It’s been over a year since California voters passed Proposition 64, allowing legal recreational weed throughout the Golden State. And when the clock struck midnight New Year’s Eve, those high hopes of California weed smokers finally became a reality. Well, kind of.
Despite its legal status, the actual sale of marijuana has previously been on hold until lawmakers could figure out how the heck to regulate the whole thing (and, of course, how to tax it).
Additionally, each city and county in California still gets to decide whether to allow recreational weed. Also, if weed is allowed, the particular city can decide on the number of legal weed stores and mandate rules around their sales.
In Orange County, which has 34 cities, Santa Ana is the only known jurisdiction that has agreed to authorize the sale of recreational marijuana, which began Jan 1. As of this writing, Newport Beach is among the cities that will not permit the recreational sale of weed. (Good news for those in Newps looking to legally blaze; Google maps says even with traffic it’s a 24-minute drive from Newport Beach to Santa Ana.)
It was announced Nov. 21 that all 17 existing legal medical marijuana dispensaries in Santa Ana will be allowed, after Jan 1., to sell commercial marijuana to people aged 21 and over. (Find their locations on Weedmaps here.)
Sales at these dispesnaries can commence so long as the businesses are up to code and follow Santa Ana city regulations. (Officials note most legal dispensaries currently do.) Three additional dispensaries are in the process of approval for commercial weed sales and the city of Santa Anna will allow up to 30 marijuana businesses in total, which means 10 more are coming on a not-yet released timeline.
To celebrate the arrival of legal weed, Jack In The Box has collaborated with Snoop Dogg on a “Merry Munchie Meal.” The stoner snack will be available Jan. 18 to Jan. 25 at three Long Beach Jack In The Box locations only and will cost (what else?) $4.20.
