Cannabis and Social Consumption Areas

Social consumption areas are one of the most important requirements of legalized recreational cannabis use. They are an indicator of an evolved cannabis culture. In earlier times, before cannabis prohibition, it was common in places with a cannabis culture for people to get together and smoke cannabis as commonly as they smoke tobacco these days. The smoking of cannabis was itself, in places like India, a community experience where a group of individuals sat around in a circle and passed a chillum packed with ganja around a few times. The solitary smoking of ganja was definitely there but social smoking was equally, if not more, common. Every evening, friends gathered under a tree, or some such pleasant spot, smoked chillums and relaxed at the end of a day's work, not unlike the catching up for a pint of ale at the local pub after a hard day's work, that happens in much of Europe.

However, with the passage of world wide prohibition, smoking cannabis in public or in a social area has become akin to having sex on the road. The ire that this draws from large parts of society is incredible, especially the so-called upper or majority classes who prefer to inject, snort or pop their synthetic drugs within the confines of their rooms, when they think no one is looking. Most of these naive and intolerant members of society view cannabis smokers as anti-social, or criminal, and there is a high likelihood that someone will personally intimidate or harass the cannabis consumer or complain to law enforcement, who will promptly turn up and initiate legal action against the smoker. The chances of harassment and physical harm greatly increase in case the cannabis smoker is a tourist or a stranger to a particular neighborhood. This sort of behavior is also prevalent against people of the lower classes in wealthy neighborhoods, or against persons of minority groups in neighborhoods where a certain ethnic or religious group is the majority.

It is in this context that places with social consumption areas for cannabis are among the most sought after tourist areas, as well as among the most vibrant and frequently visited localities in any city. Dutch coffee shops are iconic because they have been social consumption areas for long, adding greatly to the vibrancy and dynamism of Amsterdam. Similarly Christiania in Copenhagen is a vibrant place because it is liberal in terms of cannabis consumption, besides other things. And so too with Varanasi in India. Even though the official stance has been to keep tourists off the grass, this has not been strictly implemented in these places where cannabis is one of the key reasons why tourists pour in.

Most states in the US that have legalized recreational use of cannabis (the list of US states that have legalized adult recreational cannabis is available here) have started recognizing the importance of social consumption areas, especially if they are looking to promote tourism. Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle and Chicago are some of the cities actively looking at increasing their social consumption areas for the benefit of both locals, as well as increasing tourism. Many other cities are also following suit and starting to explore the option of social consumption areas in their cannabis regulatory laws.

There are quite a few variations of social consumption areas being looked at. Some have food available, some have alcohol as well. Some have music, arts, cultural and sports events happening at the venues. In most places there is a retail outlet adjoining the social consumption area where one can purchase cannabis. Some places look to ban the consumption of alcohol. Some places that permit the smoking of tobacco are looking to extend the permission to smoking of cannabis. Some social consumption areas are social clubs where an individual needs membership and be a national of the country to gain access, as in Spain. Some places allow individuals to bring their own cannabis while others require that you buy your cannabis only from them.

There is still a lot of licensing and regulatory restrictions around cannabis social consumption areas such as where they can be located, what kind of ventilation and access is permitted, etc. These, along with the deep rooted stigma that exists in many places against the cannabis smoker, have been hurdles to the establishment of social consumption areas. Even in states in the US where recreational cannabis is legal, the majority of municipalities and local bodies still oppose the establishment of cannabis social consumption areas. This is the case even though cannabis is a much less harmful social drug than either alcohol or tobacco that claim millions of lives world wide every year. Slowly reports have started emerging that having a cannabis outlet in a particular locality actually raises the real estate value of the place as against the common perception that it will drive away business and residents and become a haven for crime and violence. Crime rates in places where legal cannabis has been made available have remained static, if not actually dropped, disproving another popular misconception that cannabis legalization increases crime rates. This is definitely much lesser than the reported incidents of violence and disturbance to law and order associated with alcohol consumption areas. Then there is the fear that social consumption areas will encourage youth consumption. This is something that proper enforcement of age restrictions can control, such as serving cannabis to only those above a certain age. A recent inspection done by regulatory authorities found that cannabis businesses strictly followed the age restriction rules when it came to selling cannabis to consumers.

One thing that is increasingly being understood and accepted by more and more administrators is that giving people access to a place where they can sit down and peacefully smoke their cannabis is one of the important steps in the process of recreational cannabis legalization and normalization. 

Listed below are articles taken from various media related to the above subject. Words in italics are the thoughts of your truly at the time of reading the article.

'Members of the state's Cannabis Control Commission decided this week in favor of regulations to establish licensing for retail cannabis deliveries and for limited on-site consumption facilities.'
https://norml.org/news/2019/09/26/massachusetts-regulators-vote-in-favor-of-cannabis-deliveries-on-site-consumption-facilities


'The process is part of an experiment in the Netherlands to legalize for the first time – though it’s limited in scope and time – the production of marijuana destined to be sold in coffee shops.

 Only applicants that demonstrate the capability to cultivate at a large scale – a minimum of 6,500 kilograms (14,330 pounds) per year – will be considered.

 But the government’s newly released FAQ specifies that the winners won’t necessarily have to grow that amount.

 Up to 10 growers will be selected to supply roughly 80 coffee shops in 10 municipalities during a period of at least four years.

 The government estimates a minimum production of 65,000 kilograms per year will be needed, considering that each of the 80 coffee shops has an average turnover of about 1 kilogram per day – 20% of which is hashish.'
https://mjbizdaily.com/netherlands-clarifies-process-for-applications-to-grow-legal-adult-use-cannabis/

'Now, after a complete interior makeover that includes the installation of four chandeliers, a wood-grain panel wall, a large tile floor, bright blue wall paint, a large array of modern furniture and a state-of-the-art ventilation system that all but completely removes the scent of the plant, Powers’ facility attracts primarily women, seniors and millennials of all cultures and backgrounds.

“There’s so many misconceptions about the industry still,” Powers said. “But this is the reality of our business. It's a slow process."

Harvest was one of two consumption lounges toured Monday by Nevada legislators, in town on a one-day fact finding trip with San Francisco marijuana officials and business owners to learn best practices for implementing the consumption lounges back home. Clark County and Las Vegas officials have explored the possibility of such lounges as far back as September of last year, and San Francisco is the only major U.S. city to offer full-scale facilities where the plant can legally be smoked, vaped, dabbed or eaten.'
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2018/nov/19/nevadans-visit-san-francisco-marijuana-lounges/


'Backers of Dean Ween's Honey Pot Lounge spoke of their plans at a Denver City Council meeting regarding the city's social consumption licensing program on Monday, November 19.

They plan to apply within a month in hopes of licensing a pot-infused music venue at the Circus Collective, an alternative fitness and training center at 2041 Lawrence Street in the Ballpark neighborhood.

Honey Pot Lounge COO Michael Polansky says the Circus Collective would hold cannabis-infused wellness activities and education sessions during the day, with the Honey Pot Lounge taking over at night, Thursday through Sunday. "The meeting was kind of our coming-out party," he says. '
https://www.westword.com/marijuana/dean-ween-wants-to-open-denvers-first-legal-marijuana-music-venue-honey-pot-lounge-11020940


'A collective effort by several marijuana business groups could help bring social pot use to Colorado dispensaries, hotels, music venues and dozens of other types of businesses — if the concept makes it through the state legislature.

Marijuana industry lobbyists, tourism companies, lounge owners and dispensary representatives are planning to submit a marijuana hospitality bill to lawmakers that will propose creating two new business licenses that would allow social marijuana use in a manner similar to alcohol use.'
https://www.westword.com/marijuana/upcoming-bill-could-open-colorado-hotels-restaurants-music-venues-and-more-to-social-marijuana-use-11084521


'“The playground” is the largest space, dedicated to vaping. “Sit solo or mingle with the crowd,” the team invites patrons. Next is the smaller “high roller” room with five booths for traditionalists to roll up their pot and smoke it (yes, indoor marijuana smoking is currently allowed, and ventilation is turned on). Last, there’s “the vault,” an enclosed dab lounge where concentrated cannabis extracts are consumed.

While customers over 21 can can sip cannabis infused beverages like California Dreamin’, a tangerine flavored sparkling beverage with 10 mg of THC ($8), or munch on edibles like sparkling pear Prosecco-flavored cannabis gummies from Kiva ($23), there’s otherwise no food — and no alcohol — sold at Moe Greens. Outside food and beverage is allowed — preferably just a snack or sandwich, not a stack of pizzas. No outside alcoholic beverages are permitted.'
https://sf.eater.com/2019/1/29/18200811/moe-greens-cannabis-consumption-lounge-dispensary-opens-san-francisco


'Still, if there’s one trait the Dutch capital possesses in volume, it’s dynamism. Amsterdam has always been avant-garde of social progress. In this year’s national elections, the city cast most votes for the Greens – a leftist party so named for espousing environmental priorities, though inevitably also associated with their other verdant leanings. Notable, too, is INTRAVAL’s calculation that Amsterdam still has one coffeeshop per every 4,907 residents, and that the nationwide decline feared originally “has somewhat stablised.”

So while the outlook for dispensaries in the Netherlands is not cloud-free, the landscape remains fertile and varied, as the 10 Amsterdam coffeeshops below attest to. These are our picks for the best places to stop, sip a coffee, and sample both new and classic strains the next time you’re in the Netherlands.'
https://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/10-best-amsterdam-cannabis-coffeeshops


'According to the proposal, dispensaries could sell “marijuana bud or flower in quantities not to exceed one gram to any one person per day” and “edible marijuana products in quantities not to exceed 10 mg of THC to any one person per day” to customers to consume on the premises.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/alaska-could-be-the-first-state-to-legalize-and-license-marijuana-lounges/


'For now, the Antoniellos have ceased operating the club. Chris Antoniello said the space will soon be stocked with items to sell. They’re processing refunds for members who had paid through the month of December.

He is frustrated by what he sees as a lack of guidelines about what is and is not legal. According to Antoniello, he was told by the state that the only places is it legal to consume marijuana is in a private home or a parked car.'
https://vtdigger.org/2018/12/12/pot-legalization-private-smoking-clubs-hazy-area/


'When it comes to navigating the maze of restrictions that came with Denver’s voter-passed law allowing marijuana use in licensed businesses, The Coffee Joint cracked the code. The first — and so far only — licensee under the 2016 ordinance is a combination coffee shop and bring-your-own-cannabis vape bar that’s within spitting distance of Interstate 25, south of West 13th Avenue, in a dingy industrial area'
https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/18/denver-social-marijuana-use-program-struggling/


'Owners would be able to enact a cover charge and serve food on the premises, per the new ordinance, as long as the food is not marijuana-laced. Alcoholic beverage sales in separate rooms on the premises would also be allowed, as long as the drinks being sold contain less than 11 percent alcohol by volume.'
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2018/aug/28/las-vegas-officials-see-marijuana-lounges-opening/


'Unsurprisingly, San Francisco is the trailblazer. It’s the only city in the state to fully embrace Amsterdam-like coffee shops, the iconic tourist stops in the Netherlands where people can buy and smoke marijuana in the same shop.'
https://apnews.com/0e6ae176d4dd458fa2ceb5b5a70e0094


'For Palm Springs and Cathedral City, the concept of pot lounges fits into the resort economy officials are trying to bolster.

"It's really the next logical step, especially when you have a tourist economy like we do," said Cathedral City City Councilman Shelley Kaplan.

Most hotels don't allow smoking or vaping, Kaplan said, so it makes sense for cannabis lounges to be available.'
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-marijuana-lounges-20180417-story.html


'According to the task force, some of the rules, "specifically the distance requirements, created an overly burdensome regulatory process that is not experienced by other types of businesses." It's requested that the city re-evaluate the location requirements, as well as the high application fees for a social consumption business'
https://www.westword.com/marijuana/denver-task-force-recommends-changes-to-citys-social-marijuana-use-program-10825966


'“There’s a large group of people who want to enjoy cannabis socially, and I think this market is largely ignored because there are no profitable businesses out there,” said Taylor Rosean, Vape & Play’s co-owner and director of operations.

“If you consider the fact we have a mature cannabis production industry with nowhere for that cannabis to be consumed safely and legally (in social spaces), it’s absolutely insane.”'
https://mjbizdaily.com/build-it-and-they-will-come-cannabis-entrepreneurs-wager-big-bucks-on-social-consumption-venues/


'This news is a game-changer, and far surpasses what many describe as a stalled dispensary application process in Los Angeles’ Department of Cannabis Regulation. Throughout the country, there are only seven consumption lounges in San Francisco, one in Oakland, and one in Denver. But WeHo’s group of new businesses could place West Hollywood on par with Amsterdam, Netherlands for cannabis tourism, and maybe eventually surpass it.'
https://la.eater.com/2018/12/19/18148315/west-hollywood-cannabis-restaurant-cafe-consumption-lounge-los-angeles


'The adopted rules call for consumption areas that are outdoors or that are separated from a marijuana retail store by walls and a secure door and meet ventilation requirements. The board would have to find a proposed outdoor site is compatible with the surrounding area.

People could not bring their own marijuana to a consumption area. Stores with onsite use would have to have a smoke-free place for employees to monitor the consumption area.'
https://apnews.com/c3f81a280099486bb419805cbd0098b8


'“What we really need to get this tourism off the ground are these pot lounges, so we can actually legitimately say,‘Come to Nevada, purchase it and there’s a place to use it,” he told host Sam Shad.'
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2019/jan/02/segerblom-marijuana-lounges-needed-to-capitalize-o/


'Late last year, a group of state assemblymen and county commissioners from Nevada toured San Francisco’s cafes and lounges to see how they’re run. They are determined to push through legislation to allow cannabis cafes in their own state.

Massachusetts’ state government is partnering with cities interested in allowing places for “social consumption” of cannabis to create rules and study the impact of the businesses.

In Oregon, state legislators are working to change state laws to allow cannabis cafes and lounges. Because state law requires cannabis to be used in private, many consumers, including tourists and renters in smoke-free buildings, have no place to use cannabis products. That means the state and its cities also will have to revise their current clean-air regulations, which were designed to protect the public from second-hand tobacco smoke.

New Jersey’s legalization bill includes provisions for bring-your-own social lounges and would allow hotels to designate up to 20% of their rooms as cannabis-friendly.'
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nickkovacevich/2019/01/23/cannabis-cafes-are-coming/


'If enacted, the bill would allow for consumption and sale of marijuana at temporary events, as well as licensure and regulation of cannabis lounges.

The bill would also allow marijuana producers to offer tours to the public.'
https://kval.com/news/local/oregon-senate-schedules-hearing-on-bill-to-allow-cannabis-lounges-marijuana-farm-tours


'“This is something that’s not happening anywhere else in the U.S. yet,” Cary Carrigan, executive director of the Alaska Marijuana Industry Association, told the Associated Press. “As we start to develop this, people are really looking at us, so I know that everybody wants to get it right.”

Under the new rules, consumption area would have to be physically separated from retail spaces, either by a wall and a “secure door” or an outdoor patio. Businesses would have to provide security plans and adequate ventilation.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/alaska-is-officially-the-first-state-to-legalize-on-site-marijuana-consumption/


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