Oceanside could be the next city in San Diego County to approve the commercial cultivation of recreational cannabis.

The city’s Planning Commission voted unanimously this week, with three members absent, to recommend the City Council add the cultivation of recreational marijuana, also known as adult use marijuana, to an ordinance approved in 2018 that permits only medical uses.

Cannabis industry representatives say medical cannabis is only about 20 percent of the market and that it’s impractical for growers to exclude recreational uses.

“It’s not viable for cultivators to limit their business to medical only,” said Oceanside Planning Commissioner Robyn Goodkind at Monday’s meeting. Commissioners Curtis Busk, Susan Custer and Tom Morrissey were absent.


Appropriate regulation, including recreational uses, is the best way to control marijuana, Commission Chairman Kyle Krahel said.

“There is already a thriving black market in cannabis, so in order to fight that we need a safe, legal market,” Krahel said.

“By limiting cultivation to medical only, licensed cultivators were restricted to conduct business with a small percentage of the available market in California,” states a city staff report. “Expanding cultivation to include adult use gives licensed cultivators the ability to sell product to the entire California cannabis market, increasing the product viability and profits.”

Cannabis laws have changed rapidly in recent years and vary widely at the federal, state and local levels. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, and generally legal under state law, but most cities in San Diego County have outlawed sales and commercial cultivation.


Vista, Oceanside’s neighbor to the east, is an exception. Voters there approved an ordinance last year that allows and regulates up to 11 medical cannabis storefront retailers. Vista does not allow cannabis cultivation, recreational sales or other related businesses. So far, only two legal dispensaries have opened in the city.

In late September, La Mesa became the latest city in the county to approve the sales of recreational cannabis, joining Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and San Diego. The city of San Diego legalized cultivation of medical and recreational marijuana two years ago and so far has issued 40 permits, though only a handful of the recipients have navigated the maze of city and state regulations required to open.

The proposed Oceanside amendment, which still requires the City Council’s approval, would only remove the medical marijuana restriction on cultivation licenses issued by the city, which are capped at a total of 12 licenses. The city also issues licenses for manufacturing and distribution of cannabis and cannabis products.

So far, no Oceanside business has completed all the requirements to open, a city official said Wednesday.


Oceanside’s ordinance does not allow storefront sales of marijuana. It does allow the city to issue a maximum of two licenses to medical marijuana retailers that could sell their product for delivery only.

Several cannabis industry representatives spoke in favor of the change, saying it would make the business safer and more profitable.

Representatives of the Vista-based North Coastal Prevention Coalition opposed it, saying it would increase marijuana consumption and make it more available to young people who should not use it.