CALIFORNIA, USA — Those who get the munchies after smoking cannabis may soon not have to leave the dispensary to satisfy their cravings.
A California bill sitting on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk would allow certain dispensaries to sell food and drinks, as well as hold live events.
Food and drink sales would only be allowed in dispensaries allowing on-site consumption of cannabis.
Several cities currently allow on-site consumption like San Francisco, Oakland, West Hollywood and Palm Springs.
Delta Boyz in Isleton is the only dispensary in Sacramento County with an on-site consumption lounge. Dispensary manager Jax Eubanks says expanding a dispensary’s ability to offer food and drinks is “the missing piece” of the retail cannabis industry.
Eubanks adds the on-site consumption lounge has allowed for a safe space for people to learn about cannabis.
Cannabis sales in California are declining, and the state is likely to raise the tax from its current rate of 15%. Retailers like Eubanks feel offering food and drinks would allow for much-needed supplemental revenue.
Newsom vetoed a similar bill last year due to health and safety for workers, writing it could “undermine California's long-standing smoke-free workplace protections” in a veto message.
The author of the bill - San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney - amended this year’s version to clarify the food preparation area and the cannabis consumption area must be separated.
It also puts local jurisdictions in control of deciding the health and safety standards for ventilation systems.
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) represents 290 dispensaries and growers. They were lead support witnesses for the bill.
“We look at this [bill] as a potential lifeline for struggling businesses [that] now have a very limited scope that they can operate their consumption lounges,” said Kristin Heidelbach with the UFCW at a Senate Committee hearing.
Despite the added amendments, major health organizations like the American Heart Association, The American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association all oppose offering food and drinks and live events at dispensaries. They believe the bill would roll back the state’s anti-smoke protections.
“I've been a surgeon for over 20 years and over my career I've seen the extensive and heartbreaking toll of exposure to secondhand smoke on the human body,” said Dr. John Maa, the California advocacy chair for the American Heart Association.
According to the CDC, secondhand cannabis smoke contains many of the same toxic and cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke.
“We're very proud and applaud the decades of tobacco control efforts to improve air quality across the state of California,” Maa said. “And we are very deeply concerned that [this bill] could reverse decades of success in tobacco control and improving air quality across the state of California."
Angelica Sanchez is the senior director for government affairs for the parent company of Perfect Union dispensaries which are spread out across Northern California.
“It just really, really will help normalize cannabis consumption by giving folks a place to [sic] gather and socialize,” Sanchez said. “...You go and you meet your friends there, you order a drink, you get some food, you have some laughs.”
While no Perfect Union dispensary offers on-site consumption, Sanchez hopes the bill would help more jurisdictions permit cannabis use at dispensaries.
She adds opening up dispensaries to a “café-style” will also provide people who are unable to smoke cannabis in either their apartment or because they are parents with children a place to consume responsibly.
Newsom has until Sept. 30 to either sign or veto the bill.
