Santa Barbara’s only medicinal cannabis dispensary finally open for business

Santa Barbara’s only medical cannabis dispensary is finally open for business after years of debate, reviews, hearings and appeals. Canopy Health and Wellness Center is located on the 100 block of Milpas Street and is owned by Santa Barbara resident Ryan Howe.

“It’s been about four years, a bit of a bumpy road,” Howe said. “We were able to navigate through it. We got here.”

Howe runs a smooth and efficient business within what he calls “a fortress” with security guards on duty full-time.

Howe’s dispensary is stocked with cannabis flowers, oils and a full line of edibles stored in brightly lit display cases. One of the edible products sold in the dispensary is called Kiva which is one of the biggest and well-known edible brands. “It can’t be found in anywhere else in Santa Barbara,” Howe said. “We carry it here.”
There are also bath and beauty products and pain-relief ointments. The dispensary also boasts a variety of CBD products.

This medicinal dispensary is the first in Santa Barbara in nearly a decade. Howe wants his clients to feel at home in a “boutique-style” setting.

Before the sale of any product, a client has to have a physician’s letter of recommendation, and a California Identification Card. There is also a 24 hour waiting period, which Howe said is a rule “exclusive to Santa Barbara.” Once a client checks in, they are escorted by a security guard into the showroom. A “wellness advisor” as Howe refers to his employees, is on hand to help with any questions the client has about the inventory. Howe said, “They are professionals who understand the product lines and ailments and can recommend the appropriate product.” Cannabis is becoming more accepted as a medical option, according to Howe. “People with PTSD, seizures, cancers, you are seeing the plant help these people,” he said. Howe explained that the marijuana plant is becoming more powerful as growers and scientists have been mixing the strains for many years. “People are sick of opiates. They are not helping people long term. They are causing major side effects,” Howe said. “Cannabis just doesn’t have those side effects, and seems to have the same amount of potency.” Howe said he understands the stigma still attached to cannabis and respects the opinions of people who have expressed discontent with having a dispensary in the neighborhood. “There is a real medical need here. You can not like it or not agree with it, but you have to realize a lot of people like it, want it and really need it,” Howe said. The Canopy Health and Wellness Center is open six days a week during business hours. It sells medicinal marijuana only.