First Dispensary in Ventura County Opens in Ojai

The first medical cannabis dispensary to open in Ventura County is located in Ojai, California. Sespe Creek Collective opened on November 2 and customers are beginning to trickle in.

Sespe Creek Collective is one of three approved businesses that has received permits to operate a  from the city of Ojai. The dispensary will also have a delivery service. Shangri-La Care Cooperative and Ojai Greens, the other two businesses, will be open soon.

“We’re really starting small,” Chelsea Sutula told the Ventura County Star. “We didn’t want to blow out without having our systems fully in place first. We’ll be booking more and more appointments every day.” One year ago, police raided her medical cannabis dispensary in Oxnard, but Sutula is back.

Jeff Kroll, the founder of Shangri-La Care Cooperative, also ran a local dispensary that was shut down by law enforcement. Both business owners say that patients in the area have been desperately waiting for new dispensaries to open.

All three medical cannabis dispensaries will be located in Bryant Circle, an industrial area. All businesses must abide by strict rules, including no walk-in customers, as in other cities.

Ventura County has been sluggish to embrace cannabis, compared to the neighboring county of Los Angeles. Two days after Ventura County voters approved Proposition 64 last year at 55.6 percent, Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten sent a letter warning cities about the dangers of cannabis.

The Fillmore City Council firmly said “No” to commercial cannabis business growth at its meeting on October 10, following the example of Camarillo. In the county, only Port Hueneme and Ojai have opted to allow a small number of dispensaries, while Oxnard approved delivery only. The Ventura City Council voted on October 9 to allow medical cannabis deliveries from other cities, while continuing to ban dispensaries.

Sespe Creek Collective is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. To 7 p.m.