Yes. Pursuant to Chapter 19.75 of the Chico Municipal Code, marijuana dispensaries may operate within the borders of the City of Chico.
Yes. Medical marijuana dispensaries are also legal in Chico under Chapter 19.75 of the city’s municipal code.
Yes. Chico residents can purchase cannabis from online weed dispensaries operating in the city. The city code permits the operation of cannabis delivery by businesses that have obtained the relevant state license and city permits. Therefore, weed buyers in the City of Chico can have their cannabis orders delivered to their doorsteps of choice locations.
To visit a dispensary in Chico, you must first find the address of an approved cannabis dispensing facility. To do that, put the search term "cannabis dispensaries near me" in an online search engine. The results will show you the nearby weed dispensaries you may visit to make legal purchases. Before you step out, you should be aware of a few things you may encounter at the dispensary. Also, you should familiarize yourself with the cannabis and cannabis dispensary laws in California and the City of Chico.
If you are a first-time visitor to a Chico dispensary and are not certain about what products to purchase at the facility, you can still have an enjoyable experience if you share your desires and expectations from potential cannabis purchases with the attendant or budtender. Chico dispensaries have experienced personnel trained in the use and effects of cannabis who are willing to educate visitors on each product at the store. Do not hesitate to share information about what you intend to achieve with cannabis use with them so they can help make informed choices. You should also be aware that for hygienic reasons, you would not be allowed to touch the products on offer except those you have purchased. California and the City of Chico place a premium on ensuring that cannabis and cannabis products are free of contaminants.
Before entering a Chico cannabis dispensary, security personnel will scan your ID to ensure you are of legal age to enter or purchase cannabis in the city. If you have a valid government-issued ID showing you are 21 or older, you will be allowed to enter the facility. Otherwise, the security personnel will insist that you leave. Per state and local laws, no individual under the age of 21 may be permitted to buy cannabis for recreational purposes at a marijuana dispensary. However, if you are 18 or older and hold a current California-issued medical marijuana card or physician’s recommendation, you may legally buy medical cannabis at a medical marijuana dispensary.
Visitors to Chico marijuana dispensaries should prepare to pay in cash. With marijuana still a prohibited substance federally, many financial institutions are refusing to do business with cannabis dispensaries. Consequently, dispensaries prefer to collect payments in cash.
Operational requirements for cannabis dispensaries in the City of Chico are contained in Chapter 19.75.140 of the Chico Municipal Code. Some of these laws include:
Cannabis dispensaries (retail storefronts) may not be located within 1,000 feet of a school providing instruction in any grades six through twelve
Cannabis dispensaries (retailer storefront) may not be located within 600 feet from a school providing instructions in kindergarten or any grades one through five, a daycare center, or a youth center with primary youth center activities
Cannabis products may not be consumed on the grounds of a dispensary
Cannabis dispensaries may only operate between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. daily
Adult-use cannabis dispensaries must verify the age of all customers to ensure persons under 21 are not permitted on the premises
Cannabis dispensaries selling medicinal cannabis must verify the age and all necessary documentation of each customer to ensure the customer is not under the age of 18 years and that the potential customer has a valid doctor's recommendation
Cannabis dispensaries selling medical cannabis must verify the validity of a patient's recommendation from a physician to use cannabis for medicinal purposes or primary caregiver's status as a primary caregiver for a particular qualified patient
Medical cannabis dispensaries must maintain a copy of the physician recommendation or Identification Card at its permitted business location for no less than seven years
No physician may be allowed at any time to evaluate patients or customers for the issuance of a medical cannabis recommendation or medicinal cannabis identification card inside a dispensary
Under the California Adult Use Marijuana Act (AUMA) provisions, the recreational use of cannabis is permitted for Chico residents aged 21 and older. Chapter 19.75.040 of the Chico Municipal Code permits residents aged 21 or older to possess, plant, cultivate, harvest, dry, or process for personal, non-commercial use up to six living cannabis plants indoors and possess the cannabis produced by such plants. To cultivate cannabis indoors for personal use, residents are required to obtain indoor personal cultivation permits from the city. Note that it is illegal for any person to sell, transfer, give away, or provide access to cannabis to persons under the age of 21.
Adults in Chico may buy adult-use from dispensaries that have secured the required state licenses and Chico permits. Although carrying cannabis over state lines is unlawful, Chico residents are permitted to transport cannabis from one California site to another, so long as the items stay in sealed containers in the trunk of the vehicle. It is unlawful to consume cannabis in public or on federal property or to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of cannabis.
To lawfully possess medical cannabis in Chico, you must fulfill at least one of the following conditions according to California law:
You possess a valid physician's recommendation
You have a valid Butte County-issued medical marijuana identification card
You are a patient's designated primary caregiver and possess a valid physician's recommendation for the patient
In accordance with California's medical cannabis laws, Chico residents who meet any of these conditions may possess up to eight ounces of dried cannabis and up to six mature marijuana plants or twelve immature marijuana plants. Under the Compassionate Use Act, you may possess and cultivate a higher quantity of cannabis proportional to your present medical needs upon obtaining approval from your California-licensed healthcare provider.
Qualified Chico patients who fulfill any of the listed conditions and are at least 18 years old may legally purchase medical cannabis from licensed Chico marijuana dispensaries. Note that the county-issued medical marijuana card is voluntary. However, under the provisions of SB 420 and Proposition 215, individuals who have obtained the card have more legal protection against arrests for marijuana possession, especially if such persons possess more than the standard limits under the law. The card also exempts the individual named on it from paying sales tax on medical cannabis products.
Any resident of Chico whose physician recommends marijuana use for one or more approved debilitating medical conditions may apply to obtain a medical marijuana identification card (MMIC). It is the applicant’s option to designate a primary caregiver and apply for a caregiver identification card. The California Department of Public Health administers the MMIC program in California and requires counties to issue MMICs to qualified patients in their jurisdictions. Hence to obtain a medical marijuana card in Chico, you must apply to the Butte County Public Health Department (BCPHD). The BCPHD only accepts MMIC application submissions at scheduled appointments. To schedule an appointment, call the department at (530) 552-3996.
The following will be required at your BCPHD application submission appointment:
A completed MMIC application form
A completed CDPH 9044 form
Completed Local Public Health Form
A Completed Physician Declaration
A current, original written recommendation from your physician
A government-issued picture ID, such as a passport, military ID, or driver's license
Proof of residence in Chico, such as DMV car registration, housing rental paperwork, electric bill, or water bill
A non-refundable application fee of up to $57. If you are a beneficiary of Medi-Cal, you are eligible for a 50% discount on the application fee
After submitting your application, the county health office will verify your medical cannabis recommendation with the physician and the physician's license with the Medical Board of California. Upon approving your application, a Butte County Public Health Department Staff will order your MMIC from the CDPH. Subsequently, a BCPHD staff will contact you when the MMIC is ready for pickup. The whole process may take up to 35 days to complete. For more information on obtaining an MMIC in the City of Chico, contact:
Department of Public Health
202 Mira Loma Drive
Oroville, CA 95965
Phone: (530) 538-7700
Cannabis consumption is legal in private residences or homes in Chico. If you do not own the apartment where you live, contact your landlord before consuming cannabis in such a residence. Chico employers may also enforce workplace policies prohibiting cannabis use at work.
You can buy cannabis at a Chico dispensary by ordering cannabis online or visiting the physical address of a licensed dispensary. Note that a valid government-issued ID will be required before you may enter the dispensing facility.
The average price of one ounce of high-quality cannabis in Chico is about $150.
OG Kush, Jack Herer, and Green Crack are popular cannabis strains in Chico.
No. Per Chapter 19.75.060 of the Chico Municipal Code, no individual may smoke cannabis, whether for medical or recreational use, in any public place, including, but not limited to, a public right of way, alley, street, park, sidewalk, public building, structure or parking lot, or municipal airport. Also, cannabis smoking is illegal anywhere tobacco smoking is prohibited.
Chico residents of legal age (21) may possess up to 28 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of cannabis-infused products. Also, Chico adults aged 21 or older can cultivate up to six plants for personal recreational use at home. Medical marijuana patients can possess up to 8 ounces of medical cannabis or medical cannabis products daily. Chico medical cannabis patients can cultivate up to 12 immature cannabis plants and 6 mature plants at home.
No. Shipping cannabis across state lines in Chico is illegal. However, cannabis may be transported securely from one California location to Chico or from the City of Chico to another California jurisdiction.
Yes, you can order marijuana online in Chico. Cannabis delivery is also legal and hence allows cannabis buyers to receive their orders wherever they want
No. Per Chapter 19.75.130 of the Chico Municipal Code, cannabis retail storefront businesses may only operate daily between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Tourists in the City of Chico with valid government-issued IDs may buy adult-use marijuana in the city. However, Chico tourists cannot purchase medical marijuana unless they have obtained California-issued medical marijuana ID cards.
Yes. You must provide a government-issued ID showing you are at least 21 to be allowed to enter a weed dispensary in the city. If you want to buy medicinal marijuana, you must be 18 and show your physician’s recommendation or medical marijuana card to enter a medical cannabis dispensary in the city.
Fire Pharmaceutical and Norcal Medicine Man are two of the best cannabis retail outlets in Chico.
Yes. Chico cannabis dispensaries scan the IDs of customers before allowing them to enter the dispensary premises or cannabis retail areas. ID scanning is typically done to ensure buyers are of legal age to buy cannabis in the city.
There is no official source on the number of weed dispensaries in Chico.
Cannabis dispensaries in Chico do not usually accept credit cards. Cash is the preferred means of completing cannabis transactions. However, some dispensaries may accept debit cards.
You may visit multiple marijuana dispensaries in one day in Chico. However, per state law, you will not be able to buy more cannabis or cannabis products than is permitted.
Chico dispensaries do not take health insurance from cannabis buyers. Health insurance policies do not cover cannabis transactions.
Yes. Per Chapter 19.75.130(G) of the Chico Municipal Code, dispensaries in the city are required to operate a management inventory tracking or point-of-sale system to track the quantity of cannabis purchased by visitors.
In Chico, you cannot legally enter a marijuana dispensary unless you are at least 21 years old. You must present an ID showing you are of legal age before entering a dispensary. If you are 18 or older and have a medical cannabis recommendation, you may enter a medical cannabis dispensary in the city.
Cannabis activities in Chico are regulated by the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC). You may obtain more information on cannabis activities in Chico by contacting the City Manager’s Office or emailing cannabis@chicoca.gov.
You can report illegal cannabis activities in Chico using the complaint filing tool on the Department of Cannabis Control website or by contacting the Chico Code Enforcement Division. You may also report illegal cannabis operations to the Chico Police Department.