SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — It has been nearly two weeks since Californians voted to legalize recreational marijuana, and parts of that law are already in effect, but not all, which is causing confusion.
In California, as part of Proposition 64, it is now legal for adults 21 and over to smoke pot as long as they are not in public.
They can grow up to six plants.
Also, people 21 and older can legally carry up to an ounce of marijuana on them. It’s the same amount that would fill a plastic sandwich baggie.
But the problem is unless they have a medical marijuana card, right now, there is nowhere for strictly recreational users to buy pot legally in this state.
“It is a limbo stage for sure,” Bloom Room General Manager Stephen Rechif said. “…It’s legal for everybody to have inside, but they don’t have anywhere to buy it. We have a place that sells it, but they can’t get it here.”
Rechif’s dispensary is in San Francisco’s South of Market area. He expects that they will apply for a license allowing them to expand their sales beyond medical marijuana patients, but that might be awhile.
The State of California has until Jan. 1, 2018 before it has to start issuing licenses allowing retail establishments to sell non-medical pot.
Those behind the law say it is written so it’s possible that temporary permits could be issued before that. But it’s also written to give cities and counties local control, so don’t expect to see a local pot shop in every town.
There is one interesting loophole.
While it’s not legal to sell right now, Rechif says “you can gift it, so it’s kind of cool for the holidays, as a medical cannabis patient, you can gift cannabis legally. It’s totally cool.”
Gifting marijuana is OK as long as the person receiving the smokable stocking stuffer is 21 and over.