San Francisco rec marijuana sales won’t start in January

San Francisco, the birthplace of the modern marijuana industry, is a little behind schedule.

City officials are now saying recreational marijuana sales won’t start in January, according to SF Gate, which is the earliest any California municipality would be able to launch an adult-use market.

The reason is that San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors is still hammering out details on industry regulations, including a social equity program that will ensure the participation of minorities, former drug offenders and low-income entrepreneurs in the cannabis sector.

The city will allow its existing 48 medical cannabis dispensaries to obtain 120-day temporary permits starting Jan. 1 so they can keep operating while officials finalize the new regulations, but there’s no precise word yet on when rec sales will actually begin.

Furthermore, any new rec retailer that opens will be required to also sell medical cannabis, and existing dispensaries will be required to continue selling medical even if they opt to start selling adult-use MJ.