California city votes to allow Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes

California pot smokers could soon visit their favorite cannabis lounge, order cannabis-laced food and catch some weed-friendly entertainment after the city of San Francisco moved one step closer to making it legal.

Members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 7–4 on Tuesday in the first step to allow Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes in the city.

San Francisco currently allows for pot smoking in certain pot dispensaries. If the measure passes, pot shops would also be able to sell food and nonalcoholic drinks while offering live entertainment.

City Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said the move just makes good business sense.

“Amsterdam does a lot of tourism business and has a lot of benefits from having the cannabis cafes,” Mandelman told NBC Bay Area.

“San Francisco is not Amsterdam; there may be elements of that that we’re going to see out here, and again, that could be part of our recovery.”

William Dolan, CEO of Hybra dispensary, said the law passing would fulfill a longtime dream.

“We’re looking to develop a space where people can socialize, relax, unwind, grab a bite to eat, have a snack, have a coffee and consume cannabis in a way where they’re doing it legally,” Dolan said.

“They don’t have to do it in their apartment, or they don’t have to do it on the street.”

Supporters like Dolan said the measure would brings the city into compliance with a state law, Assembly Bill 1775, that was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024 and took effect January 2025. 

The law allows for the preparation or sale of non-cannabis food or beverage products where consumption of cannabis is allowed and the sale of tickets for entertainment.

Critics, however, called the move “outrageous”.

“San Francisco already allows cannabis retailers to have a smoking lounge, and this ordinance would allow these spaces to operate as cafés, restaurants, and entertainment venues, which would significantly expand where cannabis smoking and vaping is allowed indoors,” the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation in the Bay Area said.

“It’s outrageous that San Francisco could roll back smokefree workplace protections back to the early 1990s, before workers and patrons were protected from secondhand smoke in hospitality workplaces.

“Staff at the cannabis cafés would be exposed to increased indoor air pollution in order to do their job, and these workers — plus musicians, comedians, & other entertainers who perform there — will have to make the difficult choice between their health and their paycheck.”

City Supervisor Myrna Melgar agreed with the opposition and voted no, saying the measure is going “backward on our public health goals.”

Many people commenting on social media said it’s a bad move by the city.

“Not good with all the dispensaries existing in the city,” one person wrote.

“Oh great, more places to get robbed,” another added.

“We already have enough cannabis stores in SF and now cafes.. please no more,” a third cimed in.

Several California cities already have cannabis cafes, including Palm Springs and West Hollywood, per LA Eater.

The board will make their final vote on the matter next Tuesday.

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