The expansion of legal cannabis shops should help curtail black market sales
California might be one of the pioneers when it comes to welcoming legal cannabis, both medicinal and recreational. However, giving authority to the local governments to decide whether or not to approve any cannabis business may have been a bad idea. A new bill proposes a solution for those cities that refuse. Proposition 64, if passed, would force medical cannabis stores to open one cannabis dispensary for every four liquor stores and the measure already has a lot of support. Approximately 50% of voters are reportedly behind this idea.
Based on current legislation that grants permission to local governments to say no to cannabis businesses, 76% of the cities and 69% of counties in the Golden State have banned medical dispensaries from operating. This situation is not making the Assembly happy, especially Phil Ting, who first brought the matter up for discussion. According to Ting, these provisions that could be added to the current cannabis legislation have a double purpose; ensure medical cannabis patients have access to their medications and secondly implement a measure that helps to stop the thriving illicit market in the state.
This bill is not a new proposal, as it was placed aside for a while after the League of California Cities raised its voice in strong opposition. The original bill wanted one dispensary for every four liquor stores, but the amended version decreases that number to 16.6%. “Californians voted for Prop. 64 to replace the illicit market with a legal system that would grant Californians safe access to cannabis products, while also creating good jobs and significant tax revenue,” Ting said in a previous statement when the bill was first presented.