Welcome to the Cannabis Cafe
It had to happen. If you are a certified medical marijuana and a dues paying member of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) then you can order cannabis as a side to your hamburger. At least you can do so at the Cannabis Cafe in Portland, Oregon.
According to Reuters, The United States’ first marijuana cafe opened on Friday, posing an early test of the Obama administration’s move to relax policing of medical use of the drug.
“This club represents personal freedom, finally, for our members,” said Madeline Martinez, Oregon’s executive director of NORML, a group pushing for marijuana legalization.
“Our plans go beyond serving food and marijuana,” said Martinez. “We hope to have classes, seminars, even a Cannabis Community College, based here to help people learn about growing and other uses for cannabis.”
Members pay $25 per month to use the 100-person capacity cafe. They don’t buy marijuana, but get it free over the counter from “budtenders”, Reuters stated. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., it serves food and free pot but has no liquor license.
“I still run a coffee shop and events venue, just like I did before we converted it to the Cannabis Cafe, but now it will be cannabis-themed,” said Eric Solomon, the owner of the café. He said that marijuana-themed weddings, film festivals and dances are planned for the second-floor ballroom.
“I know some neighbors are pretty negative about this place opening up,” said David Bell, who works at a boutique that shares space with the cafe. “But I’m withholding judgment. There’s no precedent for it. We don’t know what to expect. But it would great if it brought some customers into our store.”
