Inland Empire Opens First Licensed Dispensary

The city of Perris in the Inland Empire (IE) granted its first licensed medical cannabis dispensary permit to Green America. The IE, home to over four million people, is what locals in Southern California define as western Riverside County and San Bernardino County.

Opening day was on August 25, and plans for a grand opening ceremony is underway. “This is the first time that patients will be able to purchase their products from a permitted dispensary,” Mark Douglas, chief executive of the nonprofit behind Green America, told the Press-Enterprise. “This is a historic day not just for Green America Inc., but for the city of Perris and all of the Inland Empire.” Although Green America is the first licensed dispensary, at least 14 “rogue” dispensaries operating in Perris are currently open, according to WeedMaps.

The road to licensed dispensaries in the Inland Empire has been rocky. On October 7, 2015, Perris code enforcement raided eight dispensaries in Perris, but only focused on dispensaries that were reported as a nuisance from neighbors. The other half of known dispensaries in the area were left untouched.

CULTURE spoke briefly with the Green America’s Manager Chelsea Hawkesby to verify it’s claim as the first permitted dispensary in the IE. She stated that the business is under the city’s jurisdiction, but not the county’s jurisdiction, so it is not limited by recent limitations set by Riverside County.

Perris voters approved Measure K last November by over 77 percent. Measure K ended Perris’ ban on medical cannabis dispensaries and the surrounding controversy. Also in November Perris voters approved Measure J which allows the city to impose a 10 percent tax on medical cannabis.

According to the city attorney’s estimate, dispensaries could add $875,000 to $1.2 million in revenue to the city per year. Considering that Perris’ unemployment rate in July was at 9.1 percent, double the state and national rate, and the city could really use an economic boost.

The citizens of San Bernardino also voted to allow dispensaries last November, and the city granted its first permit on August 24, shortly after Green America received its permit. With the implementation of Perris’ ballot measures, the city could decide to allow recreational outlets in the future as well.