El Cajon city leaders reject proposal to allow marijuana dispensaries

City leaders in El Cajon shot down an initial proposal that would have allowed up to four marijuana dispensaries in the city.

The idea was brought up by Councilmembers Michelle Metschel and Gary Kendrick, who said the move would bring needed revenue to the city.

“A ban does not mean cannabis is absent, it only means it is unregulated and untaxed,” Metschel said. “The existing ban has inadvertently created a protected market for unlicensed, untaxed and unregulated operators.”

By allowing up to four dispensaries in the city, it would decrease the sale of contaminated products while generating revenue to dedicate specifically to public safety and infrastructure, she said.

El Cajon remains one of the few cities in San Diego County with a strict ban on dispensaries.

The proposal by Kendrick and Metschel was modeled after Santee, where four dispensaries were permitted within city boundaries by the council in 2022. La Mesa allowed the sale of recreational marijuana at dispensaries in 2020.

“Instead of having people drive to neighboring cities, they can get it right here,” Kendrick said. “If people are going to buy something, they might as well buy it in El Cajon so our police and firefighters can benefit from that revenue.”

Notably, while dispensaries are not allowed in El Cajon, residents can still get cannabis products delivered to their homes from storefronts in nearby cities.

The proposal faced pushback from Councilmembe...