SANTA MONICA—Santa Monica’s first medical marijuana dispensary, Local Cannabis Company at 925 Wilshire Boulevard, is set for a grand opening on Saturday, June 24.
The Santa Monica branch of Local Cannabis Company is owned by Massachusetts-based Calyx Peak, which invests in, operates, and manages cannabis assets. The first Local Cannabis Company storefront was opened in Swampscott, Massachusetts in December of 2022.
The dispensary is opening six years after the company’s application for a permit was issued in 2017. In October 2021, the dispensary was given permission by the City to operate with a conditional use permit.
Despite being surrounded by cities that allow marijuana delivery services and non-medical sales, Santa Monica’s municipal code only allows two medical dispensaries within city limits. All customers who visit Local Cannabis Company will need to provide proof of a medical recommendation by a doctor in order to buy marijuana products.
Zoning restrictions prohibited the dispensary from being within 600 feet of a school, daycare, park, library, social services center, or other cannabis businesses. The location on Wilshire Boulevard met these restrictions.
By Paige Strickland