Leaders in the cannabis industry say California’s recreational marijuana market is not working. On Thursday, a group of them sent Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration a list of recommendations on how to fix it.
The final recommendations — obtained by KQED — call for, among other things, simplifying the permitting process, including appointing a cannabis director to the governor's office to coordinate state policy.
Taxes are another issue. They can reach as high as 40 percent in some parts of California. The industry group suggests reforming the cannabis tax structure and offering tax deductions and incentives.
And getting a license can be prohibitively expensive for some cannabis businesses. The industry group recommends developing a loan program to help cover the cost of licenses.