People buzzing over California recreational marijuana
Advocates for legal marijuana in the state of California have a lot to be thankful for this year as the start of 2018 marks the beginning of a new era in the state as it is now legal to purchase the drug for recreational purposes.
Back in 2016, it became legal in the state to grow your own weed if you were over the age of 21, but up until yesterday it was illegal to sell the drug to somebody for “recreational use.”
New Year’s Day marked the first day that a person could legally purchase the drug, more than 20 years after the state of California became the first in America to legalize the use of the drug for medicinal purposes.
Happy New Year
To bring in the new year, many turned to raising joints in celebration instead of the traditional champagne glasses.
“It’s been so long since others and myself could walk into a place where you could feel safe and secure and be able to get something that was good without having to go to the back alley,” said Jeff Deakin, 66, a long time advocate for the drug and one of the first to purchase it legally yesterday. “This is kind of a big deal for everybody.”
“This is something we’ve all been waiting for. People might actually realize weed isn’t bad. It helps a lot of people,” said Johnny Hernandez, a tattoo artist from Modesto.
As far as the federal government is concerned, marijuana is classified as a controlled substance, right along side heroin and LSD, but California, and a number of other states do not see things that way.
“We are excited. We just got our state license on Saturday … so immediately there was extra energy in everyone’s step,” said Robert Taft Jr., founder of the medical marijuana dispensary 420 Central in Santa Ana.
“This is the most populous state. We’ve popularized yoga. We’ve popularized sushi. The days of the dime bag are long, long gone,” said Daniel Yi, spokesman for MedMen. “I think this is going to move the needle like nothing else when it comes to the national conversation.”
The drug may now be legal to buy for recreational use, but finding somewhere to buy it legally is not as easy as it sounds. Currently only 90 state licenses to sell the drug have been granted, and people will need to find a pot shop in San Diego, Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Bay Area or the Palm Springs area if they want to purchase it legally.
Another issue with legal selling of marijuana is the cost to buy it. State tax will make the drug more expensive to purchase, up to a third more which some customers qare not happy about.
Canada will also legalize marijuana
Those north of the border in Canada have another half a year to go before pot becomes legal to purchase for recreational use.
Earlier this year the Canadian government announced their intent to legalize the drug in the summer of 2018, and since then anticipation has been building as individual provinces have unvailed their own plans when it comes to how they will control the drug.
The province of Ontario, for example who is said to be planning to be home to more than 150 legal pot shops by the year 2020, has been one of the front runners when it comes to announcing their intent when it comes to the drug.
Across the province, the LCBO, will be responsible for sales of marijuana so it will be their responsibility to enforce rules to make sure that the drug is purchased legally.
To purchase the drug, a person must be 19 years of age, and present valid identification. If somebody is caught with the drug illegally in their posession, they can face a hefty fine and even jail time.
