If you look at maps of cannabis legality in the United States, California is always green. This was one of the first states to approve medical marijuana and recreational marijuana. This trend has now spread to nearly half of the U.S. states, but it has been in California much longer.
This sometimes makes people believe that there are no restrictions on marijuana within the state. For instance, maybe you’re thinking about opening a dispensary or a manufacturing facility within the cannabis industry. Since marijuana is legal for recreational use in California, you assume that you have free range to open that business wherever you want within the state’s borders. But is this actually true?
Local prohibitions
This is not true, as the changes to state law simply say that people will not be arrested for recreational use. Both counties and municipalities still have the authority to decide if they are going to allow cannabis businesses in that area. Some cities in California certainly do, but there are many that do not. Opening a business in one of these locations would still be a violation of the law, even if the business is allowed to operate under state laws.
How does this break down? 46% of the counties and cities in California have decided that marijuana businesses are legal, in at least one form or another. So in roughly half of the state, you do have options for your new business. But no type of cannabis business is allowed in the other 54% of counties and cities. Moreover, 57% of them don’t allow retail centers, even if they do allow for growing or manufacturing.
It is very important to understand this complex network of laws if you are starting a cannabis business. Make sure you know exactly what legal steps to take to get started.