On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a measure into law allowing cannabis cafés in the style of Amsterdam to open for business the following year. Businesses are permitted by law to sell non-cannabis food and beverages as well as concert and event ticket sales.
“In the Netherlands, Amsterdam’s cannabis cafes thrive as a part of the city’s unique social structure, and capitalizes on the social nature of cannabis through coffee, food, and live music – all opportunities that are currently illegal under California law,” Assembly member Matt Hanley (D-San Francisco) said. ”
By offering non-cannabis-infused items, AB 1775 will enable cannabis retailers to broaden their customer base and abandon the unprofitable and constrained dispensary business model.
The new kind of business must also be approved and licensed by local governments before the bill can take effect on January 1. Hanley claimed his plan will make it easier for legitimate cannabis companies to compete with state-wide black market vendors.
“Right now, our small cannabis businesses are struggling to compete against illegal drug sellers that don’t follow the law or pay taxes,” Haney stated. “In order to ensure the legal cannabis market can survive and thrive in California, we have to allow them to adapt, innovate and offer products and experiences that customers want. Cannabis cafes are going to be a huge part of the future of cannabis in our state and help to beat back the illegal drug market.”
A similar bill written by Haney was vetoed by Newsom last year, stating that while he was in favor of opening the cafes, he believed it would jeopardize the state’s “long-standing smoke-free workplace protections.”
According to the new rule, local governments must take into account whether the company has sufficient filtration and ventilation systems.
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Additionally, the law safeguards employees’ rights to use ventilation masks, including N95 masks, in parts of the company where cannabis is smoked.
“I commend the author for incorporating additional safeguards, such as expressly protecting employees discretion to wear a mask for respiration, paid for at the expense of the employer, and requiring employees to receive additional guidance on the risks of secondhand cannabis smoke,” Newsom stated.
