Colorado Senate Passes Cannabis Lounge Proposal

Legal cannabis lounges in Colorado cleared another hurdle on Thursday, as the State Senate approved a bill to regulate social cannabis use throughout the state.

The measure will permit cities to grant special licenses that would allow patrons to consume cannabis, they provide for themselves, in designated areas of an establishment. The main caveat being that these businesses are not allowed to serve alcohol and food, according to the Associated Press.

The proposal has been in the works for some time now, and even though it appears to be gaining support, Governor John Hickenlooper stated that he would veto any proposal placed on his desk that allows “indoor” smoking. The current bill does not make any provision that the smoking must take place outside. Because of this, several Senators fear that the bill will not pass in its current form.

“We went to an amazing amount of trouble to say that we are not going to have smoking in workplaces in Colorado,” Hickenlooper said. “Smoking is bad for you—very bad for you.”

It appears that if lawmakers in Colorado want the bill to pass, they may need to amend it to specify that all smoking must take place outside. This would be in line with how the state regulates tobacco smoking.

Denver has a similar bill in the works that voters approved in last November’s election. The Denver bill specifically mentions that cannabis must be consumed on “special patios,” and does not allow for the smoking of cannabis, just edibles and vaporizers.

With its victory in the Senate, the new bill will now head to the State Assembly, where it is expected to pass without any issues. It will then be put before the Governor, and it is uncertain if he will stand firm on his “no indoor smoking” policy.

If it passes in its current form, or is modified with specific consumption locations, Colorado could see coffee shops like Amsterdam before the end of the year.