Westwood community shows mixed views on effects of marijuana legalization

Westwood community members had mixed reactions to the recent legalization of recreational marijuana in California and its potential implications.

56 percent of California voters supported Proposition 64, which made it legal to use and grow marijuana for recreational purposes on Nov. 9. However, recreational marijuana cannot be sold until Jan. 1, 2018, and is only legal for those ages 21 and over.

Alex Bravo, a manager at the medical marijuana dispensary Sunnyside Collective, said he thinks state legalization is a step in the right direction in terms of ending federal prohibition.

He added, however, that even though there is opportunity for higher revenue in serving recreational consumers, the dispensary plans to continue selling marijuana exclusively to medicinal customers.

Bravo said the dispensary is too small to cater to both recreational and medicinal customers. Many of the dispensary’s customers are patients at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and Bravo wants to prioritize their needs.

“We want to keep this shop for people who want to use (marijuana) for their quality of life,” Bravo said. “It would be weird to keep (medicinal users) ‘high and dry,’ no pun intended.”

Westwood Neighborhood Council Vice President Sandy Brown said she is skeptical that marijuana dispensaries will remain purely medicinal.

Brown said the legalization of recreational marijuana may lead to more dispensaries opening in Westwood. She said she thinks this would harm Westwood’s retail scene, because retail stores will not want to open next to dispensaries.

However, Brown said it is too early to definitively know what the effects of legalization will be of the new law. She acknowledged there are many possible effects, both positive and negative.

“Does (marijuana) induce crime?” Brown said. “Does it make people walk around happy, happy, happy? Is it going to create a more vibrant community?”

Brown added the Los Angeles Police Department’s enforcement of federal and state law will influence how legal recreational marijuana affects Los Angeles.

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Donald Tashkin, a UCLA professor of medicine who has studied health effects of marijuana use, said the Colorado state government imposed strict regulations when the state legalized recreational marijuana. He suggested that California may introduce such regulations as well.

Tashkin also said the legalization of recreational marijuana will probably expand business for marijuana dispensaries in Westwood. Business may especially increase in Westwood because most marijuana consumers are between the ages of 18 to 25, and most UCLA students fall into that category, he said.

Tashkin conducted a study in 2006 examining the relationship between marijuana consumption and risk of cancer and did not find a positive correlation. He said he therefore thinks the legalization of recreational marijuana will not result in higher rates of cancer.

However, he agrees it is too early to know the extensive effects of the legalization of recreational marijuana.

He added that the legalization of marijuana may result in more vehicular accidents caused by intoxicated drivers.

Students, on the other hand, generally predicted positive effects from the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Jareni Cristina Polanco, a third-year biology student, said she thinks drug-related arrests will decrease, and that businesses will expand. However, she added the odor of marijuana might be more prevalent, which could bother some Westwood residents.

Carina Welch, a second-year sociology student, said the legalization of marijuana will generally be beneficial, but might make medical marijuana more expensive. She added she thinks the legalization will not make a big difference in Westwood overall, however.

“I feel like people (consumed marijuana) regardless.” Welch said. “Now it’s just legal.”