City of West Hollywood to Co-Sponsor Emerald Village West Hollywood’s 2026 Cannabis, Culture & Change Conference

The City of West Hollywood is co-sponsoring the 2026 Cannabis, Culture & Change Conference (CCCC) Symposium, organized by Emerald Village West Hollywood. This cannabis-focused event will include a symposium and film screening designed to promote community engagement, education, and networking around cannabis policy, health, and culture. The programming will provide opportunities for attendees to learn from and connect with industry leaders and government officials.

The Symposium will take place on Saturday, February 28, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a screening of the documentary film Join the Club from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the City's Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. To attend the conference, attendees must be 21 years or older. Participation in the Symposium and screening is free; pre-registration is recommended via the Eventim website.

The Symposium will feature speakers and expert panel discussions on the science and economics of medical cannabis in 2026, design and placemaking as catalysts for change, the intersection of gay liberation and cannabis legalization, and building political coalitions across the spectrum. The Symposium will include various speakers, including Jason Beck of Alternative Herbal Health Services (AHHS); USC Associate Professor Dr. Terry Church; California Assemblymember Matt Haney; City of West Hollywood Vice Mayor Danny Hang; California State Treasurer Fiona Ma; and Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang.

Following the afternoon panel discussions, the event will include the West Coast premiere of the documentary film Join the Club, presented by Queer in Cannabis. The film centers around the early days of the medical cannabis industry in California during the AIDS crisis. Queer in Cannabis (QIC) was founded by Southern California native Rich Magaña as an advocacy collective dedicated to uplifting LGBTQ+ voices across the cannabis industry. Tracing today's legal cannabis movement back to the AIDS crisis and early medical cannabis activism, QIC works to preserve the legacy of queer community activism through education, events, and media.

Emerald Village West Hollywood is a local cannabis-industry marketing and tourism initiative, formed in 2021, representing a membership of cannabis-licensed businesses in the City of West Hollywood. West Hollywood is currently home to 10 dispensaries and six consumption lounges. For more information about Emerald Village West Hollywood, please visit its website.

For more information about the 2026 Cannabis, Culture & Change Conference (CCCC) Symposium, please contact Jennifer Del Toro, City of West Hollywood Community Affairs Supervisor, at [email protected] or at (323) 848-6549. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

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For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood's Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or [email protected].