More cannabis dispensaries are coming to North County. Two have opened in Vista and more are on the way.
One of the new shops is Tradecraft Farms, where store manager Mary Boyd says sales are growing.
"More and more (people) every day keep coming in," Boyd said.
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As with other North County cities, Vista was reluctant to open dispensaries. But Measure Z, a citizen's initiative last year, forced them to allow the shops. As one of the only legal dispensaries in the area, Tradecraft Farms benefits from a large customer base.
"A lot of people coming from Encinitas, Oceanside, Leucadia, Carlsbad and a bunch from Escondido," Boyd said.
The other is Flora Verde, which is owned and operated by two cousins.
"This is new for me — I actually did explosives and weapons in the Marine Corps for 22 years," said co-owner Jake Christman. "We didn’t know how it would be taken given the former stigma if you will, but they’ve embraced us here in the city."
The shop is also seeing its sales increasing. "It started off a little slow and it’s been picking up steadily every week," Christman said.
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Still, illegal operators are hurting both businesses.
"Two major challenges we’ve had — one is competing with the black market," Christman said.
Since 2017, about 40 dispensaries have been shut down in the Vista area with the majority operating within city limits, according to the San Diego Sheriff's Department.
Some people are reluctant to sign up for medical marijuana cards and are instead going to illegal shops, but the stores said there is peace of mind going to a legal shop even if you have to pay a little bit more.
"It's safe and it’s been tested over and over again," Christman said. "Whereas you don’t know what you’re going to get if you go to an illegal shop."
Expect more shops in Vista soon — the citizen's initiative allows for up to 11.
