New California Law Allows Amsterdam-Style Cannabis Cafes To Open, Blending Cannabis And Coffee Culture – CoffeeTalk

California has passed Assembly Bill 1775, allowing licensed cannabis dispensaries to add sit-in cafes to their sites. The law uses Amsterdam as a blueprint and allows on-site consumption of cannabis next to freshly prepared food and beverages. It does not mean that any restaurant or cafe can suddenly sell cannabis and allow it to be smoked there. Instead, existing cannabis dispensaries will now be able to offer an on-site cafe. Assemblymember Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, said that the bill’s sponsor, cannabis shops should be allowed to sell coffee.

The bill was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2023 due to concerns about protecting employees from secondhand smoke. Newsom signed the new bill into law in September, including safeguards for employees, such as providing masks for workers exposed to secondhand smoke, and employers must ensure proper ventilation. Local jurisdictions can still decide if and how they want to implement any cannabis cafes.

Cannabis has generated billions for the state since its legalization in 2016, but the illegal market has also skyrocketed. The California Tax and Fee Administration cited $5.3 billion in legal sales for that same year, down just over 8% from 2021. Haney believes that the new law will bring more people into the state, saying now is the time for California to be at the forefront of what could be a billion-dollar tourist industry that would rival the state’s wine draw.

Cannabis cafes will bring massive economic, cultural, and creative opportunities and benefits to the state, and California is once again leading the way in supporting legal, safe cannabis businesses and culture. San Francisco and West Hollywood already have plans in the process of approval or in place to support such licensing.

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