With the beginning of 2018, marijuana becomes legal in California also for recreational use. Cannabis can now be purchased in stores in Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Santa Cruz, San Diego and other locations.
In San Francisco and Los Angeles, however, the authorities have not yet started granting licenses to shops. In the latter city, the first licenses are expected to be issued on Wednesday.
Marijuana is already legal in seven other states in the union, but California is the largest to take this step. Californians have been allowed to consume marijuana for medical purposes since 1996, then approved recreational use in a 2016 referendum. Under the new law, people over 21 can possess, transport, buy and consume up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and up to 8 grams of concentrated marijuana. Adults can grow up to six marijuana seedlings per household, but out of public view.
According to Business Insider, with the new law, California's marijuana market is expected to grow to $3.7 billion this year and more than $5 billion in 2019.
