Merced will move forward with cannabis dispensaries

A split Merced City Council approved four medical marijuana dispensaries and indoor cultivation during a meeting Monday.

The dispensaries would be allowed in commercial offices, but the council said the city will not take applications from potential dispensary owners until the city has a regulatory system in place.

One expert estimated it could take 120 days to install a system in Merced, which does not include the time it would take to hire a consultant.

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This story was originally published July 18, 2016 at 10:36 PM with the headline "Merced will move forward with cannabis dispensaries."