Marijuana dispensaries in California will be allowed to sell food and nonalcoholic beverages, as well as host live events on their premises, under legislation that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Monday that paves the way for full-scale pot lounges in the state.
The bill, which was backed by celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg and Bill Maher who own marijuana businesses, is seen by the cannabis industry as a significant boost for legal shop owners, who say they have struggled to keep up with hefty taxes and stiff competition from illegal marijuana outlets.
Several other states already allow dispensaries to serve hot food and nonalcoholic beverages on site, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. California has the most cannabis consumers in the nation, though, and demand for cafes is so great in the state that some businesses have tried workarounds in West Hollywood, which has been called "the Amsterdam of the Far West."
Last year, Governor Newsom vetoed a previous version of the bill, concerned that it would undermine the state's smoke-free workplace protections. But he encouraged the author of the bill — Assemblyman Matt Haney, Democrat of San Francisco — to try again with a bill that addressed those concerns.
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