The city manager’s office this week announced that it will be extending the deadline for licensed cannabis dispensaries to obtain a business license by six months.

 

In September 2017, the City of Long Beach completed its lottery to issue 32 licenses for dispensaries to sell cannabis under the state’s new law legalizing the sale of recreational cannabis, a process that gave priority to owners of existing medical dispensaries. 

 

Since then, all but three licensees have gone through the process of obtaining business licenses for their planned dispensaries. The deadline to do so was initially set for Oct. 30, after which date any remaining dispensary licenses would be redistributed to applicants who weren’t selected in the lottery.

 

But as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the city has implemented measures to slow the spread of the virus, which included closing city hall. 

 

“While these actions helped to save lives, they also created economic challenges for local businesses, including those moving through the business license application process,” City Manager Tom Modica said in his memo.  

 

According to the cannabis oversight office, one business has obtained a business license since the memo was drafted, with another dispensary on track to receive a license this week. The remaining two will have until April 30 to complete the process before their licenses to sell cannabis will be redistributed.