HOLY SHIT. Marijuana is Legal (in California) | Here’s What You Need to Know

First of all, HNY guys!!! Twenty eighteen is officially here, & guess what else is here?

LEGAL WEED IN CALIFORNIA.

I mean, is anyone else kinda freaking out that the marijuana prohibition has ended? I feel I am witnessing history being made right now. Is this gonna be in textbooks one day? Do textbooks still exist? I don’t know, but I do know this is a huge step in the right direction for shattering stoner stigmas, & I am excited about it.

I have been legally buying weed for the past two years as I have a doctor’s recommendation, but even for me & medical users like me, this is gonna be a real change of pace.

California is now the 5th state with legalized marijuana & rumor has it that the cannabis industry is suspected to bring in more money than the beer industry in 2019. That is pretty major for our economy, but that’s just one small piece of the pie.

If you Google “weed is legal in California” there is SO much information. So today I am breaking it down for you guys in layman’s terms so you clearly know how you’re gonna be high on legal marijuana in 2018.

is marijuana legal in California?

YES- as of today, January 1st, 2018, marijuana is officially legal. Just typing that out is weird for me… but it really is happening. It’s SUCH a big change. Since forever, smoking weed was considered illegal drug use, & now… it will be as common as drinking your nightly glass of wine.

I don’t about you guys, but the legalization of weed in California was super confusing to me. Maybe cause it’s hard to wrap my head around, but also maybe cause there is a lot of grey area… so I did my research & wanted to clear things up in layman’s terms with this post.

To start, it’s formally is called the ‘Adult Use of Marijuana Act‘, & it means that anyone over the age of 21 can legally use & purchase cannabis (as well has carry up to an ounce of weed on their person AND grow up to 6 plants).

Just because it’s now legal though, it’s not something you can do in public. This was my first question-can we smoke on the beach? No. You can’t. Think of it like a beer. You CAN’T have an open container in a park, so you CAN’T smoke a joint either.

The only difference is- if you get caught smoking pot in public now you’ll get fined up to $100, whereas before you’d be slapped with a possession charge.

Buying legal weed in California

Where to buy is where things can get a little tricky.

Although weed is legal & you can smoke it freely in your home, cities have the final say in whether or not marijuana shops can open up for business & unfortunately, a lot of cities are not having it. From what I hear- the only cities on board as of now are San Diego, San Jose, & Oakland. Luckily I am in San Diego…

Same goes for existing dispensaries as well. There are a handful of dispensaries who have the green light, but most of them are not being allowed to get recreational licenses based on the city. For example, Los Angeles weed stores & San Fran dispensaries are not on board for January 1st. It will happen down the road, but the timing is different everywhere!

Do note- if you are a medical marijuana user, you should expect a change at your local dispensary when/if they get a recreational marijuana license. Now that it’s legal, there will be an added 15% state tax, along with local taxes.

** to see if any legal weed dispensaries are open near you, check out Leafly’s comprehensive list of recreational weed dispensaries throughout California **

Selling weed in California

If you want to sell legal marijuana in California, the state has to know & you have to get a license to do so. If you don’t get a license there could be jail time or fines. This is obviously to deter & decrease the size of the black market Cannabis industry.

The whole idea of Prop 65 in the first place was to help cut out the black market cannabis business. So that money could go towards state taxes instead. Without a legal dispensary nearby + the price increase, a lot of people will probably be sticking with their go-to guy to get the goods.

Let’s just say- small time sellers aren’t worried about having to close up shop.

is it legal to grow marijuana in california?

YES! Growing weed for personal use is now legal. But there are rules, The max amount of plants you can have is 6, you do have to be 21 years of age, & you do need to see what the specific growing laws are in your city. Not all cities will allow you to grow weed outdoors & even though it’s legal, if you are allowed to grow outdoors, you should remain discreet about it.

Also, you can not sell the weed from your 6 plants without a license to sell. You can give weed away, but always remember- no more than an ounce on you at all times!!

If you are growing marijuana for business, you will need a license. Unfortunately this law could put small growers out of business, even if they get the correct licenses. There a whole bunch of new regulations for growing weed. So I am sure the big dogs will be taking this over.

Plus, there is more than enough weed in California. So the lawmakers are probably going to find a way to begin curbing production to help reduce the amount of black market sellers.

Driving and weed

Driving high, you’ll get a DUI. Just like booze, pills, or too much cough syrup. If you’re impaired in anyway, you will get in trouble.

As for how they will know- that’s the question. Unless your eyes are bloodshot red & you can’t stop giggling, which isn’t the norm for functional stoners, you’re probably good to go. I haven’t heard of pot breathalyzers being a thing, so I really don’t know how that’s all gonna work in terms of proof. I guess we shall see!

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