What’s next in the City of Angels: Q&A with L.A. marijuana regulator Michelle Garakian

Shortly after Michelle Garakian replaced Cat Packer in March to become the Los Angeles marijuana czar, the city invoked mandatory timelines to process and approve cannabis business applications and licenses.

Unclogging that bottleneck is among the top priorities of Garakian’s strategic plan to improve bureaucracy, communication and assistance to operators and applicants in one of the world’s largest regulated marijuana markets.