San Diego county’s 70th dispensary just opened. 100 is closer than you may think.
With the recent opening of Off The Charts in Lemon Grove, the county saw its 70th licensed cannabis retail storefront open. It won’t be too long before that number is 100. A flurry of dispensary construction is taking place in East and South county areas and more will commence once licenses are awarded.
Unsurprisingly, more retail outlets pleases local cultivators. Josh Caruso, CO-Founder of Farmers Cup and Cal Prime Cultivation noted: “This is just a amazing phase for San Diego County cannabis. Greater access to cannabis, whether medical or recreational, lifts the burden of consumers countywide.”
Here’s a rundown of what’s brewing around the county:
Buzz Cannabis – Lemon Grove
Buzz will assume the Lemon Grove license on Broadway (formerly Little Darlings Adult Cabaret) and will open before year’s end.
Sessions By The Bay – National City
Meanwhile in National City, Sessions By The Bay consumption lounge is building out and will also open its doors soon, along with 5 other licensed storefronts.
Sessions By The Bay CEO Alex Scherer said “San Diego County’s vibrant community and forward-thinking approach to cannabis make it the perfect place for Sessions by the Bay. With expanded licensing, we believe this area is poised to become a cannabis destination that blends education, relaxation, and social connection. At Sessions by the Bay, we’re proud to be part of this exciting growth and to contribute to shaping the future of cannabis access in the region.”
Lucky’s Cannabis – La Mesa
Lucky’s Cannabis is building out a two story store at University & 70th St in La Mesa
Wellgreens – Kearny Mesa and La Mesa
Wellgreens is in the process of building out 2 additional shops, 1 in La Mesa and 1 in San Diego’s Kearny Mesa district.
MWG Holdings – Skyline Hills/Paradise Valley
MWG Holdings, operators of 9 dispensaries in northern and central California, is set to open its first San Diego license on Cardiff Street near Jamacha and SR 125.
TBA Santee (4) and Oceanside (2-3)
Santee will award 4 licenses and Oceanside will allow a minimum of 2 storefronts in their jurisdictions.
San Diego County Social Equity Program (13 Retail)
Lastly San Diego County’s social equity component will award 13 retail licenses to previously incarcerated, deported, arrested or convicted for cannabis related crimes., These equity retail licenses should be awarded in 12 months time.
The latter 13 retail licenses will be located in unincorporated regions in the county, and ease the trek made by cannabis patients. For a comparison, there are nearly 1,000 pharmacies in the county. This illustrates the demand for cannabis access is vastly underserved.
Huffaker went on “Polling commissioned by the California Department of Cannabis Control shows that the vast majority of cannabis consumers prefer purchasing through the regulated market. However, many regions still face a shortage of safe access, a challenge particularly pressing for medical cannabis patients who depend on products tested for purity and consistency to manage their health conditions effectively.” Huffaker added “For example, within the City of San Diego, there is just one cannabis retail outlet per 38,000 residents — far greater than the one in 15,000 recommended by California Assemblymember Phil Ting in a 2019 bill intended to promote competition with the illicit market.”
