2022

The LBCA continues to advocate for tax modernization with an elimination of cultivation tax to reflect the changes at the state. The LBCA also advocates for reduced retail taxes, cannabis events, and lounges. 

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At the State, the LBCA lead discussions advocating for all operators on the supply chain. 

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Locally, the LBCA hosted endorsement hearings for 17 candidates running for city council, mayor, state assembly, and congress. 

The LBCA continues bi-monthly food distributions, clean-ups, and community education as the city's leading cannabis resource.  

2021

The City of Long Beach reported that an increase in retail hours garnered more tax revenue than estimated with a tax increase. Other municipalities looked towards Long Beach for tax modernization in their own local regulations such as Costa Mesa and San Diego. 

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The LBCA Social Equity Committee met for seven months between summer 2020 and spring 2021. Recommendations were sent to the city in April 2021. 

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With society re-opening, discussions of tax modernization and safe consumption continue. 

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The LBCA participates in state bill discussions that help bring tax and testing parity to the incoming hemp industry.

The LBCA establishes a twice monthly food distribution with local Long Beach organization, Help Me Help You, every 2nd and 4th Wednesday. 

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The LBCA develops a compassion cannabis program based on the passing of SB34. 

2020

While testing labs, distributions, and manufacturers were able to continue to complete build outs, hire workforce, and open operations, the LBCA began to introduce the idea of safe consumption and more tax modernization. 

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Then, Covid came. The LBCA implemented protocols before city mandates to keep consumers and workforce safe. The LBCA advocated for curbside pick-ups, essential recognition for employees, and blocked an increase in local retail taxes. 

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While the city looked to the cannabis industry to fill in gaps in a Covid-affected budget, the LBCA advocated to increase retail hours in place of a retail-tax increase. 

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City council voted to not increase retail taxes and to increase retail hours instead.

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The LBCA continued to support the community with food and supply distributions. 

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The LBCA enters the State cannabis discussions arena. 

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The first Long Beach Community College and LBCA 8-week Introduction to the Cannabis Industry is held in the fall. 

2019

The LBCA campaigns to lower taxes on the supply chain from 6% to 1% for testing labs, distributions, and manufacturers. While stigma decreases in government institutions, the LBCA agenda adds continued activism for cannabis tax modernization in retail and cultivation as well as safe consumption with events and lounges. 

With tremendous actions from operators and the community, led by the LBCA, city council voted to decrease taxes from 6% to 1%. 

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The LBCA begins hosting educational community workshops, speaking panels at HiLBC, and social media presence, creating unity within the Long Beach cannabis community. The LBCA partners with environmental organizations such as Alamitos Beach beach clean-ups and neighborhood clean ups with community associations. The LBCA collaborates with the City of Long Beach workforce department to host a job fair with 400+ attendees. 

2018

After months of analysis, the city rolls out strict adult-use regulations on July 13 2018. The regulations block most of the framework established by the voters with Measure MM going forward with increased zoning, taxes, and incomplete processes for social equity and community plans. 

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The LBCA hires its first staff members. The staff start community education presentations and programs at neighborhood associations and community organizations. 

2017

LBCA members begin to build out and open under Measure MM medical regulations while advocating for local implementation for newly passed state-wide adult-use regulations. The city establishes a six-month moratorium on adult-use operations while they establish regulations. 

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The LBCA begins talks about education in academia and workforce training. 

2016

The LBCA continues to support community efforts while canvassing and phone banking for ballot Measure MM, they city added another Measure MA to anchor taxes to Measure MM, if it passed. Measure MM passed with 60.14% and MA with 68.25%. Prop 64 passed with 60% of Long Beach voters too. 

2015

Two of the LBCA board of directors sit on the City of Long Beach Cannabis Task Force, which recommends regulations to the city council, who votes against them. The LBCA teams up with the United Food and Commercial Workers union for another voter-led ballot initiative. They gather more than 50,000 signatures and their ballot is accepted to the 2016 ballot. The same ballot as state-wide Prop 64. 

2014

The LBCA takes their signatures to the City Clerks office for verification. The clerk deems 18 signatures are invalid and their ballot is rejected from the 2014 ballot. Side note: The City of Long Beach add their own Marijuana Tax initiative to the 2014 ballot despite the voters' ballot being rejected. It passes. 

2013

The LBCA organizes volunteers to gather 50,000 signatures for a voter-led ballot initiative for the 2014 ballot. 

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Community support continues with The Center and after-school and summer children's' programs. 

2012

City of Long Beach is sued and bans all cannabis operations and activity on August 12, 2012. LBCA members begin to organize efforts with patients and consumers to change policy. Community support continues with AOC7, Anaheim, Orange, Cherry, 7th neighborhood association. 

2011

LBCA members support community efforts with donations and volunteers. 

2010

The City of Long Beach establishes regulations under Prop 2015. The newly formed, Long Beach Collective Association, assist the City of Long Beach with their questions about cannabis operations.