Amsterdam-style cafes expand services in West Hollywood

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - A handful of lounges in California where marijuana can legally be consumed are taking things a step further. 

Beginning Monday, customers can now order food and nonalcoholic drinks alongside their cannabis, thanks to the passage of AB1775. The new law legalizes "Amsterdam-style" cafes, and the legal cannabis industry is ready to embrace the change.

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At The Woods, a dispensary and lounge in West Hollywood, customers can already grab a table or rent cabanas by the hour to consume cannabis products they purchase on-site. Now, they can also order treats like cappuccinos and pastries, with a larger menu in the works.

"It’s a win-win-win deal for everybody," said Jay Handal, co-founder of The Woods and Erba Markets.

Handal believes the move will help boost the legal cannabis industry, which has struggled under high taxes and competition from the illegal market.

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"This will bring us more revenue, which will bring, hopefully, more sales tax — which, God knows, the state can use based on its deficits," Handal said. "It’s going to be good for the consumer as well because now they can sit as if they were in Starbucks - they can take out their computer, do their work on our Wi-Fi, and have a cup of cappuccino or a pastry."

Handal said he expects the next six to nine months to be a turning point for the industry.

"I truly believe the pretenders are going to be gone, and the really serious operators are going to survive," he said.

The majority of people interviewed supported the change.

"I think it’s a step in the right direction, especially towards decriminalizing marijuana federally and hopefully de-stigmatizing it, especially in minority communities," said Sasha Hofisi, an employee at The Artist Tree, another dispensary and cannabis lounge in West Hollywood.

Others agreed.

Jason from San Francisco shared a similar sentiment. "It sounds like a good idea to me. I mean, why shouldn’t they be allowed to serve food?"

Ryan, who described himself as a non-user, said he still supported the move. "I think it’s a good idea for those who do!"

California voters legalized recreational marijuana use in 2016, and cannabis lounges have become an increasingly common feature in cities like West Hollywood. With the addition of food and drink service, advocates hope the legal cannabis industry will see much-needed growth and normalization.

Opponents argued the law would undermine the state's no-smoking laws in restaurants.