In the meantime, agencies and state lawmakers have authority to issue temporary licenses, if they wish.
"Legalization is not an act that occurs on Election Day, it’s a process that unfolds over the course of many, many years," says Newsom.
The measure immediately reduces penalties for marijuana-related crimes, and those serving sentences can seek to have them reduced.
While it is legal to own and buy nonmedical marijuana in California, it’s still illegal to sell it.
People with criminal records for marijuana-related crimes can now seek to have them expunged, while those currently serving sentences can petition for early release.