Consumption Lounges and Decriminalization

Consumption lounges have grown drastically over the years. During the prohibition era, when alcohol was illegal to consume, cannabis was an alternative being consumed during that time. In the modern age, the idea of cannabis consumption lounges originated from the Netherlands. With the legalization of cannabis in 2016 for California, it still prevented from business to serving non-cannabis fused food or drinks.

As cannabis industries curb their way into residential areas, ask yourself who paved the way to bring this plant into a socially acceptable platform. There is much more work to be done regarding injustice towards Black and Brown bodies affected by the criminalization of cannabis to this day. As of 2021, per the American Progress Organization, more than 600,000 arrests have occurred each year, where Black Individuals are four times more likely to be the ones arrested rather than their white counterparts. Prop 64 passed in 2016 for the legal consumption of marijuana for anyone over the age of 21+. With that, there came a legal change permitting certain states for select marijuana convictions to be expunged, vacated, or sealed from public view.

When you are entering these upscale marijuana consumption lounges, take into account the privilege and access these individuals have had to create a space for others to consume comfortabily when there is still much more social equity to be done. As you engage in these spaces and listen to the motivation for having lounges like these you see around Los Angeles, like the Cannabis Café in Hollywood or the WOODS in WeHo, remember to support the business and, most importantly, the staff that uphold its value to provide ethical consumption.

There will continue to be consumption lounges popping up over the years thanks to AB1775 amending Section 26200 of the Business and Professions Code expanding licensed cannabis retailers and small business permitted to consume cannabis goods on premises and additionally authorized to sell non-cannabis food and beverages. There is also not to be any contanimation of cannabis products in the food or beverages served where cannabis is allowed to be consumed. Another specific to AB1775 is that there is no alcohol to be consumed in the cannabis cafés.

READ MORE ABOUT ACT AB1775