California Is Creating an Office of Cannabis to Oversee the Industry

San Francisco is going to create an Office of Cannabis to assist in California’s permitting process for the legal marijuana industry. It will be the central source for resources for both the public and marijuana businesses.

The Mayor of San Francisco is allocating a budget of $700,000 for the next fiscal year to operate the office, according to CBS Local San Francisco. This includes a salary for three people along with $225,000 for website development, public outreach and overhead costs. Permitting fees will also help recover some of the funds spent to operate the department.

The Department of Health currently oversees the issuing of permits and inspections for the medical marijuana industry.

San Francisco has 39 dispensaries in operation with another 28 applicants waiting for approval.

Regulations for California’s recreational marijuana industry must be in place by January 1, 2018.