How to apply for San Diego County’s cannabis equity program

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif — San Diego County has launched a new program meant to help people negatively impacted by the war on drugs. Applications for the Cannabis Social Equity Program are now open for people previously incarcerated for cannabis related offenses. 

“For a long time people were criminalized for cannabis that’s now a legal, lucrative industry. People who were locked up for it have been locked out of it,” said Armand King.

King helped create the program. He knows the impacts of cannabis criminalization all too well.

“I, myself at 21 years old with no priors was incarcerated for a small amount of cannabis and sentenced to three years in federal prison,” he said.

He’s taken this negative lifechanging experience and turning it into a positive one. The program will help people become entrepreneurs and get involved in the marijuana industry. Participants will get the chance to obtain their own license and open a cannabis business like a dispensary.  King says the county has 13 retail license that will be given out through the program.

“In so many ways cannabis criminalization has impacted individuals and certain communities more than others. This is an opportunity to help those and turn those lemons into lemonade,” he said.

To qualify you must have been arrested in San Diego County and convicted for a cannabis-related offense prior to 2016. People who were deported for their conviction may also qualify if they meet low income requirements. Find more information and how to apply, here.

WATCH RELATED: California regulators recall some cannabis products due to toxic chemicals

HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET CBS 8:  

1. ADD THE CBS8+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE  Roku | Amazon Fire  

2. DOWNLOAD THE CBS 8 MOBILE APP | iPhone | Android  

3. CBS 8 ON SOCIAL MEDIA | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube