Draft language was approved by a 4 to 1 vote by the Redondo Beach City Council last month in efforts to open up a second cannabis dispensary in Redondo Beach. Councilmember Scott Behrendt expressed disdain for opening up a dispensary particularly in District 5, where he claims is already crowded with liquor stores and smoke shops.
Opening a cannabis store near high schools sparks debate over student accessibility, though strict regulations and ID requirements are designed to prevent underage use. While some worry about potential exposure, legal dispensaries provide a safer, regulated alternative to unlicensed dealers, ultimately reducing illicit access and ensuring product safety. Responsible cannabis policies can shift the conversation toward education and harm reduction rather than prohibition, which has historically failed to curb youth drug use.
“People will do drugs regardless, so these dispensaries will just make cannabis safer,” says Costa Junior Veronica Couture.
Those in support of new cannabis operations pointed out that properly managed legal shops help reduce illegal operations in cities where the licensed stores are introduced, while those opposed highlight that increased accessibility could lead to greater youth exposure and potential regulatory challenges. The stores are expected to generate between $200,000 and $450,000 per location annually, contributing to the city’s $121 million General Fund (current budget).
“Restricting legal dispensaries does not eliminate youth access to substances: it just shifts it to unregulated and potentially more dangerous sources,” Costa Sophomore Savine Nguyen pointed out. “With or without easy drug access, students are always going to get them.”
Proponents who continue to push the fact that the dispensaries and its effect of normalizing youth use are unaware that Costa’s student population is already deeply engaged in drug use, with substances readily available through social circles and unregulated sources. If people truly want to address the drug problem, focusing on education and harm reduction strategies would be far more effective than restricting legal, regulated dispensaries.
Behrendt proposed locating a store north of Manhattan Beach Boulevard, positioned away from residential areas and schools, while being close to freeways to attract customers from neighboring cities. The dispensary’s primary focus isn’t to capitalize on student consumers, but rather on serving adults and out-of-town customers in a regulated environment.
While Behrendt reaffirms that his “residents are against it, for good reasons,” he neglects the fact that weed dispensaries continue to be much more expensive than the underground economy, and therefore underaged students who are drug users will continue to seek out unregulated sources, where there are no age restrictions or product safety measures in place.
Those who oppose dispensaries are addressing the student drug problem in the wrong way, focusing on restricting legal access rather than tackling the real issue of unregulated supply. It is ironic that by resisting dispensaries, they may actually be pushing students further toward the black market, where access is easier, products are unregulated, and risks are far greater.
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