THE UNION
Special Section @ECCUNION
May 30, 2024
ECCUNION.COM
UNLICENSED
UNBOTHERED
and in the South Bay
El Camino College and Compton College student Luis Tellez takes a hit of his marijuana wax concentrate vape pen on Saturday May 25. Tellez, who frequents unlicensed weed shops says he is open to visiting an upcoming licensed shop set to open in Hawthorne by the end of the year, but only if the price is right. Photo Illustration by Delfino Camacho
Federal and local changes to affect South Bay cannabis industry By Delfino Camacho
I
n 2023, the Torrance Green Room, a marijuana dispensary, opened right across from the El Camino College Police Department. The problem? Cannabis shops are illegal in Torrance. El Camino student Luis Tellez visited the shop several times before it was shut down in late 2023. When asked why risk using an illegal shop when licensed ones were available elsewhere, Tellez scoffed. “That s–t is too expensive. I don’t know who those legal shops are for but they’re not for us,” he said. In 2016, Proposition 64 legalized recreational marijuana use for adults 21 and older and aimed to create a regulated, tax-generating cannabis industry. However, individual cities and counties have final say on whether to permit cannabis businesses.
On May 16, a federal formal proposal was made to reschedule marijuana from schedule 1 to schedule 3, marking a major policy shift. Locally, the city of Hawthorne allowed licenses in 2022 with the first shop set to open by end of the year. City officials confirmed that besides delivery, all cannabis businesses within Torrance are illegal. The city employs a Cannabis Task Force that deals with discovered and reported unlicensed shops. After the Torrance Green Room was shut down, Tellez found another shop near El Camino. Like many unlicensed locations, the shop discreetly advertises itself with a green cross. Working there is Princess, a 23-year-old budtender from South Central who has been in the unlicensed industry since she was 16. She said getting her job required a fake ID, being a girl and “being pretty.”
Her shop, offering unregulated products at reduced market prices, makes $5,000 to $8,000 daily in cash sales. Despite frequent raids, she said the low overhead allows quick reopenings. Princess has experienced four raids, once being kicked in the face by police. Budtenders earn a minimum of $200 daily, plus tips. Princess believes the underground market will survive despite the recent federal and local shifts. “These changes, I feel like they are trying to make it harder for us trap shops but the thing about us people is we are always gonna find a way,” she said. Elliot Lewis is the CEO of Catalyst, a licensed marijuana company with 27 current dispensaries and more pending. One new location will be in Hawthorne, expected to open by year-end with approved retail and distributor licenses. This will be Hawthorne’s first licensed shop and will also allow on-site consumption.
Inside
SEE UNLICENSED PAGE B2→
Safety Guide
Equity Licenses
Lawmaker’s Q&A
Infographic Map
Tips on how to stay safe when sparking up. Learn about licensed and unlicensed products/shops.
The Cannabis Equity Act was supposed to help those most impacted by the war on drugs. Is it?
An interview with Steven Bradford, state senator and author of the Cannabis Equity Act.
An illustrated map of the South Bay cities with information about legalization and equity.
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