More than 150 people attended two recent community workshops regarding the possibility of allowing the social consumption of cannabis in Sacramento.
The City of Sacramento’s Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) hosted a virtual community meeting on April 12 and an in-person community workshop on April 24.
“The workshops gave participants a glimpse on what social consumption of cannabis looks like in other cities, and what it could look like if approved in Sacramento,” said Davina Smith, head of the Office of Cannabis Management. “The events also gave people an opportunity to express any reservations and concerns they might have. We were pleased by the turnout and by the feedback and input we received.”
The in-person community workshop gathered information from attendees by asking participants to express their thoughts by placing stickers next to policy options boards set up around the room on various topics.
Additionally, OCM staff this month met with local business organizations to hear their thoughts on different possible social consumption scenarios, such as at lounges and cafes and cannabis events.
The meeting and workshops are part of the City’s continued efforts to gather information and data to study social consumption as a potential business practice under specified conditions.
Community members who weren’t able attend the recent workshops are encouraged to participate in this survey and share their feedback.
Current state of social consumption
Currently, approximately a dozen jurisdictions throughout the state allow some form of permitted social consumption of cannabis.
Examples include Moe Greens and Barbary Coast consumption cannabis lounges in San Francisco, Rosemary Jane edibles-and-beverages-only cannabis bar in Oakland and Lowell Café cannabis pairing restaurant in West Hollywood.
In addition to brick-and-mortar locations, permitted social consumption of cannabis is allowed at some music festivals and other events through a cannabis events license.
What’s next
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.
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.
OCM will be reporting back to the committee on its findings this summer, Smith said. The committee could then choose to send the information to the City Council for further consideration.