Search engines and GPS platforms like Google GOOG and Apple Maps are giving unlicensed cannabis businesses in California legitimacy by not distinguishing them from licensed dispensaries and not showing them in search results, a move unanimously approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week.
The proposal, put forward by Supervisor Lindsay Holbert, aims to remove illegal marijuana dispensaries from Google, Yelp and other search engine platforms, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The bill directs several county agencies to compile a report within three months on possible steps to curb unauthorized marijuana advertising in unincorporated areas of their counties, and states that the five county commissioners should draft and sign a letter asking several major websites to “voluntarily cease advertising illegal marijuana dispensaries in their counties.”
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“Regulating online search engines and GPS platforms will help protect public safety by ensuring that only legal, licensed dispensaries appear in search results on those platforms,” Holbert's motion states.
The document also cited data from the Pew Research Center highlighting that Los Angeles County is home to roughly 10% of the total number of dispensaries estimated to be operating nationwide, or roughly 1,500 retail stores. However, according to data from the California Bureau of Cannabis Control, only 384 of these dispensaries have active state-approved licenses as of 2022.
California's efforts to crack down on advertising for unlicensed cannabis businesses come after New York Governor Kathy Hockle and licensed dispensary operators in the state called on major social media companies, including Meta Platforms Inc. (META) and Alphabet Inc. (GOOG), to stop promoting unlicensed cannabis businesses.
The governor's demands also extend to digital services like Google Maps and Yelp, urging them to stop directing consumers to unauthorized sellers, not just because of the legal dilemma but also because of the public health concerns posed by the distribution of untested products.
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