One of the provisions in the new bill will allow for cannabis to be sold on fairgrounds that are owned by the state of California, as long as it is during a state or county fair and during private events. However, there are various conditions before one can sell marijuana on these state-owned fairgrounds.As our Riverside marijuana industry lawyers can explain, a permit must first be secured before any marijuana can be sold. If the vendor is trying to obtain a permit to sell cannabis at a county fair, there must be an enclosed space that is designated for the sale of marijuana. This means that there will be no open-air pot markets at the local county fair.

While this can be good news for those wishing to sell cannabis at the local fair, and for those who want to purchase it, there is some question if it will actually happen. The reason for this is because the permitting and construction of an indoor space that will be designated for the sale of marijuana will be at the discretion of the governing boards of the individual county fairs and will be overseen by the CEO of the fair and the other management personnel.

This may be a problem, because when interviewed as part of this article, not too many people in a position to do anything were all that eager to allow for the sale of marijuana at their respective fairs. Some said they have not had time to review all of what this entails and will certainly not be issuing any permits around the first of next year when recreational use of marijuana becomes legal. They said they will look into the issue and take opinions from those on the fair board and in the community. Others said they are concerned about other regulations such as zoning and land use laws that may prevent them from issuing permits even if they wanted.

All of this being said, it will probably happen eventually, but it may take quite a bit of time. There is no question that the majority of the population who votes in California wanted the passage of Proposition 64, which legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults, but there are still many conservatives who disagree with this. It is likely that at least some if not most of those who have been on the boards of various county fairs might be more on the conservative side.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients and those facing marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

A new state law allows pot sales at county fairs, but will yours go green?, June 29, 2017, By Rory Appleton, Fresno Bee

More Blog Entries: Report: Colorado Marijuana Laws May Not be Safe, Feb. 5, 2017, L.A. Marijuana Lawyer Blog

This is a notable shift from what we saw a few years ago, when hundreds of cities across the state scrambled to ban medical marijuana dispensaries amid a furious crackdown by federal authorities. Of course, the drug remains illegal under federal law, but U.S. attorneys have eased their stance on the issue, prompting cities to craft their own measures to replace the ban or allow ballot initiatives that gives voters the chance to decide.

One of the most recent among these is Perris, where the council decided June 14th to approve a package of resolutions that will give voters a choice of not one but two medical marijuana dispensary November ballot initiatives to weigh.

One of those measures offers a framework for taxing dispensaries that operate within the city and the other offers a proposal for how medical marijuana dispensaries in Perris will be regulated and supervised. Both measures required at least a two-thirds majority of council members – or four of five – be on board with sending the proposals off to voters. Several said they held their own personal beliefs about the measure, which largely leaned toward NOT allowing dispensaries to operate in the city. However, in the end the leaders decided it was best to let the voters decide.

Councilwoman Rita Rogers was the single “No” vote on both matters, pointing out that medical marijuana dispensaries are operational in nearby Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City and Palm Springs. She said Perris should resist the urge to become the first in the Inland Empire to climb aboard the bandwagon.

But again, we’re not talking about a measure that allows for recreational cultivation, sales or possession (though that may be before California voters in November). Rather, this is about providing reasonable access to those who rely on marijuana as medicine.

What’s more, Perris and Riverside County as a whole has seen the ill effects of the illicit drug trade. Take for example what was reported in Mead Valley not long ago, where an illegal marijuana cultivation operation was spotted just 50 yards from a playground. Such operations have been associated with high-powered weapons and in some cases, fatal shootings.

Sheriff officials told The Press Enterprise they were “well aware” of the increase in marijuana grow operations and were “aggressively” working to investigate and root them out. The county supervisor reported after receiving numerous complaints from residents, staffers tallied 300 marijuana grow operations just in a single district alone. He described neighbors as “frankly scared.”

And this is the kind of situation that makes reasonable, responsible marijuana laws so important. There will be a demand for the drug no matter what. That demand can be lessened – and the power of these cartels curbed – when we put control of it in the hands of the people rather than the criminals.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients and those facing marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

Perris: City Council Approves Marijuana Ballot Measures, June 14, 2016, By Tom Sheridan, The Press Enterprise

More Blog Entries:

San Bernadino Marijuana Dispensary Vote Seems Likely, June 19, 2016, Perris Marijuana Attorney Blog