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Tag: cannabis cafes

  • Denver Votes To Allow Social Marijuana Use

    Denver Votes To Allow Social Marijuana Use

    Proponents of the measure say that it will cut down on public marijuana use and exposure to kids.

    The city of Denver, which was a leader in the recreational marijuana legalization movement, is moving forward with plans to make it easier for people to open businesses that allow social consumption of marijuana. 

    Councilmember Kendra Black introduced a measure that would relax the rules dictating how far businesses that allow marijuana consumption must be from recreational centers, childcare facilities and other protected establishments. The city council passed the measure by a 9-2 vote on Monday (April 15). The measure will open an additional 2.2 square miles of space for cannabis businesses, the city said. 

    “There are many people who we have heard from who want to open a business but cannot find a location,” Black told The Denver Post. Although the city passed a law in 2016 allowing social marijuana businesses, like cannabis cafes, there are only two in town, largely because of the strict regulations. 

    The law currently requires businesses to be 1,000 feet from schools, a stipulation that will remain. However, the city council measure will allow social-use businesses to operate closer to other community and child-focused facilities as long as they are more than 500 feet away. 

    Proponents of the measure said that it will cut down on public marijuana use, which is illegal, and reduce the frequency of cannabis being used in front of kids. 

    Stacy Lynn, who advocates for access to medical cannabis for kids, said that the measure is important for protecting young people. “If they have nowhere to consume, they will do it in front of our children,” she said. “How do you get it off the street? You put it in a closed, secure building.”

    However, opponents said that the city shouldn’t be strengthening the cannabis industry. 

    Luke Niforatos, who leads a group opposed to the commercialization of cannabis, said, “I don’t think it’s the job of any member of an elected government to make it easier for a drug industry to make more money, to make it easier for people to use drugs.” 

    Others, including Councilwoman Robin Kniech, said that the city has spent far too much time tinkering with cannabis regulations. 

    She said, “There is no evidence whatsoever that kids are at risk from an activity happening in a building they cannot see at 1,000 feet, 500 feet or next door. We have so many huge challenges facing out city, and the time we have spent on this… frankly offends me.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • San Diego Considers Cannabis Cafes

    San Diego Considers Cannabis Cafes

    Opponents of the idea cite drugged driving as a reason not to open the cafes.

    Officials in San Diego are gathering information and debating whether the city should allow establishments where patrons could purchase and consume legal marijuana products. 

    “When we have a cool place like this where people can gather and participate in the legal market, that’s ultimately going to take people away from the illicit market and bring revenue back to the city,” Dallin Young, board member for the Association for Cannabis Professionals, told The San Diego Economic Development Committee last week, according to NBC News San Diego. 

    City Councilmembers asked the city’s independent budget analyst to research the benefits and drawbacks of cannabis cafes. However, some councilmembers are concerned that the cafes would draw more resources than they would bring in.

    Scott Chipman, a representative of San Diegans for Safe Neighborhoods, said that the cafes would open the door for many problems. “There’s a big concern with drug-impaired driving,” he told the committee. “The economic benefit would be far outweighed by the cost.” 

    Chipman says that the data shows this to be true. According to federal data, states that have legalized cannabis have seen a 6% increase in traffic accidents, for example.

    “They’re spending way more on pot enforcement, impaired driving, medical bills and other things than the economic revenue and taxes coming in,” Chipman said. 

    Despite that, some California towns and cities are approving cannabis cafes. Although the California legalization legislation prohibits public use, the cafes would be an exception. 

    West Hollywood issued approval for cannabis cafes that will begin operation this year, according to Eater. 

    “We’re totally stoked the city is excited about our concept, and can’t wait to bring it to life. West Hollywood’s nightlife has it all, save for one thing: the world’s best cannabis restaurant and lounge,” said Kirk Cartozian, who is a founder of The Antidote, which will be an edibles-only lounge. “Did we say we’re totally ecstatic about this?”

    According to Leafly, there were only nine cannabis cafes operating in the nation in 2018. Many of those are in San Francisco, a city that has been an early adopter of the idea, according to Charles Pappas, a medical cannabis commissioner. 

    “San Francisco has the best regulations of anywhere,” he said. 

    Pappas said that concerns over drugged driving are misplaced in a society that has already accepted that adults can consume some mind-altering substances, namely alcohol, in public. 

    “If bars are safe why can’t lounges be safe? A lounge owner can say, ‘OK you’ve smoked enough, that’s it.’ Just like a bar,” he said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com