Cannabis sales for recreational use will be allowed in Vista and eaters will not be allowed to distribute single-use plastic items with meals unless requested by customers under actions taken last week by the City Council.
The new ordinance on plastics goes into effect Aug. 1 and will prohibit food providers from automatically including single-use plastic straw, stirrers, cutlery or similar items with all prepared food. The new rule is intended to cut down on waste and litter, and Vista is the sixth city in the county to take action to cut back on single-use plastic items. Encinitas, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, San Diego and Solana Beach have similar ordinances.
The ordinance also calls for eateries to phase out by July 23 containers made by polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam.
City Councilwoman Corinna Contreras supported the change but cast the only vote against the ordinance because she did want it to include an amendment proposed by Councilman John Franklin. As originally written, the ordinance did not mention whether eateries could have dispensers for customers to help themselves to plastic items, and Franklin said an amendment specifically allowing them would clear up possible confusion. Contreras said the change wasn’t necessary and wanted the original unchanged.
Also last week, council members unanimously agreed to amend city codes to allow Vista’s 11 medicinal-use cannabis dispensaries to also sell cannabis products for recreational use. The dispensaries were allowed to open under the citizen-driven Measure Z, approved by voters in 2018, but the city restricted sales to medicinal use only.
Among the arguments against the change, opponents speaking to the council said cannabis can be harmful and could lead to more drugs.
Franklin said amending the rules wouldn’t really change anything in the city because people who want to get cannabis for recreational use now can easily find a way to get a medical card for the products.
“Someone reported to me that they spoke to the doctor and told the doctor, ‘I just want to get high,’” he said. At that, Franklin said the doctor issued a card.
“I see no reason for the farce,” he said. “If we’re going to have a mandate, it should be for a reason. This mandate is not legitimately for a reason.”
Franklin later said that he did not mean to diminish anyone who does use cannabis for medical reasons.
Councilwoman Katie Melendez said most of the people she had spoken to about Measure Z said they had assumed it was for adult recreational cannabis use. She also said there are people who do want to buy cannabis for recreational use but do not want a medical card, so they take their business to other cities.
Advocates for legal dispensaries have argued that they help drive away unregulated cannabis businesses that may conduct illicit activities, including selling illegal drugs. During last week’s meeting, a staff member said that had happened in Vista, where more than 50 illegal dispensaries had opened over the years before the passage of Measure Z. A few had popped up since then, but none are in operation now, he said.
Councilman Joe Green said 17 to 21 illegal dispensaries were active in Vista when he was elected in 2016.
“Having permitted dispensaries has given us an advocate to work with,” he said. “Regulating and monitoring marijuana sales in our city has been a success.”
Contreras said the city should have more strategies to keep cannabis away from minors and she asked if sales taxes from the dispensaries could be used for decoy operations such as ones used to catch retailers who sell tobacco products to underage customers. A staff member said a proposal for a decoy program would be presented in August.
Businesses seeking a license for adult-use cannabis sales will have to submit an application costing $329. The ordinance will be in effect 31 days following the June 22 adoption.
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