West Hollywood approves extending medical dispensaries' recreational cannabis sales licenses

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (KABC) -- The West Hollywood City Council extended the temporary recreational cannabis sales licenses for four medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

Eight companies have been awarded licenses by the city to sell recreational pot but have yet to open.

Four of the original medical marijuana dispensaries, including MedMen, which opened in 2004, were not among the chosen eight, and have been operating on a temporary license to sell recreational pot.

City council decided their fate after listening to public comment. The council voted 4-1 to extend the licenses.

A staff report by the city manager's office advised city council to vote to extend the temporary licenses of the original four until March 2020, then bar them from selling recreational cannabis permanently.

That is something MedMen says would put them out of business, since it says medical marijuana makes up less than 10 percent of sales.

"Medical marijuana businesses cannot survive just on their own," said Morgan Sokol of MedMen. "They also need adult use sales."

"The four businesses that are currently selling adult-use cannabis will remain in business until we decide the process is complete and other businesses are open and operational," Mayor John D'Amico said at the meeting.