By Brooklynn Wong
The cannabis discussion is being reopened in Buena Park.
As it stands now, the only kind of cannabis allowed in the city is that which is grown indoors for personal use, not to be sold. It cannot be grown outdoors, and cannot be sold from within the city for any purpose.
The city has very strict laws on the matter, and “the community is very split,” said Assistant City Manager Aaron France.
In 2016, 50.23% of Buena Park voters voted yes on Proposition 64, approving the adult use of marijuana.
Councilman Connor Traut was interested in the city “looking into what [it] could look like” to legalize it and have the city benefit from the taxes that would come with it. He invited Erik Chan of the Cannabis Regulation Impact Study Program to speak at a recent City Council Meeting.
Chan said there is no current legal access to marijuana in Buena Park, which “enables the black market,” to which some Council members objected.
A new niche industry of cannabis delivery apps—just like food delivery—has sprung up, and City Attorney Christopher Cardinale said police cannot do anything about these services delivering into Buena Park from other cities, but if a business or individual within the city were found to be selling it, they could take action.
Mayor Art Brown was against making cannabis legal in the city, saying since marijuana shops have cash on hand, they attract criminal activity, and that it is still federally illegal.
A spirited discussion was had, but no firm decisions were made.
