Bay Area potheads could soon be able to light up inside their favorite weed shop after the city of San Francisco moved one step closer to legalizing marijuana lounges.<\/p>\n
Members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 7-4\u00a0on Tuesday in the first step to allow Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes<\/a> in the city.<\/p>\n Members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 7-4\u00a0 on Tuesday in the first step to allowing Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes in the city\u00a0 UCG\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/p>\n The city currently allows for pot smoking in certain pot dispensaries<\/a>. If the measure passes, pot shops would also be able to sell food<\/a> and non-alcoholic drinks while offering live entertainment.<\/p>\n City Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said the move just makes good business sense.<\/p>\n \u201cAmsterdam does a lot of tourism business and has a lot of benefits from having the cannabis cafes,\u201d Mandelman told NBC Bay Area<\/a>.<\/p>\n California pot smoker\u2019s could soon be able to visit their favorite cannabis lounge, order food and catch some entertainment in San Francisico. ANP\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cSan Francisco is not Amsterdam; there may be elements of that that we\u2019re going to see out here, and again, that could be part of our recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n William Dolan, CEO of Hybra dispensary, said the law passing would fulfill a longtime dream.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re 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\u2019re doing it legally,\u201d Dolan said. <\/p>\n \u201cThey don\u2019t have to do it in their apartment, or they don\u2019t have to do it on the street.\u201d<\/p>\n CEO of Hybra dispensary in the Sunset District, William Dolan, said if it passes, it will fulfill a longtime dream. Instagram\/@barbarycoastsanfrancisco<\/p>\n Supporters like Dolan said the measure would brings the city into compliance with a state law, Assembly Bill 1775<\/a>, that was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024 and took effect January 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Critics, however, called the move \u201coutrageous\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cSan Francisco already allows cannabis retailers to have a smoking lounge, and this ordinance would allow these spaces to operate as caf\u00e9s, restaurants, and entertainment venues, which would significantly expand where cannabis smoking and vaping is allowed indoors,\u201d the American Nonsmokers\u2019 Rights Foundation in the Bay Area said<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cStaff at the cannabis caf\u00e9s would be exposed to increased indoor air pollution in order to do their job, and these workers \u2014 plus musicians, comedians, & other entertainers who perform there \u2014 will have to make the difficult choice between their health and their paycheck.\u201d<\/p>\n Supervisor Myrna Melgar agreed and voted no, saying it \u201cpermits indoor smoking\u201d and the measure is going \u201cbackward on our public health goals.\u201d Instagram\/@barbarycoastsanfrancisco<\/p>\n City Supervisor Myrna Melgar agreed with the opposition and voted no, saying the measure is going \u201cbackward on our public health goals.\u201d<\/p>\n Many people commenting on social media said it\u2019s a bad move by the city.<\/p>\n \u201cNot good with all the dispensaries existing in the city,\u201d one person wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cOh great, more places to get robbed,\u201d another added.<\/p>\n \u201cWe already have enough cannabis stores in SF and now cafes.. please no more,\u201d a third cimed in.<\/p>\n