Starting next year, restaurants in California’s western US region will permit cannabis smoking, thanks to a new “cannabis cafes” law, similar to those in the Netherlands. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill on Monday, allowing licensed cannabis businesses to serve hot food and non-alcoholic drinks. This law takes effect on January 1, 2025.
California legalized recreational cannabis in 2016, yet legal dispensaries remain less popular than the black market. State assemblyman Matt Haney, the bill’s author, stated, “Our small cannabis businesses struggle to compete against illegal sellers who ignore laws and taxes. To help the legal market thrive, we must let them innovate and offer desired products and experiences.”
Some areas like West Hollywood, near Los Angeles, have long advocated for such legislation. The liberal city aims to rival Amsterdam and already features “cannabis lounges,” where dispensaries connect to bars or restaurants. The new law will now enable any business in California to adopt this model legally.
California will allow eating, drinking and smoking at Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes https://t.co/39HOhW3fm7 pic.twitter.com/VBOcs8HXX2
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 1, 2024
However, not everyone supports the change. Public health advocates worry about the impact of cannabis smoke in restaurants on lung health. The American Cancer Society’s advocacy branch stated, “Secondhand marijuana smoke contains many carcinogens and toxic chemicals, much like secondhand tobacco smoke.” They argue the law “undermines California’s smoke-free restaurant regulations and threatens decades of progress in protecting clean air rights.”
California was the first US state to ban smoking in bars and restaurants almost 30 years ago. Newsom had vetoed a similar bill last year over health concerns. The newly signed law includes measures to protect employees in cannabis cafes, allowing them to wear masks and informing them of secondhand smoke risks.
What Other Media Are Saying
- LA Times reports on California’s Assembly passing a bill to allow Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes, pending Senate approval, aiming to level the playing field for legal cannabis businesses.(read more)
- The New York Times reports on California’s new law allowing cannabis cafes, sparking debate on safety measures and secondhand smoke risks in the evolving cannabis market landscape.(read more)
- Yahoo Finance reports that California introduces Dutch-style cannabis cafes under a new law, despite health concerns about secondhand smoke, set to take effect on January 1, 2025.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
When can you start smoking cannabis in California restaurants?
What can California restaurants serve under the new cannabis law?
Hot food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Why was the new cannabis cafe law introduced in California?
To help legal cannabis businesses compete against the black market.
What are public health advocates concerned about with the new law?
The effect of secondhand cannabis smoke on lung health.
What measures does the new law include for employee protection?
Employees can wear masks and be informed of secondhand smoke risks.
