WEST HOLLYWOOD—The city of West Hollywood has approved an ordinance in November 2017 which approved amendments to the municipal code and zoning ordinance to regulate cannabis land uses. According to the city of West Hollywood, the region is one of the only cities authorizing business licenses for consumption areas where cannabis can be bought and consumed on-site.
In response to the passage of California Proposition 64, in 2016, The Adult Use of Marijuana Act, the city of West Hollywood engaged leading experts from California and Colorado and convened discussions throughout 2017 to inform the creation of public policy regarding cannabis businesses.
The initial cannabis business screening application process will begin in late January 2018. Inquiries regarding the application process may be emailed to cannabis@weho.org.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cannabis in the City of West Hollywood [PDF]
The top eight applicants in each category will be selected by an Evaluation Committee to move forward in the Business License application process. If selected, the applicants will then require approval of a Zone Clearance followed by approval of a business license by the City’s Business License Commission. Cannabis licenses may be applied for in the following categories:
-Eight (8) Adult-Use Retail Business Licenses;
-Eight (8) Consumption Area (smoking, vaping, ingestion) with On-site Adult-Use Retail (sales of products to be consumed on-site) Business Licenses;
-Eight (8) Consumption Area (edible ingestion only) with On-Site Adult-Use Retail (sales of products to be consumed on-site) Business Licenses;
-Eight (8) Medical-Use Dispensary Business Licenses; and
-Eight (8) business licenses for cannabis delivery services located in West Hollywood and no limit on the amount of business licenses issued for cannabis delivery services that are located outside the City limits and deliver cannabis to customers within the City of West Hollywood.
From 2009 to 2017, West Hollywood had four (4) medical cannabis establishments in operation. Under the City’s adopted ordinance, the four dispensaries can decide to continue to operate Medical-Use Dispensaries at their current location subject to approval of a state license. If all four determine to continue operations, an additional four (4) Medical-Use Dispensary Business Licenses will be available beginning in 2018. Adult-use retail cannabis is expected to begin on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.
West Hollywood’s four (4) existing Medical-Use Dispensaries have been authorized to apply for Temporary Use Permits to allow Adult-Use retail sales to occur at their current locations on a temporary basis beginning as early as January 2. They include:
-Alternative Herbal Health Services (AHHS) located at 7828 Santa Monica Boulevard
-The Los Angeles Patients & Caregivers Group (LAPCG) located at 7213 Santa Monica Boulevard
-MedMen WeHo located at 8208 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood
-Zen Healing located at 8464 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood
For additional information regarding cannabis in the city of West Hollywood email cannabis@weho.org or call West Hollywood City Hall at (323) 848-6400.
