More than 50 residents, locals and supporters attended the grand opening ceremony of the widely controversial marijuana dispensary, 99 High Tide Collective on Monday, April 20.
A green ribbon cutting ceremony at 4:20 p.m. included Councilmembers Skylar Peak and Laura Rosenthal, surprise guest actor Tommy Chong and the collective’s owner, Yvonne Green.
Once the ribbon was cut, supporters cheered as they were ushered into the new store for a group healing and chanting ceremony, before legal patients lined up to be the collective’s first customers.
A masseur, live instruments and a deejay kept the crowds entertained as Green expressed gratitude to friends, family and fans celebrating the opening.
After months of discussion, the City Council ultimately voted in late October 2014 to approve the conditional use permit for the dispensary, located above Zuma Jay surf shop on Pacific Coast Highway.