The Golden State is on track to offer cannabis lounges in the near future
Coffee and cannabis are two of the most widely used psychoactive substances in the world. While cannabis is often consumed to relax the body, improve perception and stimulate creativity, coffee, like tea and other caffeinated beverages, is generally used as an energizer and to help people concentrate, particularly when they are tired. Combining the two has become a trend lately, and many feel that coffee enthusiasts should have the same commercial recreational spaces that alcohol drinkers have. California could soon be on that path.
Matt Haney, a California assemblyman, unveiled legislation that would pave the way for licensed cannabis retailers to also expand their menu to include non-intoxicating food and beverages for their adult customers. Something like a cannabis café-style, Haney believes, would be a safe and regulated space to combine dining and cannabis.
Through AB 374, the legislator intends to amend current state law so that licensees also have the opportunity to sell freshly made food that does not contain marijuana and non-alcoholic beverages. As if that were not enough, the measure would also allow vendors to include live musical performances and sell tickets to these events. Should the legislation pass, it would meet a growing need while helping cannabis cafes and similar businesses increase revenue.
“A lot of people want to consume cannabis socially while eating a sandwich or listening to music,” Haney told the Chronicle. “We should allow that.” California is a state full of cannabis culture, so welcoming these businesses is something that should definitely become a reality in 2023.