The Office of Cannabis (OOC) recognizes the importance of equal access to goods and services to all San Franciscans. Whether a cannabis retail business is located within a brick and mortar building or through the internet, the shopping experience must be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. Retail cannabis businesses are considered “public accommodations” and required to comply with applicable federal, state and local accessibility regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the California’s Building Code, and San Francisco’s Accessible Building Entrance Program.
The Mayor’s Office of Disability (MOD) is available to answer questions about applying disability rights laws and regulations to cannabis retail business projects and provides free evaluation and technical assistance during project development to ensure the public accommodation meets minimum accessibility requirements. Although the MOD evaluation is voluntary, the information offered will help to assure accessibility. Please contact MOD at 415-554-6789 to arrange this free service. The evaluation will then be incorporated into the building permit review done by the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) after Part 1 of the application review.
Additional accessibility resources include:
- Americans with Disabilities Act Design Standards
- California Building Code
- DBI’s Disabled Access Upgrade Compliance Checklist
- San Francisco’s Accessible Building Entrance Program
Posted on February 24, 2020