Cannabis café bill heads to governor's desk

Bill claims it will help struggling cannabis retailers stay competitive and diversify away from the dispensary model

The California legislature passed a bill that would allow cannabis cafés this week. The bill heads to the governor’s desk. Courtesy photo

SACRAMENTO — California is a pen stroke away from allowing Amsterdam-style cannabis cafés as Assembly Bill 374 passed through both houses of the state legislature.

The bill was authored by Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) and will allow local governments to license cannabis cafés to give those retailers an avenue to diversify their offerings, stay competitive in a tough market and allow more uses inside retailers.

According to the state legislature website, the bill passed the Senate floor, 34-3, on Sept. 7 and the Assembly floor, 66-9, on Sept. 11. The bill was mostly passed along party lines, although there was some bipartisan support.