said Supervisor Ahsha Safai. “I receive a lot of inquiries, concern and feedback from equity applicants.”
Fewer said she hopes to have the committee established by Jan. 1. An initial report would be due within six months of its inaugural meeting.
