With the historical vote that allowed for the sale of recreational marijuana in California, times are changing. This has helped California become well on their way to be the biggest city in the country when it comes to marijuana sales. But, what does this mean for Los Angeles dispensaries? More importantly, is the city prepared to handle the title?
This is not an undertaking that was taken lightly by the city either. There were dozens of meetings to ensure that certain precautions set in place. Most notably, was the way that Los Angeles dispensaries were being vetted. Recreational marijuana California dispensaries had to jump through many legal hoops to be able to dispense cannabis. This included special zoning licenses as well as specialized permits.
One of the hardest tasks that these potential dispensaries had to face was where exactly to open up shop. As the law stands, they were not able to have a storefront within 750 of public and government buildings. This included schools, libraries and post offices. With Los Angeles being a bustling area, finding the perfect spot had proven to be challenging to Los Angeles dispensary hopefuls.
However, for many skeptics, the location was only half of the problem. It was important for Los Angeles to check their privilege when it comes to the war on drugs. As it stands now, there are still thousands of individuals currently incarcerated for minor marijuana charges. One of the biggest concerns with recreational marijuana sales is how the city would handle these now outdated charges.
Los Angeles took this as a challenge to give back to the community, especially when it comes to the individuals still in prison. As a part of a revitalization plan, the city plans on using the tax increases from recreational sales to empower those people. More specifically, they will use funds to offer assistance to people who were directly affected. This means that low level income areas would get a tax boost since these are the communities most impacted by the war on drugs.
By using their position as the largest city for marijuana, Los Angeles is setting the right kind of precedent. While the cannabis legalization movement is important, it is equally important to pay it forward to the marginalized oppressed groups. It’s not like this is a long shot either. Experts project that California marijuana is well on its way to becoming a $1 Billion dollar industry.
While the current US administration has not been shy when it comes to setting up roadblocks, the community has fought back. For the first time in a long time it seems that the US is on the green side of life. The most recent polls show that over 64 percent of US citizens are on board with making marijuana legal across the country. Until that happens, Los Angeles will continue to be the crown holder when it comes to being the largest city to allow for complete sale of marijuana.
Not only has this helped to make Los Angeles one of the capitals for marijuana, it also makes cannabis a reputable business. Along with Los Angeles dispensaries, there are many other ways for Californians to make money off of this momentum. From farming and cultivation to stocks and investing, there is no limit. The best part about being a hub for the industry is that Los Angeles can continue to be a voice for the generation. Whether the city is giving back or making their mark, the industry is continuing to move forward. But, what does this mean for the future? As far as continuing to progress, Los Angeles is where is at.
There is still plenty of ways to move the industry up. Some people speculate that franchise opportunities are the way of the future. Los Angeles dispensaries can be the Starbucks for California. This isn’t such a wild dream after all. Many successful dispensaries have already put in bids for multiple locations. Does this mean that we may be seeing California born cannabis companies popping up nationwide? If California gets their way, yes.
For now, Los Angeles is proudly wearing their crown while also remembering how far they have come. This makes many supporters of the community hopefully. Hopeful that decriminalization can be more than a business, but a movement. Take care.
Bring it on, more good weed