New Laws for Cannabis In California For 2018
California’s latest cannabis laws passed over the New Year. California became the sixth state in the United States to allow licensed shops to sell marijuana. Anyone with an ID showing they are 21 or older will be able to purchase marijuana, much like purchasing alcohol at a store, without the need for a medical marijuana license. Here are a few more of the latest laws you need to be aware of before visiting the nearest dispensary.
While it is legal for anyone with an ID showing they are 21 or older to purchase marijuana, this does not mean marijuana can be smoked in public spaces. This includes spaces designated for tobacco use. Anyone who smokes marijuana on the streets, in bars, in parks or other public spaces can be fined between $100 to $250. In a small amount of California cities, cannabis lounges may be implemented sometime after the New Year, permitting clients to smoke marijuana. Outside of that, marijuana smokers can only smoke in their own homes or other private property.
When it comes to shop licensing, medical marijuana dispensaries will not necessarily be allowed to sell marijuana for recreational use as well. This will be dependent on whether the medical marijuana dispensary obtains the correct license allowing recreational sales but also, the city the dispensary is located in. Most cities in California are not allowing the recreational marijuana sales, forcing medical marijuana dispensaries to sell only to people with medical marijuana licenses. Some cities will allow the sale of recreational marijuana and dispensaries looking to make these sales will be required to obtain the appropriate license.
Like alcohol, marijuana is subjected to driving laws. People are not allowed to consume marijuana while driving or have an open, accessible container. You further cannot drive while under the influence of marijuana. There has yet to be a concrete way to measure cannabis impairment; however, officers are currently using drug tests to detect cannabis in the bloodstream. Drivers under the influence of cannabis who fail this test could potentially be arrested.
Unsure if the new cannabis laws will affect your or your business? Contact our experienced cannabis law attorneys today at Arata, Swingle, Van Egmond and Heitlinger. We can help further explain these new laws and help you understand how they affect your rights in California.