We looked into our crystal bong and this is what we saw.

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A California lawmaker has introduced a bill that would allow the state’s licensed cannabis consumption lounges to sell freshly prepared foods and beverages and host live events. The measure, Assembly Bill 374 (AB 374), was introduced last week by Democratic Assembly Member Matt Haney.

Under California law, cannabis consumption lounges are not allowed to sell freshly prepared food to their patrons. A rule change adopted in November 2022 allows lounges to offer prepackaged food and beverages and for customers to bring their own freshly prepared items on a limited basis, but the businesses themselves are denied the opportunity to serve most non-infused products to their customers.

Haney’s bill would allow consumption lounges in California to sell freshly prepared food and drinks and to host live entertainment events. In the Netherlands, more than 700 cannabis cafes, often referred to as coffee shops, draw 1.5 million visitors per year, according to information from Haney’s office. Allowing the state’s consumption lounges to operate under a similar business model would give the businesses new economic opportunities and could serve as a draw for tourists and locals to visit struggling downtown business districts.

“Lots of people want to enjoy legal cannabis in the company of others. And many people want to do that while sipping coffee, eating a scone, or listening to music,” Haney said in a statement. “There’s absolutely no good reason from an economic, health, or safety standpoint that the state should make that illegal. If an authorized cannabis retail store wants to also sell a cup of coffee and a sandwich, we should allow cities to make that possible and stop holding back these small businesses.”

The bill would not permit cannabis consumption lounges to sell alcoholic beverages. Additionally, Haney noted that the proposal is limited to licensed consumption lounges and does not permit other types of enterprises to enter the legal cannabis market.

“To be clear, we’re not saying that coffee shops should be allowed to sell cannabis,” Haney said. “We’re saying that cannabis shops should be allowed to sell coffee. It shouldn’t be illegal for an existing cannabis business to move away from only selling marijuana and instead have the opportunity to grow, thrive and create jobs by offering coffee or live jazz.”

Bill Offers New Opportunities For Consumption Lounges

Supporters of the legislation say that Haney’s bill would give cannabis consumption lounges opportunities to grow and serve their customers. Although he has not taken a position on the legislation, Nikesh Patel, the director of San Francisco’s Office of Cannabis, said that new sources of revenue could help businesses survive in a competitive and highly regulated industry.

“We hear from our operators that it’s a very challenging time to be in the cannabis space,” said Patel. “And some of the reasons are reduced foot traffic on the streets and higher tax burdens on cannabis businesses. There is still competition with the illicit market, and the cost of flower as a whole has gone down, and that’s had a trickle effect on the entire supply chain.”

Haney’s bill does not automatically permit cannabis consumption lounges to serve food and drink or host live events. Instead, local governments would also have to approve the change for the businesses in their jurisdictions. City leaders in West Hollywood, Palm Springs and Cathedral City have already passed such ordinances, according to Haney’s office. In San Francisco, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman plans to introduce legislation on Tuesday to allow the city’s consumption lounges to take advantage of Haney’s proposal.

“I think those (current) restrictions don’t make sense and they’re not helpful to the lounges,” Mandelman said. “And I think that in terms of making those more enjoyable spaces and building out our local cannabis industry, tourism and economic developments — for all those reasons, it makes sense to take advantage of what Assemblyman Haney is putting forward.”

Before it can become law, AB 374 must first be passed by the California Assembly and state Senate before heading to the office of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom for his consideration. Although he is unsure if the governor will sign the bill if he is given the chance, Haney said that hopes Newsom will give California’s consumption lounges a new way to succeed in a challenging business environment.

“California’s small cannabis businesses are struggling,” said Haney. “Issues like over-saturation, high taxes, and the thriving black market are hurting cannabis businesses who follow the rules and pay taxes.”

“I hope that the governor, as a small-business owner himself in the past who has been involved in the hospitality industry, can now see this as an opportunity,” he added.

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A proposed bill that would have brought greater regulation to cannabis use in the country was withdrawn by lawmakers in Thailand on Wednesday, the latest attempt by the government to get a handle on a burgeoning marijuana industry.

Bloomberg reports that lawmakers “in the House of Representatives voted 198 to 136 to pull the bill and send it back to the drafting committee for further revision late on Wednesday.”

The bill “passed the first reading in June and was designed to give the government more control over the industry,” and “may now be reintroduced in November,” according to Bloomberg.

“The bill doesn’t control cannabis but even promotes it, leaving room for its use to stray from medical to extremely recreational,” said Thai lawmaker Sutin Klangsang, as quoted by Bloomberg. “We’re afraid that children and people will smoke it and become addicted.”

The proposed bill follows the Thai government’s decision in June to decriminalize marijuana, which made it the first country in Asia to do so.

The new policy has led to the opening of several cannabis cafes in the country’s capital city, Bangkok, much to the dismay of government officials there.

Last month, Thailand’s health minister Anutin Charnvirakul issued a blunt message to would-be tourists looking to visit the country for an easy toke.

“We don’t welcome those kinds of tourists,” Anutin told reporters at the time.

The new decriminalization law removed cannabis from the country’s list of banned substances, but officials such as Anutin insisted at the time that it should not be construed as the legalization of recreational pot use.

“It’s a no,” Anutin said in June. “We still have regulations under the law that control the consumption, smoking or use of cannabis products in non-productive ways.”

“We [have always] emphasized using cannabis extractions and raw materials for medical purposes and for health,” Anutin continued. “There has never once been a moment that we would think about advocating people to use cannabis in terms of recreation — or use it in a way that it could irritate others.”

He added: “Thailand will promote cannabis policies for medical purposes. If [tourists] come for medical treatment or come for health-related products then it’s not an issue but if you think that you want to come to Thailand just because you heard that cannabis or marijuana is legal … [or] come to Thailand to smoke joints freely, that’s wrong. Don’t come. We won’t welcome you if you just come to this country for that purpose.”

But perhaps not surprisingly, that is exactly what has happened in the months following the enactment of the new law.

Reuters reported last month that the new measure “has led to an explosion in its recreational use,” even though “that government officials – concerned about negative effects on health and productivity often linked to uncontrolled use of the drug – have retro[s]pectively tried to discourage.”

That set the stage for members of parliament to get their arms around the new law this week.

Bloomberg has more details on the bill that fizzled out on Wednesday: “The parties opposed to the cannabis bill in its current form have threatened to vote against the legislation unless the revised version clamped down on recreational smoking. They are also against a clause that allows households to register and grow up to 15 cannabis plants. The opposition to the bill was also seen as a political tussle ahead of a general election due to be called by March. The passing of the bill would hand a fresh victory to Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai Party, which led the drafting of the bill and spearheaded cannabis liberalization as part of its campaign promises during the 2019 general election.”

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Reuters reports this week that “several” such cannabis cafes have opened in the capital city of Bangkok since Thailand decriminalized pot in June, becoming the first country in Asia to do so.

When the government removed cannabis from its list of banned substances earlier this summer, officials were adamant that they were not legalizing recreational pot use.

“It’s a no,” Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told CNN when asked if recreational use would be permitted. “We still have regulations under the law that control the consumption, smoking or use of cannabis products in non-productive ways.”

But that isn’t exactly how it has played out.

The new law “has led to an explosion in its recreational use,” according to Reuters, “something that government officials – concerned about negative effects on health and productivity often linked to uncontrolled use of the drug – have retro[s]pectively tried to discourage.”

“The law does not cover recreational cannabis use… and so tourism promotion is focused on medical (aspects),” the national tourism authority’s Deputy Governor, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, said, as quoted by Reuters.

According to Reuters, a “parliamentary committee is now debating a bill to regulate cannabis use that is expected to finalise in September and could impact the cannabis cafes.”

The “pushback against the way the new policy is being interpreted has caused some confusion, with authorities resorting to issuing piecemeal regulations such banning public smoking of cannabis and its sale to under 20s,” Reuters reported.

CNN reported in June that the new law meant that it “is no longer a crime to grow and trade marijuana and hemp products, or use parts of the plant to treat illnesses,” and that “cafes and restaurants can also serve cannabis-infused food and drinks — but only if the products contain less than 0.2% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the plant’s main psychoactive compound.”

“We [have always] emphasized using cannabis extractions and raw materials for medical purposes and for health,” Charnvirakul told CNN at the time. “There has never once been a moment that we would think about advocating people to use cannabis in terms of recreation — or use it in a way that it could irritate others.”

“Thailand will promote cannabis policies for medical purposes. If [tourists] come for medical treatment or come for health-related products then it’s not an issue but if you think that you want to come to Thailand just because you heard that cannabis or marijuana is legal … [or] come to Thailand to smoke joints freely, that’s wrong,” he added. “Don’t come. We won’t welcome you if you just come to this country for that purpose.”

Tourists have not heeded his warning, however.

Reuters this week spotlighted one such cafe called RG420, located in “Khao San, an area of Bangkok popular with backpackers.”

RG420’s owner Ong-ard Panyachatiraksa told Reuters that his cafe has had “hundreds” of visitors every day.

“Europeans, Japanese, Americans – they are looking for Thai sativa,” Ong-ard said. “Cannabis and tourism are a match.”

The new marijuana law has been fraught with controversy since it was enacted earlier this summer. Last month, more than 850 doctors in Thailand came together to speak out against cannabis decriminalization, warning that it posed dangers to young people.

“Cannabis was removed from the Public Health Ministry’s Narcotic list on June 9, but no policies have been launched to control the use of cannabis for personal pleasure,” a spokesperson for the group of physicians said. “This lack of [legal] direction makes cannabis more accessible for children and teenagers.”

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Weed lounges were a staple of cannabis communities but didn’t survive post-legalization. B.C. is thinking of bringing them back.

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