This page offers the most up-to-date information about the Social Equity Program and is updated regularly as information is available. The LCB website is the definitive source for information on the Social Equity in Cannabis program. Check out our page on what the LCB is doing now for our recent updates.
The LCB is currently sending notification letters to Social Equity Applicants through September 27, 2023.
If you received a withdrawal notification and wish to appeal the withdrawal, LCB must receive your appeal request by the close of business, no later than twenty (20) calendar days from the date your withdrawal notice was emailed to you. Only the individual listed on the application may request an appeal of your withdrawal. Include your license number, tradename and withdrawal letter in the request. Submit your request to licensingappeals@lcb.wa.gov
If an appeal is requested, a Statement of Intent will be emailed to you with a form to complete to formally request a hearing. If you have any questions concerning your appeal rights, please contact the Licensing Adjudications Coordinator at licensingappeals@lcb.wa.gov.
If you’d like to request a copy of your records, including your rubric score, you may do so through the portal on our web site.
More Information
- The LCB Licensing division provided an update at the regularly scheduled Board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 13. You can view the meeting recording here and view the presentation here.
- The licensingsocialequity@lcb.wa.gov email inbox is now re-opened. Please direct all questions related to the Cannabis Social Equity program to this email address.
- Questions? See if your questions have been addressed on our FAQ page.
Background of the Social Equity Program
The 2012 ballot measure Initiative 502, which legalized recreational use of cannabis by adults, did not include provisions or create programs to acknowledge the disproportionate harms the enforcement of cannabis laws had on certain populations and communities. The LCB recognizes that cannabis prohibition laws were disproportionately enforced for decades and that the cumulative harms from this enforcement remain today. In 2020, in response to a policy priority identified by the Board, the LCB developed agency-request legislation created the state Social Equity program, the Social Equity in Cannabis Task Force and the opportunity to provide a limited number of cannabis retail licenses to individuals disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of cannabis prohibition laws.