Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts and Entertainment

L.A. Mayor's Office Sends Out Weed-Related Press Release At 4:20 P.M.

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed Cat Packer (formerly of Drug Policy Alliance) as executive director of the city's newly-established Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation, which will oversee the regulation and taxation of cannabis in Los Angeles. The department itself will be governed by a five-member Cannabis Regulation Commission.

The appointment was announced, as these things are, with a press release. What made this press release special, however, was the timing. The press release was sent out at exactly 4:20 p.m. "We sent the release when it was ready to be issued," a representative from the Mayor's office told LAist.

God bless Los Angeles.

Packer will be the new Department of Cannabis Regulation's inaugural executive director, and will be responsible for launching the department and leading implementation of the new cannabis regulations being developed by the City Council, City Attorney and Department of City Planning, according to the statement from the mayor's office.

Support for LAist comes from

“Taxing and regulating legal cannabis in Los Angeles will be a complex process — we need someone leading the effort who understands and can navigate those nuances,” Garcetti said. “Cat’s experience makes her an excellent fit for this new role. I am confident that her work will help us implement new regulations in a way that is fair and equitable for all of our communities, respects our neighborhoods and raises valuable new revenue for City services.”

[h/t: Alissa Walker]

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist