L.A.'s First Medical Marijuana Farmers Market Is Exactly What It Sounds Like

This 4th of July weekend will see Los Angeles' first medical marijuana farmers market, where patients will be able to interact face-to-face with growers and vendors. Yes, that's correct: card-carrying cannabis patients can go to a friendly, outdoor market where choosing and selecting the right medicine in the bright sunshine will be just as natural as picking out an avocado. The Los Angeles California Heritage Market will be held July 4-6 at the West Coast Collective in East L.A. The market will feature some 25-50 vendors selling all variety of product including plants, edibles and concentrates.

Executive Director Paizley Bradbury says the market's ultimate goal is to help educate patients as to what medication is available to them.

"For a long time, the only access patients had, especially in L.A., was to go to a dispensary," she told LAist. "We see a lot of problems with having that power over patients' access to medicine whether that be price or vendors and who they choose. I feel like a lot of the power should be shifted to those who are actually growing so that first-time patients can talk to the growers and the growers can cut out the broker price."

Bradbury also sees the market as an opportunity for smaller vendors without the resources to advertise to meet future patients in person, and for patients to learn about growing themselves.

Given that Justin Bieber and Carl Sagan have almost nothing in common despite both being known stoners, it's not surprising to hear that people from all walks of life come into a dispensary on any given day. This event will be warm and welcoming for all. After this initial event, the plan is to continue to host the market on weekends.

California Heritage Market runs July 4-6 from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. at the West Coast Dispensary, 1500 Esperanza St., Boyle Heights.