San Francisco’s Examiner documents Dec. 14 that city authorities, in anticipation that California voters will legalize recreational marijuana use this upcoming year, are preparing a body to propose regulations for the industry. The newly developed entity will be identified as the Cannabis State Legalization Task Force. The body will advise the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
This past week, the board’s Rules Committee choose 11 individuals to serve on the body, with three more seats still to be filled. One of the appointees is Erich Pearson, founder of SPARC, one of San Francisco’s largest marijuana shops. “We need to determine how many cannabis users we are going to have in San Francisco and how many stores that’s going to take to distribute that cannabis once it’s legal,” he told the Examiner.
Regulations that are currently in place restrict marijuana businesses to a “Green Zone,” with 28 marijuana shops currently operating in just 5 percent of the city’s territory. The San Francisco Cannabis Clubs website is promoting a petition to expand the Green Zone.
Kevin Reed, the founder of Green Cross dispensary, told the Supes that the city should open up areas for that are currently off-limits, like the Bayview. He also brings attention towards dropping the restriction that limits marijuana shops to the ground floor of buildings. “You have an entire Financial District of tall buildings that you can open up,” he stated.
Laura Thomas of the Drug Policy Alliance stated legalization would add to a more efficient job market while architect Tom McElroy called for community meetings to organize any new regulations with local residents.
Other appointees are named as medical marijuana attorney Jesse Stout, Apothecarium dispensary employee Sara Payan, Jon Ballesteros of the San Francisco Travel Association, community activist Barbara Fugate, Terrance Alan of SF Late Night Coalition, Daisy Ozim of the Transitional Age Youth Collaborative Community (TAYSF), and cannabis advocate Michelle Aldrich and Sarah Shrader.
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