Cannabis Social Equity
Santa Monica's cannabis social equity program aims to address the disproportionate impact of past cannabis criminalization on marginalized communities, particularly communities of color. This program focuses on providing opportunities for those who have been negatively affected by cannabis prohibition to participate in the legal cannabis industry. As part of the broader adult-use cannabis policy, the social equity program seeks to ensure that the benefits of legalization — such as business opportunities, jobs, and economic growth — are accessible to all members of the community. Santa Monica’s cannabis equity program seeks to reduce barriers and create pathways to success for individuals and communities historically disadvantaged by these policies.
Review the Cannabis Equity Assessment adopted by the City Council on September 9, 2025, and Cannabis Equity Program adopted on January 13, 2026.
CANNABIS BUSINESS AND EQUITY RESOURCES
The City has compiled a list of business and equity resources for prospective cannabis retailers to support applicants. The resource list is available here.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Helping shape the Assessment, community members and stakeholders provided feedback on the impacts of cannabis criminalization and gathered ideas on how to develop and implement Santa Monica's equity program to best support residents, through the following ways:
Community Workshops
The first community workshop was held on November 13th, 2024 at the Ken Edwards Center where an overview of cannabis social equity was provided as well as preliminary findings from criminal records data on how the criminalization of cannabis has disproportionately impacted certain communities in Santa Monica. If you missed the workshop, watch the VIDEO RECORDING and follow along with the presentation, linked below:
The second community workshop was held on February 27th, 2025 and provided a brief recap of the preliminary findings of the equity assessment, as well as a range of program development options designed to address inequities and foster inclusivity within the cannabis industry. To catch up on the conversation, watch the VIDEO RECORDING and review the meeting materials at the links below:
Micro-Grant Program
Santa Monica offered $500 grants for community members to host small events for community-led discussions about cannabis social equity. The grant was to help make the events inclusive and accessible such as for food, childcare, interpretation, paying a notetaker or other relevant accommodations, or any other way that supports your efforts in creating an environment where every voice can be heard.
Online Survey
The online survey was open from November 1st - 30th, 2024 and received just under 200 responses from the community that will help shape Santa Monica's equity program.