Antioch the only place to get pot in East County

If you are looking to purchase cannabis products in East Contra Costa, you’ll have to drive to Antioch, which boasts two of the largest dispensaries in the county:

• CoCo Farms Dispensary: 3400 Wilbur Lane, Antioch. According to their website, this company has operations in “Rio Vista, Vallejo, Antioch, Del Rey Oaks, Salinas, Santa Cruz, Union City and Concord. They offer in-house brands, along with trusted local brands to bring you quality cannabis at affordable rates. Choose from concentrates, tinctures, infused flower, carts, and more.” For more see: https://enjoythefarm. com/

• Delta Dispensary: 2101 W. 10th St., Suite J, Antioch. According to their website, the company is family owned and operated and it states, “We are proudly the first legal dispensary in Antioch. We offer an extensive inventory at fair prices. If you want top shelf, to the most bang-for-your-buck, we’ve got what you need. Edibles and pre-packed flower, to CBD for your pets, cannabis drinks, topicals, and more.” For more see https://www.deltadispensary.net/ Brentwood is one of many California cities that prohibits the cannabis industry within city limits, recreational or medical.

According to a 2022 Santa Cruz Sentinel article, Brentwood Police Lt. Walter O’Grodnick said the city had seen upwards of 15 grow houses in the past 18 months, with larger homes, especially with three-car ga- rages, being attractive for such operations. This degree of illegal cannabis cultivation poses significant health and safety risks to residents and is likely part of larger criminal networks, the city’s press release stated.

Although cannabis product deliveries can be ordered in Brentwood, Oakley and unincorporated areas of East Contra Costa, the legality of deliveries remain murky.

A proposal to allow cannabis vaping products to be delivered in unincorporated areas was recently proposed by Supervisor Diane Burgis and approved by the county Board of Supervisors.

Currently, 56 percent of California cities and counties have opted out of allowing any form of cannabis business from operating, according to the state Department of Cannabis Control. An even greater fraction, 62 percent, don’t permit retailers specifically, which would theoretically increase demand for unlicensed sales for people unwilling or unable to travel to a different part of the state for marijuana.

State Sen. Scott Wiener (DSan Francisco) sponsored legislation (Senate Bill 1186) that would allow for medical marijuana delivery services for qualified patients anywhere in the state, regardless of local policy. That bill cleared the Senate in May 2022 and was approved by the Assembly on Aug. 30, 2022.

However, despite strong opposition from Cal Cities and other local government partners, the governor signed SB 1186, which will require all jurisdictions to change their ordinances to allow for the delivery of medicinal cannabis.