BE RESPONSIBLE:
 |
The passage of Proposition 64 in November 2016 has made cannabis a common discussion topic. Parents and teens should inform themselves about new laws concerning cannabis. In particular, it remains illegal for anyone under 21 years of age to consume or possess cannabis except in limited cases in which a doctor has recommended the use of medical cannabis. The amount of information on the internet can be overwhelming. As a starting point, below is a compiled short list of resources for parents and teens. |
FOR PARENTS:
- Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know (PDF version)
- Marijuana and Tobacco Use Fact Sheet
- Riverside County Behavior Health - SABT and Cannabis information
FOR TEENS:
- Marijuana Facts for Teens (PDF version)
- California Department of Public Health, Cannabis Public Information Website
BE RESPONSIBLE:
| - | If you consume cannabis, then please consume responsibly. Using common sense and educating yourself about what is legal and what is not goes a long way. | |
| - | Do not drive while under the influence of cannabis. This is illegal and dangerous. | |
| - | Store your cannabis in child-resistant packaging and in places not accessible to kids. The inadvertent consumption of cannabis edibles by children is potentially very dangerous. | |
| - | If you consume edible cannabis, please remember that it can take up to two hours to feel the effects of edible cannabis. |
BE RESPECTFUL:
| - Be respectful of others by not consuming cannabis in public or in such a way that smoke is likely to bother people in adjacent residences. |
| - Do not consume cannabis in public. This is illegal, except in limited instances where a person has a valid doctor’s recommendation to consume medical cannabis. |
RESOURCES
| - | Office of Traffic Safety Drugged Driving Campaign |
| - | Prop 64/Ord 925 Awareness |
| - | Cannabis Cultivation |
| - | California Department of Public Health, Cannabis Public Information Website |
| - | Riverside County Behavior Health - SABT and Cannabis information |
| - | For problems with addiction or if you want help to quit your marijuana use, call the Substance Use Community Access, Referral, Evaluation, and Support (SU CARES) help line at 800-499-3008 for services that can help. You can also click here for Marijuana Anonymous, a twelve-step program for people with a desire to stop using marijuana. |
Proposition 64 and the MAUCRSA allows an adult, 21 years of age or older, to cultivate six cannabis plants inside a private residence or inside a fully enclosed and secure accessory structure to a private residence that is not visible to the public.
More than a year before the passage of Proposition 64, on June 2, 2015, the Board adopted Ordinance No. 925 . Ordinance No. 925 prohibits cannabis cultivation in the unincorporated area and declares such cultivation to be a public nuisance. As directed by the Board, Ordinance No. 925 contains a limited exemption from enforcement for violations of the ordinance by primary caregivers and qualified patients for small amounts of marijuana cultivation for their own medical use in zone classifications identified in Section 3.4 of Ordinance No. 348 when the following conditions and standards set forth in Section 12 of Ordinance No. 925 are met
| - | The premises shall contain a legally permitted one-family dwelling. |
| - | Cultivation of no more than twelve (12) marijuana plants per qualified patient. In the event a qualified patient has a primary caregiver cultivating marijuana plants for the qualified patient, only one primary caregiver may cultivate no more than twelve (12) marijuana plants for that qualified patient at any one time. In no circumstances shall a qualified patient have multiple primary caregivers cultivating marijuana plants for the qualified patient at the same time. Cultivation of no more than twelve (12) marijuana plants per qualified patient. |
| - | Two (2) qualified patient limit to aggregate marijuana plant count for a maximum total of twenty-four (24) marijuana plants per premises. |
| - | At least one qualified patient or one primary caregiver must live on the premises. |
| - | All marijuana plants must be reasonably secured to prevent access by minors or theft, to a standard satisfactory to the enforcement officer. |
| - | All marijuana cultivation outside of any building must be fully enclosed by an opaque fence at least six feet in height. The fence must be adequately secure to prevent unauthorized entry. Bushes, hedgerows, plastic sheeting, tarps, or cloth material shall not constitute an adequate fence under this subsection. Premises larger than five (5) acres are exempt from this fencing provision so long as all other standards and conditions of subsection a. of this section are complied with and any barriers used are otherwise consistent with Ordinance No. 457 and Ordinance No. 348. |
| - | Each building or outdoor area in which the marijuana plants are cultivated shall be set back at least ten (10) feet from all boundaries of the premises. Such setback distance shall be measured in a straight line from the building in which the marijuana plants are cultivated, or, if the marijuana plants are cultivated in an outdoor area, from the fence required by subsection 6. to the boundary line of the premises. |
| - | The designated marijuana cultivation area must not be visible from any public right-of-way. |
| - | If the person cultivating marijuana plants on any premises is not the owner of the premises, such person shall submit a letter from the owner(s) consenting to the marijuana cultivation on the parcel. This letter shall be examined by the enforcement officer, and shall then be returned to the submitter. The County shall prescribe forms for such letters. |
| - | Parolees or probationers shall not live on the premises unless the parolees or probationers have received confirmation from the court that he is allowed to use medical marijuana while on parole or probation pursuant to Health & Safety Code section 11362.795 which shall be subject to verification by the enforcement officer. |
| - | Qualified patients for whom the marijuana plants are being cultivated shall have valid Medical Marijuana Identification Cards issued by the Riverside County Department of Public Health. Any primary caregiver cultivating marijuana plants for a qualified patient shall have a copy of the qualified patient’s valid Medical Marijuana Identification Card issued by the Riverside County Department of Public Health which shall be kept on the premises. |
| - | The address for the premises must be posted and plainly visible from the public right-of-way. |
| - | The marijuana cultivation shall not be within a multi-dwelling building. |
| - | The marijuana cultivation shall not be upon any premises located within one thousand (1,000) feet of any school, community center, or park. |
| - | The marijuana cultivation shall not be upon any premises containing a child care center, church, or youth-oriented facility. |
Please review Ordinance No. 925 to ensure that you understand the cultivation prohibitions in the unincorporated area. If an individual cannot meet ALL of the requirements listed in Section 12 of Ordinance No. 925, then the personal cultivation limitations of Proposition 64 govern cultivation. In that case, a resident of the property who is at least 21 years old can cultivate only six cannabis plants indoors or in a fully enclosed locked area, and no other cannabis plants may be grown on the property.
Adults who cultivate cannabis indoors are also advised to familiarize themselves with best practices to minimize the risks of mold, fire and other hazards.
If you are located within an incorporated city, please contact that city to inquire about its regulations for personal cannabis cultivation.
All commercial cannabis activities/businesses must be entitled by the County and licensed by the State to operate within the unincorporated areas of the County of Riverside.
To report cannabis businesses operating illegally in the County's unincorporated areas, please contact the Riverside County Code Enforcement Department at (951) 955-2004 or email: [email protected].
The State adopted Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulations and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) to streamline medical and adult use cannabis regulations and permits at the state level. Click on the following link for the State's regulations and legislation, but please note that the State will not issue licenses, without a local license, permit, or other authorization showing compliance to local requirements.
