Costa Mesa Planning Commission Approves First Dispensary in Costa Mesa

After voters approved Measure Q in 2020, Costa Mesa began weeding out illicit dispensaries and drafting new laws about how to regulate and tax cannabis retail stores. The city also began reviewing proposals from would-be proprietors.Learn more:evergreenoc.com

In June, the city’s planning commission approved the first conditional use permits for two storefront retail marijuana businesses: 420 Central Newport Mesa and Vertical Four at 2301 Newport Boulevard and 1990 Harbor Boulevard. The approvals allow those businesses to sell recreational and medical cannabis products.

The owners of 420 Central Newport Mesa and Vertical Four plan to open their doors early in 2022, the same year that cannabis shops are scheduled to begin selling recreational and medicinal marijuana in neighboring Santa Ana. The owner of 420 Central is hoping to make it a “megastore” with a consumption lounge. It’s a strategy that works well for the chain of stores: Those locations often attract visitors who are loyal to the brand.

Can Tourists Buy Marijuana in Costa Mesa?

Yes, tourists may purchase recreational marijuana in Costa Mesa provided they have a valid government-issued ID. However, it is against California law to transport marijuana outside of the state. Similarly, it is against state law to consume cannabis in public or while driving.

Residents of Costa Mesa may grow up to six mature or twelve immature cannabis plants and possess up to eight ounces of marijuana extracts in their private residences. It’s against the law to grow or possess more than that amount of cannabis and to smoke in public places such as restaurants, coffeehouses, parks, and other publicly owned buildings. It’s also against the law to consume cannabis in the workplace.