A proposal to allow California cannabis dispensaries to operate as restaurants has gone up in smoke.
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill this week that would have permitted stores licensed to sell THC-containing products to branch into the sale of food and beverages for on-site consumption. Proponents argued that the legislation would turn what are now pharmacy-like retail outlets into the sort of pot-serving cafes that have become a major tourist draw and signature for Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Patrons would be allowed to light up in the facilities while sipping a latte or munching a sandwich made on premise. Neither of those activities is currently permitted under California law.
The legislation would have also allowed the facilities to add live entertainment.
Advocates argued that the measure would provide the dispensaries with new revenue streams and another reason for tourists to visit the state.
Opponents had contended that the bill would undo several decades’ worth of effort to protect workers from secondhand smoke. Instead of inhaling the smoke from customers’ cigarettes, employees of the shop would be breathing what someone else had exhaled after taking a hit of weed.
Newsom had been widely expected to sign the bill into law. It had flown through both chambers of the state legislature, with an approval vote of 66-9 in the Assembly and 33-3 in the Senate.
But the governor sided with anti-smoking forces.
“I appreciate the author's intent to provide cannabis retailers with increased business opportunities and an avenue to attract new customers,” Newsom said in a note explaining his veto. “However, I am concerned this bill could undermine California's long-standing smoke-free workplace protections.
“For this reason, I cannot sign this bill.”
However, the governor indicated that he’d welcome the legislation if it was revised to deal with the secondhand smoking issue.
“I encourage the author to address this concern in subsequent legislation,” Newsom wrote.
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