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By Bo Tefu, Lila Brown and Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
The California Assembly passed a bill that would legalize cannabis cafes, inspired by Amsterdam-style restaurants and clubs where marijuana is openly smoked.
If the bill passes in the Senate and is signed into law by the Governor, Assembly Bill (AB) 1775 would grant local governments the authority to approve cannabis clubs that make and sell non-cannabis food and non-alcoholic drinks.
Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) said he proposed the bill to benefit small businesses and help them expand their goods and services.
“This is a bill that supports our legal small businesses that just want to diversify their businesses and do the right thing,” Haney said.
The bill allows small businesses to compete with the illegal drug market, Haney added.
“The illicit illegal market is continuing to grow and thrive, while our legal cannabis market is struggling,” he said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed an earlier version of the bill last year to “protect smoke-free workplaces.” The updated version of the bill, however, separates cannabis consumption from other workspaces.
Haney is confident that Newsom will not veto the updated version of the bill. Under the new bill, consumers are prohibited from smoking cannabis in the back of restaurant kitchens and food prep areas to protect non-smoking employees.
Currently, California has four cannabis cafes in operation — two of them are in West Hollywood and the other two in Palm Springs. The cafes are similar to lounges and offer cannabis-infused snacks and prepackaged foods.
However, it is illegal for food establishments to offer alcohol and cannabis under the same roof.
The bill would give city officials the power to approve the cannabis lounges.
