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Editorial
5 Minutes
Angelica Sanchez
Senior Director, Government Affairs and Compliance, MWG Holdings Group, Inc. -- Angelica Sanchez has worked in the cannabis industry for eight years and received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Sacramento State University. She currently serves on the California Cannabis Industry Association Legislative Committee and the National Cannabis Industry Association State Regulations Committee, where she advocates for fair and sustainable cannabis policies. In her free time, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Rainbow Chamber Foundation, which provides support, scholarships, and business funding to the greater Sacramento LGBTQ community and allies.
Cannabis Chronicles A Director's Perspective on Industry Evolution and Advocacy
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A Director's Perspective on Industry Evolution and Advocacy
I started my journey in the cannabis industry eight years ago as a budtender with Perfect Union. The industry was a completely different world. Cannabis still carried a societal stigma that I didn’t understand. I was raised by immigrants, the first and only one to graduate from college. I was a functional member of society, juggling a 70-hour week between work and school. I accomplished this while smoking weed; it’s how I unwind after a long day. So why did people refer to it as a drug? Or, as my dad called it, dope. I knew they were wrong, and I chose to build my career around this plant anyway, making it my life mission to dispel the stigma.
My official title now is Sr. Director of Government Affairs and Compliance, which sounds boring to most but is highly exciting for someone like me. I’ve spent my adult life de-stigmatizing cannabis and cannabis use, so it’s a dream job. You may not be surprised, but the people elected and selected to govern this industry didn't know what they were doing, which resulted in onerous fear-based policies and taxes. So how do we fix this? We show them who we are and how this plant works! My favorite part about the job is taking a police chief, city council member, or legislator who has no clue about this industry on a tour. The look on their face when they walk in and see the product options and people buying them. That's when all their negative preconceived assumptions go up in smoke (pun intended) and they understand it’s not a drug, we're not addicts or criminals, and we're not destroying the community.
We’re normal people who choose a holistic alternative.
Cannabis is plant medicine, and everyone partakes - your grandma, your neighbor, and your co-worker. There is no stereotype for people that use cannabis. We shouldn't be ashamed of our cannabis use, and in the very near future, I believe most people will understand there's nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Personal experience and data is on our side.
Sacramento's Cannabis Businesses Prove Positive Impact
It’s no secret that cannabis is over-taxed. I take solace in a tax victory we had in Sacramento. For years, the City of Sacramento implemented a 1% tax on all the cannabis businesses operating here. This tax was an additional tax to the local cannabis tax; they called it the Neighborhood Responsibility Plan Tax or NRP Tax. Operators had a choice, pay the tax or wait for the study and then back pay the tax at a rate decided by the study. The study was finally published, and the findings were not what the City assumed.
In 2022, the Sacramento Office of Cannabis Management and Sacramento’s Workforce Development Department hired a third-party consultant, Economic & Planning Systems (EPS). EPS was tasked with conducting a comprehensive study of Sacramento’s cannabis program and the local cannabis industry to develop recommendations on the City’s policies on cannabis and its impact. The study was 234 pages. Do you know what they concluded? That cannabis businesses did NOT have a negative impact; in fact they concluded that cannabis businesses were just like any other business! Crazy huh? We didn't bring in more crime, we didn't bring down nearby home or business values, and we didn't increase youth access to cannabis. This was research and data collected by a third-party company with no skin in the game, and they proved our point.
To the City’s surprise, we ended up having a POSITIVE impact. They had to refund every dollar of the NRP Tax paid by cannabis businesses to the City. The study stated how important cannabis businesses are to the general fund, contributing 20 million dollars annually, generating 2.3 BILLION dollars in economic activity in the County, and employing more than 12,000 people. In fact, 40% of the cannabis taxes paid to the City are allocated to youth services; we’re helping fund the future of the children in this City. If anyone tells you that cannabis ruined this City, show them the EPS study and ask for the FACTS.
California's New Legislation Shields Cannabis Users from Employment Discrimination
One of the hardest parts of consuming cannabis is how it affects our ability to get jobs due to a pre-screen drug test mandated by employers. I think we’ve all been turned down for a job for testing positive for cannabis or had to purchase a Whizzinator to get past it. I’d be a liar if I said I didn't have to figure it out myself to get a job. Fortunately, those days will be a distant story we tell future generations because society is finally catching up. A significant stride has been made by the California Legislature, signaling a progressive shift in societal attitudes towards cannabis use beyond the workplace. Two key bills, AB 2188 and SB 700, were enacted this year to safeguard our rights regarding cannabis consumption outside of work.
AB 2188 brings amendments to the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), ensuring that employers cannot discriminate against individuals based on their off-duty cannabis use. This extends to hiring decisions, terminations, and the overall terms and conditions of employment. Meanwhile, SB 700 reinforces these protections by explicitly prohibiting employers from seeking information about an applicant's previous cannabis use. Additionally, it places restrictions on the consideration of cannabis-related information from a person's criminal history, permitting such inquiries only in accordance with state laws like the Fair Chance Act or other relevant state and federal regulations.
These legislative developments mark a significant step towards aligning our workplace policies with the evolving perceptions of cannabis use, offering a promising outlook for individuals seeking employment while responsibly enjoying cannabis in their personal lives. There are, of course, always exceptions. People in the building and construction trades and applicants or employees for federal jobs requiring clearance from the U.S. Department of Defense are not prohibited from being required to take a cannabis drug test as a condition of employment. If you're curious to learn more, reach out, and I’ll send you the fine print.
Federal Classification and the Schedule I Absurdity
Did you know that cannabis holds a Schedule I classification by the federal government? Understanding the implications of this categorization is crucial. Schedule I classifications are reserved for substances that possess a high potential for abuse, lack any accepted medical use, and are considered unsafe even under medical supervision. Cannabis, under this classification, is grouped alongside substances like Heroin. Mind Blowing, right? Despite the legalization of cannabis for medicinal use in 38 states and recreational use in 24 others - cannabis has remained a Schedule I drug on the controlled substance list since 1970, untouched by federal rescheduling efforts.
However, there is finally, possible change on the horizon. Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent a 252-page document to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In the letter, HHS states that cannabis “has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States” and has a “potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in Schedules I and II.” Their recommendation, in a nutshell, is that the federal government should reclassify it as a Schedule III drug. The DEA defines Schedule III drugs as having a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. This is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't go far enough.
