(Contributed photo)
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY — Last week, many Californians not only celebrated the start of a new year, but also the milestone of the legalization of recreational cannabis.
Medical cannabis has been legal in California for about 20 years. However, Jan. 1 saw the arrival of full legalization. The state follows Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Nevada, all of which passed laws in just the last few years.
In Santa Cruz County, more than 10 businesses began selling recreational cannabis last week, with only Mendocino County surpassing it in dispensaries per capita. Many of the local dispensaries celebrated with grand opening events, special offers and the unveiling of new products.
Santa Cruz’s KindPeoples, which now boasts two locations — one off of DuBois Street and the other on Soquel Drive — was the first state-legal pot dispensary in the county. On what they dubbed “Legalization Day,” KindPeoples hosted an all-day event, with people lining up to make purchases as early as 6 a.m.
KindPeoples’ Public Relations Specialist Elise McDonough said the process of expanding from just medical cannabis to also selling recreational has been relatively smooth. She credits the county’s support.
“We are definitely lucky here in Santa Cruz,” McDonough said. “We’ve had the blessing of the local political system, so licensing was not too complicated. Plus, the fact that there’s a big demand for it here. We are firmly in the majority.”
The City and County of Santa Cruz both allow for medical marijuana dispensaries to sell for recreational use. Watsonville, however, does not allow for dispensaries to set up shop.
When asked about U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ recent declaration that federal prosecutors should be able to decide for themselves whether to press pot cases, McDonough said she wasn’t too worried. Sessions has claimed that even in states where the drug is officially legal, residents can still be charged federally. His comments have since come under fire from many politicians and leaders, including other Republicans.
“Things in this industry have always been uncertain,” McDonough said. “We’re just going to try and continue to operate as normal, doing what we can to keep business flowing.”
Leading up to New Year’s Day, electronic alert signs on highways all over California displayed the message “Drive high, get a DUI,” reminding residents that despite the herb being nontoxic, it can still impair judgement. California Highway Patrol officers have been on high alert for the past week, urging residents to practice safe consumption.
This week, KindPeoples launched a campaign to educate customers on safe ways to consume cannabis, especially edibles (cannabis-infused foods).
“Those not already familiar with cannabis can often make rookie mistakes,” McDonough said. “There is definitely a lack of smart examples out there. Most people grow up at least knowing how to safely drink alcohol; we want people to have the same positive, safe experience with cannabis.”
As for the future of KindPeoples, McDonough said she is optimistic. She does hope taxes on pot will eventually drop, declaring the high cost as detrimental to customers, especially those buying it for medical reasons. But all in all, she is excited to see what lies ahead.
“It’s a very exciting time,” she said. “I really think this legalization is going to help change society over the years for the better.”
