Cannabis comes to Salinas in manufacturing form

For the first time ever, an edible marijuana manufacturer is coming to Salinas, and it has some businesses uneasy.

The company, Altai Brands, is not a dispensary. The company’s main focus is to make edible candies and ship them to dispensaries around the state.

Some businesses feel there’s a real gap in the law.

“I would say it’s larger than a loophole. It’s something you could drive a truck through,” said Michael Corlett, a 12-year business owner in the industrial park where Altai Brands is moving in.

Marijuana dispensaries are against the law in Salinas.

“To the best of my understanding there is no ban, there is no prohibition on manufacturing of cannabis,” said Councilman Steve McShane, who represents the district.

So edible manufacturers are allowed, which is to say there isn’t a law against them.

“All of us at Altai Brands are proud to bring our wholesale operation to Salinas. The city has been a great partner. For the past several months, we have worked directly with the City Council, the city manager and the city attorney to ensure all city codes and laws were followed,” CEO Robert Weakley said in a written statement.

“We are solely a wholesale manufacturer of cannabis edible products. Our facility and our products meets and exceeds state requirements for such products. There will be no cannabis plant material on site. We only use cannabis in extract form as just one of our many ingredients. All sales will take place outside of Salinas, distributed to dispensaries only throughout the state. We are excited about building a legitimate industry that helps people and we thank our friends, neighbors and city officials who have been supportive during this launch,” the statement continued.

“This operation is just another manufacturing business in the city of Salinas,” McShane said. “There’s absolutely no retail component, and to be quite frank, as I’ve looked into it, the city staff has looked into it, there should be no concerns from a safety or security perspective.”

Despite that, Corlett said there hasn’t been any issues with crime since he’s been there, but he said he’s skeptical.

“We’re talking about cannabis oil that in one jar of oil, you probably have enough to get every gangbanger and every stoner in Salinas high,” Corlett said.

Altai Brands said it plans to launch its business July 1.