More than 57% of Long Beach residents surveyed said they want cannabis sold or smoked at outdoor festivals and other special events, according to a non-scientific study conducted by the city’s Office of Cannabis Oversight.
That and other findings from an online poll of 730 residents were reviewed by the City Council this week.
City Council members for years have wanted to pass an ordinance that permits the sale and use of cannabis at music festivals and fairs, saying it would spur tourism and boost local profits in an already highly regulated legal cannabis economy.
State law has since 2018 allowed temporary permits for onsite use and sales of cannabis at certain events, but it still requires local approval. Cities like San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Rosa and Sacramento have similar permits in place.
Councilman Al Austin, who originally proposed the idea in 2019, highlighted the kinds of crowds those cities have attracted with cannabis events.
“Well, the one event that was done in Sacramento just a couple of months ago, Cal Expo, fielded over 100,000 participants over two days. … That’s nothing to sneeze at,” Austin said.