As a compliment to the passage of Prop. 64 in 2016, the City of West Hollywood passed an ordinance allowing on-site cannabis consumption at select locations in the city. It’s one of the first city in Southern California to do so (Oakland and San Francisco already have a few cannabis cafes to choose from).
The city of West Hollywood reviewed over 300 applications for eight different types of cannabis consumption licenses, according to the City of West Hollywood website. Many businesses applied for multiple licenses, such as, a dispensary and smoking license. After seven months of screening, the City granted 40 cannabis licenses as follows:
- Eight edibles-only consumption area cafes
- Eight consumption lounges where cannabis smoking, vaping, and edibles can be consumed on-site
- Eight medical dispensary services
- Eight new adult-use retail businesses
- Eight cannabis delivery services
The most notable licenses are the 8 which will permit the consumption of edibles-only and the 8 which will allow smoking, vaping, and edibles. These permits will be a game-changer for dispensaries and consumers who want to have a more bar-like experience when getting high. Instead of spending the night at bars, you’ll soon be able to enjoy edibles and vapes at select locations in West Hollywood.
The majority of these businesses will be located on the already busy Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard.
According to WeHoville, The Artist Tree was the only business to qualify for licenses in all five categories. Helmed by cannabis veterans Avi Kahan and Mitchell Kahan, this dispensary will also include a smoking lounge, restaurant and delivery option. They plan to open in Summer 2019.
Aēon will be able to sell recreational cannabis as well as medical cannabis. You’ll also be able to smoke, vape and enjoy edibles. This wellness focused space will have dietitians, naturopathic physicians, and acupuncturists on site as well as a private lounge for cannabis consumption.
The Antidote, a CBD-focused space on Melrose, secured an edibles-only consumption license. According to Eater, they will open a restaurant space that offers private, cannabis fine dining as well as communal seating.
Budberry will include a retail space, consumption lounge, and cafe. Eater reports that Jeff Danzer (Jeff the 420 Chef) will helm the open-concept kitchen, preparing baked goods during the day and cannabis beverages at night.
It’s also worth noting that West Hollywood is home to recreational and medical dispensaries that do not allow on-site consumption plus local delivery services.
Despite these exciting new developments, cannabis retailers and consumption spaces will be subject to regulation. They will be prohibited from serving alcohol and required to shut down at 10 p.m.
West Hollywood’s ambitious cannabis roll-out would make it one of the most cannabis-friendly cities in California. According to LAist, the eight proposed venues are high-end spaces – a far cry from the back alley dispensaries with glowing pot leaves in the window.
Oh man I cant wait