Amsterdam-style weed cafes in the U.S.

[teela brown]

Cross-posting from the Dope, sort of.

We just came back from vacation, and while driving through Eureka, California (stoner heaven), we saw a dispensary which had a big sign prominently in the window: “YES YOU CAN SMOKE WEED INSIDE”. It was the Crisp Lounge, and here’s their website. I think we saw one other place that had a similar sign.

Mr. brown and I were discussing this as we drove. Did the rules change? Is this just in California, or nationwide? So I just now Googled, and it looks like there are a few dozen weed cafes in California, where you can smoke cannabis inside the dispensary when you buy it. Someone at the Dope said that the law permitting this isn't supposed to take effect until January of next year, but stoner California is jumping the gun.

Sheesh, CaNORML's website shows lots of them. A large percentage of them are in Mendocino and Humboldt counties, and in San Francisco. How times have changed.

[Dragonlady]

So, you can smoke weed indoors, in a business, but not tobacco? That seems...wrong.

[Diamonds02]

Ooh, I was just thinking about starting a similar topic! All the dispensaries I’ve been to so far have been “stores”. Kind of like a fancy liquor store lol. But I have yet been to any weed “bars” or “cafes”.

CANNABIS NEEDS A “THIRD PLACE”!

I hope this picks up everywhere else. Dispensaries are so anti-social. Clerks want to get you out as fast as they can so they can assist the next customer. You can’t chat them up like a bartender. Other customers? They won’t even make eye contact with you….or they make too much eye contact (staring lol). I feel like a golden retriever in a land of black cats!

ETA: I take that back, sort of. Chicago has Wake N Bakery. But, it is a cafe for *edibles*. I prefer smoking over edibles though. A “cigar or hookah lounge” version of weed cafes would be more up my alley.

[Zeener Diode]

The Indoor Clean Air Act (ICAA) contains exemptions that allow smoking of tobacco products inside certified smoke shops and certified cigar bars.

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/diseas...orkplaces.aspx

This applies to Oregon; I can't find anything specific to CA residents. Basically, if you're in an establishment that sells tobacco (or cannabis), you may smoke in designated areas. Cigar stores have enjoyed this exemption since the Act was initiated. It appears California may have similar exemptions.

[SmartAleq]

Anyone who thinks there's no smoking going on in dispensaries hasn't seen the giant can fans set up in an out of the way break area.

[hajario]

Originally Posted by Dragonlady

So, you can smoke weed indoors, in a business, but not tobacco? That seems...wrong.

No. You can smoke cigars in cigar shops. You can smoke cannabis in cannabis shops. It's all good.

[Jaglavak]

I believe it is still legal to allow indoor smoking as long as you have enough ventilation for staff and non smokers. In practice that would look like a designated smoking area with a bunch of exhaust fans in the ceiling, a whack of fresh air supply in the non smoking area, and an air curtain between. But that would cost a fortune to run during heating and cooling seasons. So we have an awning on the patio out back instead.

[hajario]

You absolutely cannot have indoor smoking in California unless it's a tobacconist.

[Die Capacitrix]

Originally Posted by Dragonlady

So, you can smoke weed indoors, in a business, but not tobacco? That seems...wrong.

For the record, this is the official rule in Amsterdam.

[Zeener Diode]

Originally Posted by Jaglavak

I believe it is still legal to allow indoor smoking as long as you have enough ventilation for staff and non smokers. In practice that would look like a designated smoking area with a bunch of exhaust fans in the ceiling, a whack of fresh air supply in the non smoking area, and an air curtain between. But that would cost a fortune to run during heating and cooling seasons. So we have an awning on the patio out back instead.

I've been inside two cigar stores in PDX and they have large rooms (roughly 20x25) with high ceilings. I can't feel a breeze but the smoke rises quickly, so I'm not breathing second-hand smoke. I can watch sports on two humongous wide-screens and sip Bourbon with a Cohiba.