The State Assembly has passed a bill that legalizes marijuana cafes. This bill permits dispensaries to serve non-cannabis food and drinks on their premises, provided they obtain local approval.
Additionally, the bill permits live musical or other performances in cannabis-friendly zones, along with the sale of tickets for those events.
It is important to note that hemp-based food and drinks are not considered non-cannabis products and cannot be sold at these cafes. The sale of alcoholic beverages at the cannabis cafes would continue to be prohibited, as would smoking tobacco.
While retailers and microbusinesses can offer freshly prepared food and drinks, the sale of prepackaged food is limited to retailers. Non-cannabis items must be kept separate from all cannabis and cannabis products on the premises.
Although Governor Newsom has yet to make a public statement about the legislation, he has been a strong advocate for the legalization of cannabis for many years.
