Santa Monica Council Votes To Expand Adult-Use Cannabis Retail Sales

SANTA MONICA, CA — The Santa Monica City Council unanimously approved changes to zoning codes to expand retail sales of adult-use cannabis within the city.

The changes include allowing sales and delivery of cannabis from retailers with active Conditional Use Permits. Additionally, some previous requirements were also removed and additional retailers will now be permitted to deliver, cultivate and sell adult-use cannabis.

"We know now that recreational marijuana dispensaries outside of Santa Monica are delivering within Santa Monica very frequently. So that's one of the things we did was to allow the medical dispensaries to deliver to be able to compete for their economic survival," Mayor Gleam Davis said.

In Santa Monica, two authorized medicinal dispensaries were already approved to operate within the city before Oct. 10 that only serve people 18 years old or older with a doctor's note. The two businesses can now retail to those 21 or older and start delivery service.

Along with the approval of the changes, council members brought up many concerns including requiring additional warning signage and location restrictions for stores.

The sales of adult-use cannabis products are subject to a 3 percent tax, which was approved by measure HMP by 66 percent of Santa Monica voters. Tax rates may be adjusted by the council but cannot exceed 10 percent without voter approval.

Councilmembers also directed staff to create an ordinance that would permit adult-use cannabis in more areas of the city. The council also discussed creating a cannabis social equity program to help ensure that the communities most impacted by federal and state enforcement policies can benefit from the marijuana industry.

"We went through a multi-year process to get to this point, I would say almost unduly burdensome. We're talking about this as though it's magic mushrooms when this is legal in the state of California and we are losing out on revenue," Councilmember Caroline Torosis said.