Yo, check it, Cali was the OG state to make medical weed legal back in ’96, and 20 years later they were the first to give the green light to recreational use too. Now, Cali holds it down as the biggest cannabis market in the whole dang world.
As weed becomes more and more a part of everyday life in Cali and across the nation, it seems like the people of Cali are vibing with the whole scene more and more.
The Cali Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) just dropped some fresh survey data that’s all about how Cali residents feel about the cannabis game these days. They had FM3 Research do the legwork as part of their Real California Cannabis Campaign, which is all about making it easy for folks to find legit dispensaries in the state.
FM3 Research hit up over 1,000 Cali adults to get the scoop.
Growing Support and Keeping it Legal
One big take from this survey is that 62% of Cali peeps think that Proposition 64, the deal that let folks smoke for fun, has been good for the state. When it first went down, 57% of voters were down, so this new number shows that more and more folks are feeling lit about weed in Cali.
The survey also found that a fat 86% of Cali adults are all about buying their weed from legal spots. And on top of that, 72% think it’s important to make sure you’re getting your stash from licensed shops.
But even though Cali is holding it down with the biggest cannabis scene worldwide, there’s still a ton of shady stuff going on. A report from 2022 said that about two-thirds of all weed sales in Cali are still happening on the down low.
The California Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) also just dropped their first annual report showing what they’ve been up to in 2023. They hit up over $312 million in illegal weed, almost 190,000 pounds of bud, took out over 300,000 plants, served almost 200 search warrants, snagged 119 firearms, and grabbed over $220k in cash.
Nicole Elliot, who runs things at the DCC, said that UCETF is doing work to shut down these illegal ops by teaming up with over 20 state agencies and other partners.
Getting Schooled on Legal Weed
While most folks seem to get that it’s important to support legal shops when grabbing their greens, there’s still some gaps in knowledge about what’s legit and what’s not in the cannabis game among Cali residents.
The survey showed that 85% of people living in areas where weed shops ain’t allowed either thought they could cop legally or didn’t even know what was up with the laws.
Elliot pointed out that knowing what’s good and enforcing those rules are key to keeping things tight in the weed market.
“The Real California Cannabis campaign is all about giving folks info so they can make smart choices when buying weed,” Elliot said. “This helps keep our communities safe and supports local businesses while shutting down those illegal spots.”
But when it comes to spotting a legit shop versus a sketchy one, peeps were split. Some said it was easy to tell if a spot was licensed, while others said it was tough to know for sure.
And most folks who have smoked up said they’d hit up a licensed shop for their goods. Over half said they’ve already enjoyed some green themselves.
So keep supporting those legit spots and stay educated on where you’re getting your stash from. Let’s keep pushing for reform and keeping it real in Cali!