Will a verified LA door emblem help crack down on illegal cannabis dealers and trap shops?

In an attempt to protect marijuana users from unregulated and untested products at unlicensed cannabis dispensaries, on June 7, 2022, the Los Angeles City Council approved a motion to report.

The Los Angeles County Licensed Cannabis Business Emblem Program allows cannabis businesses and storefronts to request an emblem. This allows them to invite the agency to carry out the necessary inspection and, if approved, display the emblem on their premises for all to see.

Councilor Paul Koretz, the man who launched the initiative alongside Councilor Curren Price, was very optimistic about the idea. According to him, the initiative offers a way forward to make it easier to distinguish between illegal and legal pharmacies.

However, he believes there is more to the situation as talk of the problems is mostly centered on pharmacies operating as illegal or unauthorized. Meanwhile, the bigger problem, the safety and health impact of illegal pharmacies on users, is little talked about.

Koretz further explained that unauthorized cannabis dispensaries often sell contaminated, tainted, and mislabeled products. He added that this severely undermines the legal structures put in place to ensure Angelenos are protected from dangerous cannabis products when visiting a dispensary.

The initiative has hired the Los Angeles City Attorney to draft an ordinance that would implement the program citywide. Koretz clarified that the application was made in May and if the regulation is sanctioned, the program should be launched before the end of the year.

According to Price, establishing an emblem program offers shoppers an opportunity to make a conscious decision about their pharmacy of choice and spend their money. He added that the program will offer customers the convenience of shopping at a pharmacy that is properly inspected and regulated by the state. When the application was tabled in May, Price previously indicated that the initiative will help educate shoppers on safe dispensary locations to obtain their cannabis.

Los Angeles Public Health Department director Barbara Ferrer applauded both council members for launching the initiative and for including the state in the program. Ferrer firmly believes the initiative would ensure the safety of both cannabis users and employees. The initiative empowers public health officials to conduct inspections at pharmacy sites and ensure they are complying with appropriate public health regulations and status.

Acting Director of the Los Angeles Cannabis Regulatory Department, Michelle Garakian, was also keen to work on the program. He reiterated that the DCR stands ready to educate, facilitate and verify that licensed pharmacies in the state meet all public health standards requirements. He believes this will help customers make healthy, informed decisions about where to shop.

According to Garakian, the partnership between DCR and the Los Angeles Department of Health is a welcome development. He believes both departments will work together to achieve the goal of protecting the health of employees, consumers and the wider community.

Public health and safety concerns

The California Department of Health and Human Services recorded more than 150 cases of vape-related lung injuries in California as of November 12, 2019. To this end, the CDPH interviewed 86 respondents. Of the respondents surveyed, 83% (71) reported using THC-infused vaping products.

Of the 71 respondents who reported using THC-infused vaping products, only one confirmed purchasing THC from a licensed dispensary. The remaining 70 respondents confirmed the purchase of vaping products from unlicensed pharmacies.

According to multiple sources, these illicit pharmacies like to clip and mix various active ingredients with their oils that, when vaporized, can cause severe lung complications.

A clear finding from these studies is that the use of cannabis products from illegal or unlicensed dispensaries poses a greater threat to public health.

The QR code initiative

The Emblem Initiative will not be the only regulation aimed at curbing the sale of unlicensed cannabis in LA County. The emblem program will work in tandem with the QR code initiative that was rolled out across California in early 2020.

Referring to the vaping crisis of 2019, cannabis regulators in California forced every licensed cannabis distributor and retailer to display a QR code. This is to ensure customers can distinguish legal cannabis products from unlicensed ones.

That regulation came into effect after the Bureau of Administrative Law sanctioned the initiative that made QR codes one of the major nationwide efforts to curb illicit cannabis spending. Other efforts such as raids, arrests, trials, and asset confiscations were also conducted within the state.

According to the Bureau of Cannabis Control in California, the QR code initiative will help customers identify licensed cannabis dispensaries. In addition, once citizens can identify illegal pharmacies, they can assist law enforcement in investigations. This will boom the legal cannabis market, facilitate the flow of safe cannabis products into the market, and ensure public health and safety.

The QR code initiative was imperative in light of the 2019 vaping crisis, which left 60 people dead from vape-related lung diseases and hospitalized more than 2,500 nationwide.

All retailers and distributors are required to publicly display their unique WR codes. The code itself is small, measuring 3.75 inches by 3.75 inches. Employees, retailers and distributors are also required to carry a copy of their QR code when distributing or transporting their products.

Conclusion

The state of California enacted its adult cannabis regulations in 2018 and then set out to create the largest legal cannabis market in the United States. However, legal cannabis companies are constantly struggling due to competition from the illegal cannabis market.

As the illicit cannabis market steals away customers, they also threaten public health and safety due to tainted and contaminated cannabis products that many of them manufacture. If LA County can successfully differentiate these markets through the Emblem Initiative and the use of QR codes, public health safety will be assured and the legal cannabis market will continue to grow.

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