Study ranks SLO County13 for pot friendliness

April 10, 2018

San Luis Obispo County is ranked 13 out of 58 counties for pot friendliness, according to a study by the Southern California News Group. SLO County received a score of 20.9. [Cal Coast Times]

A review of all marijuana ordinances in cities and counties statewide shows fewer than one in three California cities allow any kind of pot business to operate, just 144 out of 482 cities. [OC Register]

The study scored cities and counties on pot-friendliness on a 0-100 scale, with 0 being least permissive of marijuana activity and 100 being most permissive. More than 60 cities in the state received scores of 0, meaning they have banned ban all marijuana businesses, prohibited residents from growing pot for personal use outdoors and required them to get a permit to grow inside their homes.

Among California’s 58 counties, just 18 allow pot businesses to operate within their unincorporated areas. Meanwhile, fewer than one in five cities in the state permit medical marijuana dispensaries, and fewer than one in seven allow recreational pot stores.

In SLO County, Grover Beach was ranked the most pot friendly with a score of 35, followed by Morro Bay at 26.4 and Atascadero at 3.6. San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach each received scores of 0.5. Paso Robles was the only city in San Luis Obispo County rated 0.

California currently has 61 cities and nine counties with ordinances on the books allowing recreational pot stores. But, as of April 6, the state Bureau of Cannabis Control has only licensed recreational marijuana stores in 34 cities and five unincorporated county areas.

In two counties — Madera and Sutter — every city received a score of 0. By contrast, just 19 percent of Los Angeles County cities received scores of 0.

The highest score issued thus far is 96.8. Jurisdictions with scores of 96.8 allow every type of marijuana business licensed by the state — medical and recreational pot sales, cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and testing. They also allow residents to grow marijuana at home both indoors and outdoors.

Riverside County leads all counties in California with six 96.8-point cities. A few other counties, including Los Angeles and Sonoma, have two 96.8-point cities.