California Lawmakers and Advocates Urge Governor to Sign Bills Allowing Marijuana Sales at State-Run Farmers Markets and Legalizing Cannabis Cafes
California lawmakers and advocates are urging Governor Gavin Newsom to sign two bills that would allow small marijuana growers to sell their products directly to consumers at state-organized farmers markets and legalize cannabis cafes in the state.
The bills, which recently advanced through the legislature, aim to provide small cannabis farmers with new opportunities to sell their products and attract tourists to the state. Assemblymember Matt Haney, the sponsor of the cannabis cafe bill, argued that the measure would allow for the creation of safe and legal spaces for adults to consume cannabis in the company of others.
Haney noted that there are already cannabis lounges operating in the state, but they are currently prohibited from serving food or non-alcoholic beverages. He argued that the bill would provide a way for these businesses to operate legally and safely, while also promoting California’s tourism industry.
The bill has been criticized by some, including the American Cancer Society, which has urged Newsom to veto the legislation due to concerns about the potential health implications of secondhand smoke. However, Haney argued that the bill would provide safe and legal spaces for adults to consume cannabis, rather than forcing them to smoke at home or in public places.
Separately, the Origins Council and other cannabis trade associations have urged Newsom to sign a bill that would allow regulators to issue temporary event licenses to small marijuana producers, allowing them to sell their products directly to consumers at events and festivals.
The bill would expand upon a California law enacted in 2018, which allowed regulators to issue temporary marijuana event licenses in jurisdictions where the local government permits it. The new legislation would extend this policy to small cultivators, allowing them to market their products and attract tourists to the state.
The calls for Newsom’s support come as the governor is attempting to rein in the proliferation of products that contain intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids with new emergency regulations. The Beer Association, which represents American brewers, has applauded the governor’s action.
Meanwhile, lawmakers have given final approval to a bill that would prevent what advocates call the “double taxation” of marijuana by restricting the ability of local governments to calculate their cannabis levies after state taxes are already applied. The legislation’s sponsor says that if the proposal is signed into law, it will end what he calls the “collection of a tax on a tax.”
