What SHOUD have been a boom! is more of a blah … that’s the reality of cannabis dispensaries in California as of January 2020. You would think, given the state has 39 million residents and receives 42 million visitors each, that California’s vision of billions of dollars of tax revenue would have been realized, but the truth is, not even close.
Proposition 64 legalized recreational cannabis in January 2018 and the ‘Green Rush’ was on. However, the state empowered each county and municipality to set local rules, ordinances and tax assessments, which has created a situation where it’s easy to get cannabis in some areas and much more difficult in others.
In California, legal sellers face long and expensive licensing processes, quality control standards and high taxes. But 80 percent of California municipalities don’t allow dispensaries which means the majority of the state is a ‘pot desert’ without any legal, licensed, way for consumers to get cannabis, except via delivery services (if those are available in their area).
This means that illegal weed sales proliferate. A recent audit by a cannabis trade organization found approximately 2,835 unlicensed dispensaries, versus 873 licensed sellers in the state.
In addition, another reason the black and grey markets are thriving in California is the consumers: for many California Cannabis Consumers, getting their weed “the old way” is still their preferred way and there’s not much incentive for them to change their ways.
Let’s discuss the Grey and Black Markets
Grey Market – Outdoor Farmers
These are the folks who’ve been growing outdoor, artisanal, cannabis for years, usually on the ‘down low’. Typically adhering to the six personal plants rule in California, these farmers have become expert at growing the strain(s) they produce in their terroir and micro-climate.
If you know one of these farmers, and you can get your cannabis “grower direct”, you can save money; it’s often the most economical way to go!
Grey Market – Indoor Growers
The next level on the grey market scale are the indoor growers. You know: the guy who has converted his garage or an extra room on the property. These folks are a step up from the six outdoor plant farmers and are, typically, focused on ‘cycling’ their grow room as many as 4 times per year.
Still, someone good to know!
Black Market
If you know people who engage in growing for the black market, well, here’s a tip of our hat to you. If you don’t know black market growers, keep it that way!
What does the Law Require
To buy recreational marijuana at a dispensary in California, customers must show a valid ID to prove they are 21 or older. A driver’s license or passport is sufficient.
This is the only information dispensaries are required to check for walk-in recreational customers under Proposition 64.
All Our Stops are Legal
At Happy Travelers Tours all our stops are legal and licensed. Whether we’re heading up the mountain to see our Outdoor Grow, or in Santa Rosa to experience our Cannabis Dispensary Tour, all our Partners are licensed, safe and secure.
List of Cannabis Dispensaries in California
Here’s a table of California Cannabis Dispensaries. We up date this periodically to keep it current!
| Adelanto | 2 |
|---|---|
| Antioch | 1 |
| Aptos | 1 |
| Arcata | 3 |
| Arieta | 1 |
| Arnold | 1 |
| Atwater | 2 |
| Bellflower | 3 |
| Ben Lomond | 2 |
| Berkeley | 5 |
| Bishop | 2 |
| Boulder Creek | 1 |
| Calexico | 1 |
| California City | 1 |
| Cameron Park | 1 |
| Canoga Park | 4 |
| Carmel | 2 |
| Castroville | 1 |
| Cathedral City | 13 |
| Ceres | 1 |
| Chatsworth | 3 |
| Clearlake | 3 |
| Cloverdale | 1 |
| Coachella | 1 |
| Coalinga | 1 |
| Colfax | 1 |
| Cotati | 1 |
| Cresent City | 1 |
| Crows Landing | 1 |
| Davis | 5 |
| Del Rey Oaks | 1 |
| Denair | 1 |
| Desert Hot Spings | 8 |
| Diamond Springs | 1 |
| Dixon | 1 |
| El Cajon | 1 |
| El Sobrante | 1 |
| Emeryville | 1 |
| Encino | 2 |
| Escondido | 1 |
| Eureka | 6 |
| Fairfax | 0 |
| Farmersville | 2 |
| Felton | 1 |
| Fort Bragg | 3 |
| Garberville | 1 |
| Gardena | 2 |
| Goleta | 3 |
| Grover Beach | 3 |
| Gualala | 1 |
| Guerneville | 1 |
| Harbor City | 1 |
| Hayward | 2 |
| Hollister | 1 |
| Hopland | 2 |
| Imperial | 1 |
| Isleton | 1 |
| June Lake | 1 |
| La Mesa | 3 |
| Lake Elsinore | 1 |
| Laytonville | 1 |
| Lee Vining | 1 |
| Lomita | 2 |
| Lompoc | 7 |
| Long Beach | 19 |
| Los Angeles | 76 |
| Los Gatos | 1 |
| Malibu | 2 |
| Mammoth Lakes | 2 |
| Marin del Rey | 3 |
| Marysville | 2 |
| Maywood | 4 |
| McKinleyville | 2 |
| Mendocino | 2 |
| Merced | 1 |
| Mission Hills | 2 |
| Modesto | 11 |
| Mount Shasta | 3 |
| Napa | 1 |
| Needles | 4 |
| Nevada City | 1 |
| North Hills | 1 |
| North Hollywood | 9 |
| North Palm Springs | 1 |
| Northridge | 3 |
| Oakdale | 2 |
| Oakland | 10 |
| Ojai | 3 |
| Pacifica | 2 |
| Pacoima | 1 |
| Palm Desert | 5 |
| Palm Springs | 10 |
| Patterson | 2 |
| Perris | 9 |
| Petaluma | 1 |
| Playa Del Rey | 1 |
| Point Arena | 1 |
| Port Hueneme | 7 |
| Ramona | 3 |
| Redding | 4 |
| Redway | 1 |
| Reseda | 3 |
| Richmond | 3 |
| Rio Vista | 1 |
| Riverbank | 2 |
| Riverside | 1 |
| Royal Oaks | 1 |
| Sacramento | 28 |
| Salinas | 3 |
| San Andreas | 2 |
| San Bernardino | 2 |
| San Diego | 17 |
| San Francisco | 35 |
| San Jose | 16 |
| San Leandro | 3 |
| Santa Ana | 19 |
| Santa Barbara | 4 |
| Santa Cruz | 8 |
| Santa Rosa | 10 |
| Seaside | 5 |
| Sebastopol | 2 |
| Shasta Lake | 3 |
| Sherman Oaks | 3 |
| Shingle Springs | 3 |
| Sonora | 1 |
| Soquel | 2 |
| South Lake Tahoe | 1 |
| Stockton | 3 |
| Studio City | 7 |
| Sun Valley | 5 |
| Sunland | 1 |
| Sylmar | 4 |
| Torrance | 3 |
| Tujunga | 2 |
| Tulare | 2 |
| Ukiah | 5 |
| Union City | 1 |
| Vallejo | 11 |
| Van Huys | 6 |
| Venice | 6 |
| Visalia | 1 |
| Vista | 2 |
| Weed | 1 |
| West Hollywood | 5 |
| Willits | 1 |
| Wilmington | 1 |
| Woodlake | 1 |
| Woodland Hills | 11 |
Book a Cannabis Tour Today
To learn more about Happy Travelers Tours visit our Tour Menu. Or, Book a Tour today!
Citations from:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/23/style/weed-church-california.html
- https://www.politifact.com/article/2018/feb/13/how-much-privacy-do-you-have-when-you-buy-marijuan/