The inaugural meeting of the Cannabis Regulation Commission was held tonight at Los Angeles City Hall, packing the John Ferraro Council Chamber Room to standing room only with a diverse crowd.
Though this particular meeting is just the first of many to come, Robert Ahn—a former planning commissioner who was unanimously elected president of the Cannabis Regulation Commission at the same meeting—was quick to note its importance.
“As I was thinking about today’s hearing last night it dawned on me that this is historical,” he said. “Each and every one of you that is here today is seeing history in the making. Very seldom in our lives do we have that opportunity.”
While the Department of Cannabis Regulation (DCR) administers the city’s rules and regulations for cannabis businesses within Los Angeles, the Cannabis Regulation Commission will hold public hearings related to the licensing of said businesses and may also make recommendations to City Council about changes to L.A.’s rules.
In addition to Ahn, other commissioners include CPA Rita Villa, who was unanimously elected vice president; Victor Narro, formerly of the LAPD Commission’s Police Permit Review; Phillip D. Mercado, regional chief of general surgery with Southern California Permanente Medical Group; and lawyer Misty Wilks.
Cat Packer, DCR Executive Director, noted that Los Angeles is the second largest city in the U.S. to implement such a regulatory program, behind New York City, where medical cannabis has been legal since 2014. What Los Angeles does now and in the months to come will certainly influence other cities, and a meeting like Monday’s is emblematic of the sweeping changes in cannabis laws and perception over the past several years.
“It is my hope as Executive Director that… in implementing this