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California’s history with cannabis is long and complex. In the early underground days, weed from the Emerald Triangle was legendary around the world — and remains that way today. Then the 1996 passage of the US’s first medical marijuana law, Prop 215, paved the way to present-day adult-use “legalization.” Clearly California has already gone through many cannabis evolutions.

California voters said yes to Prop 64, legalizing adult-use cannabis in 2016, but unlike its medical predecessor, it’s complicated. Those complications mean difficulties for patients, consumers, and retailers in achieving their desires and needs. They also mean that 72% of cities and counties remain dry, reinforcing prohibition. The broken regulatory system that followed so-called legalization has turned once legal business owners into criminals when in reality, a lack of adequate retail and business licenses is causing the problem.

With those who’ve been fighting from the start to those advocating for cannabis freedom today, we take a look back at lessons learned in California’s cannabis history and explore the path forward to safe, legal access for all patients and adults.

RETAIL DENSITY

per 100,000 people

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY DC

California statistics

%

Municipalities that allow licenses

Source: CA Bureau of Cannabis Control

Retail licenses issued

Source: CA Bureau of Cannabis Control

Retail licenses needed for market to flourish

Source: Weedmaps analysis

California’s cannabis history

Take action. Get involved.

You have the power to change this situation. Get involved, get to know your local representatives, get educated on the issues and use your voice to make a difference. California voters wanted open cannabis markets. It’s up to each of us to make sure it gets done right.

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