Months of anger over prized marijuana social equity licenses in Los Angeles boiled over recently, when the California Minority Alliance (CMA) accused a Black cannabis executive and his company of exploiting other minorities through “predatory” business deals.
The CMA made the accusations against 4thMvmt in an email to the L.A. City Council and the Department of Cannabis Regulation.
4thMvmt, founded in 2018 to help applicants navigate L.A’s social equity program and fund their efforts, is headed by CEO Karim Webb, who is Black.
The dispute highlights just how competitive and vitriolic Los Angeles’ cannabis licensing has become, with applicants who share a history of discrimination finding fault with each other’s bids to obtain the coveted permits.