Stockton to weigh recreational marijuana ordinance

STOCKTON — Recreational cannabis soon could be available for purchase in Stockton.

The Stockton City Council on Tuesday will consider an ordinance amending its municipal code that would allow the sale of “adult-use” cannabis in existing medical marijuana dispensaries.

If approved Tuesday night, the ordinance would take effect in 30 days, according to the meeting’s staff report.

With the passage of Measure P in 2016, the city has allowed a maximum of four medical cannabis dispensaries to operate in town. There currently are three dispensaries approved in Stockton, with two currently operating, according to staff.

Last November, the council adopted an ordinance that placed bans on non-medical cannabis businesses and outdoor personal cultivation. The ordinance also placed a ban on cannabis businesses that deliver, distribute, manufacture or test the product, as well as enacted certain restrictions on indoor cultivation.

In April, however, the city entered into an agreement with consulting firm Freedman and Koski, Inc. to review Stockton’s cannabis policy.

In addition, the council in April directed staff to explore the idea of allowing existing dispensaries to sell adult-use — or recreational — cannabis.

The number of dispensaries in Stockton would not be increased until further studies were conducted, according to staff.

In July, Freedman and Koski, Inc. held two community meetings to gather input from residents on the possibility of allowing commercial cannabis to be sold in the city.

About 100 people attended the two meetings, and staff said 65 percent of the attendees supported allowing dispensaries to sell adult use cannabis immediately while the city develops a more comprehensive ordinance.

The proposed ordinance would not increase the number of dispensaries allowed in the city.

Existing dispensaries would be required to update their use permits with the Stockton Planning Commission, and then update their operator’s permits with Stockton Police Department, according to staff.

The medical cannabis portion of the dispensaries would continue to pay taxes in the amount of $50 per $1,000 in gross receipts.

Over the last year, the city collected about $570,000 in medical cannabis taxes from the two dispensaries currently in operation, staff said.

While allowing adult use cannabis to be sold will increase revenue for the city, staff said it is unknown exactly how much would be generated at this time.

Representatives for Stockton’s two operational dispensaries — Port City Alternative and and Connected Cannabis — were unavailable for comment by press time.