California’s newfound cannabis trade is not supposed to be up and running until sometime around 2018, but allegedly, that hasn’t prevented some dispensaries from selling recreational reefer in the same manner as they have been slinging the “medical” stuff for the past two decades.
A recent report from the California Weed Blog indicates that ever since the voters approved Proposition 64, an initiative that fully legalized marijuana throughout the state, there has been at least three medical marijuana dispensaries that have jettisoned the concept of a patient needing a doctor’s recommendation and are now selling weed to every adult 21 and over who comes in looking to get stoned.
HIGH TIMES, however, could not confirm all of the report—and found some discrepancies, too.
The website suggests that Green Light District in Van Nuys, Mr. Nice Guy in downtown Los Angeles and Cannaclub 30 in Compton have all posted on Weed Maps announcing that they are now selling marijuana to customers who have not been approved by a licensed physician to participate in the state’s medical marijuana program.
An article from the LAist quotes Mr. Nice Guy as saying, “21 years and older may enter with no doctors recommendation, however those 21 and under are still required to have a rec.”
While the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana is now completely legal in California for adults 21 and over, it remains against the law for a medical-marijuana dispensary to sell to a person who is not holding a legitimate medical-marijuana recommendation.
When HIGH TIMES looked into the situation, we found that the Weed Maps post from Mr. Nice Guy does not say the dispensary is Proposition 64 friendly, but rather it reiterates the necessity of having a “Doctors Recommendation with the California Seal” and a “valid California I.D” to purchase marijuana.
“ANNOUNCEMENT!! Prop 64 is not in effect,” the dispensary posted. “As a result, all patients must provide these documents in order to enter.”
Nevertheless, the LAist claims to have talked to a Mr. Nice Guy employee, who “confirmed that the dispensary was currently selling to everyone 21 and over, regardless of whether or not they were in possession of a medical marijuana card.”
Interestingly, the other two dispensaries (Green Light District and Cannaclub 30) appear to be open to selling to marijuana to those without permission to use medical marijuana.
Green Light District claims it “is now Prop 64 friendly! 21+ Just ID Required, 18-20 Needs ID + Rec!” while Cannaclub 30’s post says the same.
So far, HIGH TIMES has been unable to reach either dispensary to verify exactly how they are selling recreational marijuana without the proper license to conduct such business in the state of California.
As it stands, the regulatory guts of Proposition 64 are currently being hashed out by the state. And, whether they like it or not, California’s medical marijuana dispensaries will be forced to apply for the same licenses to deal in recreational marijuana as any of the newcomers. But those licenses are not expected to be issued until January 2018 – putting the proprietors of pot shops already engaged in the sale of recreational weed at risk of incurring penalties and even jail time.
According to the language of Proposition 64, selling marijuana without a license is punishable by up to six months in jail and fines reaching $500.
You can keep up with all of HIGH TIMES’ marijuana news right here.
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