The City’s Office of Cannabis Management is hosting two community workshops this month to gather feedback and input on the business practice of allowing the social consumption of cannabis at designated locations such as lounges and sanctioned events.
A virtual community meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. April 12. (Click here to register.) An in-person community workshop is scheduled for 5 p.m. April 24 at Urban Hive at 1007 7th St. (No registration is required.)
At the community workshops, participants can:
- Discover what social consumption looks like in other cities.
- Discuss different possibilities under existing state regulations.
- Share your thoughts and feedback on potential models.
(Please note that the meetings are progressive and will not necessarily provide the same information.)
“We hope that people who are interested in this topic will attend the community workshops and share their thoughts,” said Davina Smith, who heads the Office of Cannabis Management.
The City has been working diligently over the past year to gather information related to social consumption as a potential business practice under specified conditions.
The City’s Law & Legislation Committee on Aug. 30 hosted a workshop on social/onsite consumption that featured representatives from jurisdictions that currently regulate that business type, including the City and County of San Francisco and the cities of Palm Springs and West Hollywood.
The workshop provided an opportunity for the committee to hear from other municipalities about their experiences with onsite consumption, including how community concerns were addressed, enforcement challenges and lessons learned, and revenue considerations from this type of business model.
Some jurisdictions also spoke about their experiences with permitted cannabis events at locations approved by their Councils where consumption occurred.
At the conclusion of the workshop, the committee directed staff to continue its research on the subject and develop a package of options for future consideration.
The upcoming community workshops are part of these efforts, Smith said.