A year in now, the situation in CA is mixed. The state system was reasonable, given it was California, but to have 500-something towns and counties come up with their own rules, sometimes just as complicated, turns the ability to do business into a joke.
Those with an infinite amount of money and lawyers are clearly up and running just fine, but the many thousands of “little people” are still trying to navigate the licensing systems. Meanwhile, the illegal market thrives as it always has.
Los Angeles just recently licensed a few stores, and looks forward to 400. There are a few thousand non-store businesses to license (growers, processors, etc), and the city just recently staffed up to 10 people. Think of LA as about the size of a western state, with the rules about as thorough, then add the state’s requirements.
But there’s hope. Attorneys in CA are becoming very vocal about the legal mess that’s been created so it’s likely something will change.