Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

California becomes largest US state to open marijuana shops amid police caution

by

LOS ANGELES Jan 02, 2018 - 12:00 am GMT+3
Customers purchase marijuana at Harborside, one of California's largest and oldest dispensary dispensaries of medical marijuana, on the first day of legalized recreational marijuana sales in Oakland, California, U.S., January 1, 2018. (Reuters Photo)
Customers purchase marijuana at Harborside, one of California's largest and oldest dispensary dispensaries of medical marijuana, on the first day of legalized recreational marijuana sales in Oakland, California, U.S., January 1, 2018. (Reuters Photo)
by Jan 02, 2018 12:00 am

Shops selling marijuana opened for business in California on Monday, as it became the largest U.S. state to allow the purchase of the drug for recreational use.

"They started coming at 6 am, we opened at 7 am," said Ruthie with Torrey Holistics in San Diego. "We've seen a lot of customers," she added.

Jessica, who works at A Green Alternative also in San Diego, had the same experience: "We have been very busy," she said.

Those stores were among the lucky ones that received their sale licenses from the state and local officials on time, while other shops dpa spoke to said they were still waiting.

Users can now buy legal cannabis products in Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Santa Cruz, San Diego and a few other locales, as California joins seven other states and the District of Columbia that have passed laws allowing marijuana for recreational use.

In California, where medical marijuana has been legal since 1996, the pot industry means big business.

With the legalization of recreational marijuana the market is expected to increase to 3.7 billion dollars this year and to over 5 billion dollars in 2019, according to the Business Insider.

The new California law, passed by voter referendum in 2016, allows people over 21 to possess, transport, purchase, consume or share up to 28.5 grams of marijuana, and up to 8 grams of marijuana concentrates. Adults can grow up to six marijuana plants per household "out of public view." It is also illegal to consume marijuana in any public place.

Meanwhile, law enforcement officials in Los Angeles prepared to enforce the new law with the launch of a campaign called "Drive Baked, Get Booked", warning against driving while being stoned.

They want to remind drivers that it remains illegal to drive under the influence of cannabis and will bring the same consequences as driving under the influence of alcohol.

"Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspensions and other expenses that can exceed 10,000 dollars," said the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

The two largest cities in the state Los Angeles and San Francisco have not yet started issuing licenses to sell cannabis commercially for recreational use.

Los Angeles city officials say they plan to start the process of issuing licenses for the sale of recreational marijuana on Wednesday.

The city "just ran out of time" to get the necessary regulations in place, explained Adam Spiker, executive director of the Southern California Coalition, a marijuana industry group.

Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    homepage
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Snow blankets cities in Turkey's east
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021