For the past few weeks, California cannabis workers were unclear about their status when it came to Covid-19 vaccine qualifications. There was ongoing debate across the state over whether these workers were considered essential healthcare personnel, due to the growing medical marijuana industry and its increased usage over the past year. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) seemed to ignore the questions or avoid them all together, even when pressured by companies and workers. Avoiding these questions led to multiple weeks of Covid-19 vaccine confusion.

Last Friday, February 5th, finally saw a clarification in vaccine qualifications. California announced that cannabis workers now qualify for first round vaccines in Phase 1B. The state now considers them the second highest essential workers after healthcare and other groups in Phase 1A. This 1B classification is specifically for those who work with medicinal marijuana and cannabis. But many dispensaries within the state offer both medicinal and recreational cannabis options. So, a majority of employees do qualify for this new change for Covid-19 vaccines.

Surprising Changes

In a surprising turn of events, San Diego County, the one that led the charge to put cannabis workers on the list of essential workers that qualified for first round vaccines, has seen huge pushback. One of the county’s Board of Supervisors, Jim Desmond, has been very vocal about his opposition to this classification. He feels it is unfair that cannabis workers are receiving vaccines ahead of law enforcement and other groups.

Even though Governor Newsom has changed the classification of cannabis workers for the Covid-19 vaccines, that doesn’t mean that all counties must follow it. However, the state strongly encourages it. Previously, San Diego County offered Phase 1A vaccines to cannabis workers. But thanks to the efforts of lawmakers and influencers like Jim Desmond, cannabis workers have lost that classification. They will now receive the vaccine after law enforcement and other 1A groups.

This new classification in San Diego County came the day before Governor Newsom enacted the new Phase classifications. There is a chance that cannabis workers could be put back onto the 1A vaccine list. But they will likely have to wait a little bit longer. The pushback hard to ignore. There will likely be no further changes, unless the governor writes an executive order himself.

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