San Jose Council Votes 8–3 to Expand Cannabis Equity Permits, Opening Doors for Minority-Owned Businesses
In a landmark vote Tuesday night, the City Council approved sweeping reforms to its cannabis licensing framework — dedicating 40 percent of new retail permits to applicants from communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs, backed by a new $2 million equity fund.
Valley Green Partners Raises $22M to Fund Five New South Bay Dispensary Locations Through 2026
The San Jose-based cannabis holding company plans to open locations in Willow Glen, Campbell, and North San Jose, with a 60% local hiring pledge tied to its equity fund commitments.
Stanford Researchers Launch First Bay Area Clinical Trial on Cannabis and Chronic Pain
The two-year, $4.1M NIH-funded study will enroll 400 participants from three San Jose clinics, testing THC/CBD ratios for fibromyalgia, neuropathy, and CRPS. Up to $500 compensation available.
Sen. Cortese Introduces SB 412 to Automatically Eliminate All Pre-Prop 64 Cannabis Conviction Records
The bill would expunge an estimated 200,000 statewide cases — including 18,000 in Santa Clara County — without requiring individual petitions from former defendants.
Purple Lotus: How a $15,000 Startup Became San Jose's Most-Awarded Cannabis Dispensary — Without a Single Venture Dollar
Founded in 2010 by Matt and Vanessa Krishnamachari — former medical cannabis patients — Purple Lotus has grown into a $25 million operation with two San Jose locations, an exclusive in-house cultivation brand (Blue Chip Genetics), and six consecutive Metro Silicon Valley Best Dispensary awards. Now, as chains and VC money flood the market, they're still doing it their way.
