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Monterey County Health Department Cannabis Information Page

Published on August 07, 2018. Last modified on August 19, 2024

Lets Talk Cannabis Under California law, adults 21 or older can now use, carry, and grow cannabis, also known as marijuana, weed, pot or bud. You probably have a lot of questions about cannabis. We’re here to answer some of those questions, but it’s also a good idea to talk to your doctor.

Using marijuana daily can lead to changes in your brain, especially for young people, whose memory, learning and attention can be harmed. The marijuana available today has much higher tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations than cannabis from years ago (20 to 30 percent, compared to 2 to 5 percent in the ‘90s).

Monterey County Health Department is committed to providing you with the facts to make safe and informed choices. By sharing science-based information, MCHD is working to increase awareness about cannabis and how it affects our minds, health, and bodies. Our Bureaus offer different supports and resources depending upon your cannabis-related questions.

Below are some links that will help you in your search for information.

Monterey County Cannabis Program

The county’s go-to site for cannabis-related information, from permits to health. Includes information on local regulations.

Behavioral Health Bureau

Monterey County Health Department’s Behavioral Health Bureau (MCHD, BHB) programs link County residents who have mental health and addictive disorders to a continuum of behavioral health interventions such as inpatient hospitalization, crisis interventions, recovery programs, prevention services, supportive housing, wellness centers, and outpatient services. Other county resources related to addiction treatment services.

Environmental Health Bureau

Monterey County Health Department’s Environmental Health Bureau (MCHD, EHB) is the designated authority throughout Monterey County, in both unincorporated areas and within city jurisdictions alike, to review and issue permits for retail food sales, hazardous materials and hazardous waste management and composting operations. Based on the wide array of activities that can occur at a cannabis facility, at least one Health permit is usually required to be obtained prior to commencement of operation.

Public Health Bureau

Monterey County Health Department’s Public Health Bureau provides outreach and educational materials related to cannabis. An excellent resource for information is California’s Let’s Talk Cannabis: public health information from California Department of Public Health. This state department of public health website has up-to-date information on cannabis and potential uses and public health outreach and education information from a public health perspective for various populations, from young children to older adults.

Medical Marijuana ID Program

Do you qualify for a medical marijuana card? MCHD administers the voluntary cannabis/marijuana card registration program that identifies medical marijuana patients. Patients can use the identification card as evidence that they have received a recommendation from their physician to use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Surveillance

Monterey County Health Department is in the process of developing an indicator scorecard to track county-level outcomes related to cannabis use. Please check back for updates on this scorecard. Meanwhile, you can access cannabis-related data for public health outcomes in California here.