First legal marijuana dispensary opens in San Diego

The first licensed medical marijuana dispensary -- A Green Alternative -- opened its doors today in a strip mall on Roll Drive (no pun intended), east of State Route 905, in Otay Mesa.

“Patients finally have a place to go for completely safe access,” co-owner Dr. David Blair, an HIV-positive San Diego State business ethics lecturer, told U-T San Diego.

Costing nearly a half a million dollars to open, A Green Alternative must operate as a nonprofit, meet rigorous security requirements, and follow strict zoning laws.

Additionally, all products must pass through PharmLabs, a Southern California medical marijuana lab testing and analytic service.

Open from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., seven days a week, the dispensary -- located 2 miles from the Otay Detention Facility -- carries over 30 strains of cannabis (and, edibles).

Are more permitted dispensaries on the way?

Yes, last week the city gave final approval to locations in Kearny Mesa and San Ysidro, and a fourth dispensary is expected in the Midway district (near Point Loma).

Source: DiscoverSD