Getting it Right from the Start, a project of the Public Health Institute (PHI), is pleased to announce the release of our 2025 State of Cannabis Policy in California Scorecards for each California jurisdiction that permits cannabis retail sales in storefronts and/or by delivery. Your jurisdictions scorecard is attached, and all jurisdictions scorecards are now available at https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.gettingitrightfromthestart.org%2fcustom%2f25-winter-updates%2fmap-2025.html&c=E,1,esOK40RnPObA5FrlDyOZm-QQOkom-UDFAKHZHUUxY18FDVeVQvuJVT83-YaAgjbbuxIbDRplw0E9NhPsf3WVIRL6VWTCjDDNWVBm3xxOoxIGOg1x-ezxj-o,&typo=1.
Since 2019, we have publicly released these scorecards, modeled after the State of Tobacco Control California Local Grades, which have long been used by the American Lung Association. Now that your jurisdiction has likely set its basic policies and approach to legal cannabis commerce, these scorecards seek to highlight a second set of actions you can take to go beyond state law and build complementary guardrails to protect health. The scores are based on twenty-nine policies across six categories that policy research suggests best protect youth and public health and promote equity. We hope they will serve as a roadmap for community leaders like you to foster a safer cannabis market and provide a benchmark for your local adoption of best practices in cannabis regulation.
We populate these scorecards by collecting information on the cannabis retail, marketing, and taxation policies passed each year by cities and counties in California. We use multiple resources, including municipal codes and jurisdiction websites, as well as direct feedback from jurisdictions. We also recognize and appreciate that your jurisdictions may be working hard in other ways to implement state law.
Please note: This 2025 scorecard only reflects laws enacted as of January 1, 2025; Any policies passed after this date will be included in the 2026 scorecard.
To protect Californias progress in smoke-free air and to protect workers and patrons from secondhand smoke exposure, we continue to discourage the authorization of on-site consumption spaces. If allowed, we recommend against expanding these activities to restaurants or clubs allowed by the recently passed Cannabis Café bill (AB1775), which is subject to local authorization.
In response to the Medicinal Cannabis Patients Right of Access Act (SB1186), we recommend that jurisdictions require all retailers conducting cannabis sales within their jurisdiction to obtain local permits, regardless of their jurisdiction of origin. This will enable monitoring and compliance. We developed a brief one-pager, Principles for Jurisdictions Legalizing Delivery Services, as a tool for jurisdictions considering establishing or with established cannabis delivery services. It includes options such as using a nonprofit intermediary, requiring deliverers to use a third-party electronic identity verification process, and to provide evidence-based educational information to consumers.
State law also now requires retailers to make standard health information available to all customers and to offer it to new customers. Another state law that jurisdictions should be aware of is the Cannabis and Industrial Hemp: Advertising: Civil Action bill (SB1498). This bill empowers individuals outside the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), such as the attorney general, a district attorney, a city attorney, or a county counsel, to bring an action against a cannabis licensee who has violated the state marketing restrictions, especially advertising that is attractive to youth.
Enclosed is a summary of the scorecard methodology, your jurisdictions scorecard, and a map with examples of best practices adopted by fellow California cities and counties. A comprehensive explanation of our methodology is also available on our website at https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2f%2f%2fgettingitrightfromthestart.org%2fcustom%2f25-winter-updates%2fmap-2025.html&c=E,1,ssAb8YMus75dSx58dkBRjpk0SxjFMq5J0C90K9s17wfN-T6QhEPutnGcg3JFV1sQyG-AWnwOM8nWaPpDml0Rpc3PDnmwrFAyZug4VBf49tibPg,,&typo=1.
As you continue to shape your local policies, we invite you to review our three model local ordinances for California on cannabis retail, marketing, and taxation best practices to protect public health. You can also visit our website to learn more about our work, access other resources such as fact sheets, and make a TA request and/or join our listserv. We hope these tools help jurisdictions to allow legal cannabis sales without fostering the development of a new tobacco-like industry in our state.
Please let us know if we can assist your jurisdiction, and dont hesitate to send us any feedback about the scorecards via our Scorecard Feedback form.
The Getting it Right from the Start team:
Alisa A. Padon, PhD
Research Director
Aurash J. Soroosh, RD, MSPH
Policy Associate
Lynn Silver, MD, MPH, FAAP
Director
Kiara Gonzalez
Health Equity Program Coordinator
Getting it Right from the Start
Public Health Institute
2000 Center Street, #308
Berkeley, CA 94607
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fgettingitrightfromthestart.org%2f&c=E,1,ya0RIq3IldfC_XJ3yTwJdoxONUQdHDQj6XVNRM5sraroxlGrvdJ_T1PIkjMeSj8j57TVhxmthoTSMCnqkQATS_Rfbb8o4F-Ez9iB8SWfcRC8AZDHLTOmbg,,&typo=1
