Los Angeles is poised to take a major step toward becoming the largest city in the U.S. that licenses the sale and cultivation of recreational marijuana.
The City Council plans to consider a dense set of regulations Wednesday that dictate where pot can be grown and sold, along with how businesses will be licensed.
If enacted, it's an important milestone: Businesses need local permits before they can apply for state licenses that are required to operate in the new pot market.
California's legal recreational market kicks off on Jan. 1.
But with the new year just weeks away, it's not clear how many businesses will be ready to open their doors on Jan. 1 - if any.
Medical cannabis has been legal in California for two decades.
