Open for business

I’ve been wanting to open my own dispensary and I’m lost when it comes to where to start, especially with the new legislation tweaking things. Where do I find the full text of the new legalization legislation and are there any resources for business people looking to get involved in ways other than cultivation?

—Med Hall.

I am glad you asked. Last weekend, the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation, the Department of Food and Agriculture and the Department of Public Health—these are the three agencies in charge of overseeing the cannabis industry—released their proposed regulations. You can find them at www.bmcr.ca.gov, www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/mccp, and www.cdph.ca.gov/
Pages/Cannabis.aspx. Folks have until June 12 to make public comments.

The new rules will go into effect on the first of January, so the clock is running. There will also be public meetings in various towns where people can ask questions and make comments. (Check the websites for more information.)

Your letter doesn’t mention your location. Before you start any sort of cannabis business, you should look up the current rules in your city and make sure you are even allowed to have a weed-based business. There are way too many cities and counties trying to maintain the failed policies of cannabis prohibition. Some counties want to allow large-scale grows but no retail outlets. This is ridiculous. If someone has a fruit farm, don’t they also get to have a fruit stand?

Policymakers not taking full advantage of all the jobs and money that cannabis can bring to cities and counties is bad governance. If your local government is still trying to keep marijuana illegal, call them out. Talk to your chamber of commerce. Talk to the tourism board. It is vitally important the people interested in starting cannabis based businesses get involved in local politics right away. 2018 will be here sooner than you think.

There are plenty of online resources for folks that want to get involved in the cannabis industry. The Arcview Group, the National Cannabis Industry Association and Thcjobs.com are all good places to start. Plus, there is always some sort of business conference or networking event happening somewhere in California just about every day. Look around. Good luck with your new business.

Mangoes really make getting high even better?

—Pop Aya

That’s what they say. Mangoes are full of the terpene known as myrcene. Weed (especially of the OG Kush type) is also full of myrcene. Apparently, the myrcene in the mango works with the marijuana myrcene to create a faster-acting, slightly more intense, longer buzz. Just in time for summer.