'Wait and see' on recreational pot sales

Many Chinese Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area are adopting a wait-and-see attitude as the legal sale of recreational marijuana has begun in California.

Californians voted in 2016 to legalize sales in 2018, and sales started on Jan 1. Anyone aged 21 or older can purchase marijuana at licensed shops as well as grow, possess and use limited quantities of pot.

About 90 retailers, concentrated in the Bay Area, Santa Cruz and a few other areas, received licenses statewide.

At one of the marijuana dispensaries in San Jose, customers waited in line outside the store to make purchases on the first day of sale. But almost no Asians were seen.

"I know it's not drugs in a strict sense, but I think it opens the door to dangerous drugs for our kids," said Yan Qiu, a mother of two living in Sunnyvale, California. "In the Chinese families, I think children hardly have access to marijuana, but since it's legalized, anyone can buy it easily.

"Drugs are always related with crimes. I hope my kids can grow in a safe and healthy environment. I'll keep a close eye on the development in the next few years, and we will consider moving out of the country if the situation worsens," said Yan.

According to a 2016 Berkeley IGS Poll, a periodic survey of California public opinion on important matters, 64 percent of California voters supported marijuana legalization, but only 57.7 percent of Asian Americans voted for it -the lowest number of all racial groups polled.

Cannabis-friendly San Francisco also met with strong criticism from Chinese community membes who oppose marijuana use for concerns about traffic issues, marijuana odors and storefronts' proximity to schools.

Marijuana isn't available until Saturday in the city because local regulations were not approved in time to start issuing the city licenses needed to get state permits.

At least one day every month last year, City Hall saw more than 100 Chinese-American activists eager to voice their oppositions at public hearings.

"Drug problems have been taking a toll on many people's lives: employment problems, family problems, street problems and public health problems," said Ellen Lee, a family social worker at the nonprofit San Francisco Community Empowerment Center, which has helped lead the protests.

"I absolutely can't accept the legalization of a drug. And I feel sad (about the legal sales of recreational marijuana)," she said.

The city requires medical marijuana dispensaries to be at least 1,000 feet away from schools and recreation centers that serve primarily minors.

Some Chinese-American groups called for cannabis stores to be kept at least 1,500 feet away from schools and child-care centers. Some of them even called for prohibition on retail stores in San Francisco's Chinatown, but their efforts failed.

Because of her efforts to oppose marijuana businesses in the Sunset District, where many Chinese live, Ellen Lee has garnered a lot of support from the Chinese community. She has announced she will run for mayor.

liazhu@chinadailyusa.com