New cannabis, alcohol laws could expand access in California this year

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — California cannabis dispensaries are now one step closer to selling fresh food and drink after a new state law took effect Wednesday. It legalizes what some call “Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes.”

“Right now, we’re allowed packaged sandwiches or chips or things along those lines, but this new law will allow us to have a full-service kitchen where you make food to order, almost like a restaurant,” Bobby Clement, area manager of The Artist Tree in Fresno, said.

The company is interested in expanding its offerings, but even with the new law on the books, local officials have the final say.

“We have to wait for the city to allow those (lounges) to open up, and we’re hoping Fresno allows it to happen sooner rather than later,” Clement said.

It is unclear if such an ordinance could pass the Fresno City Council. It took years for city officials to OK even the sale of cannabis.

Critics of the new law say it could expose employees to dangerous secondhand smoke, and industry experts like Robin Goldstein at UC Davis say the cafes have been slow to bloom.

“All over the country, these places haven’t really taken off, and I think once they start being normalized, you’ll see more potential,” he said.

The cannabis law specifically prohibits the sale of alcohol or tobacco. That carveout comes as bars and restaurants could soon expand alcohol sales as part of a separate law.

Local governments can now designate “entertainment zones” where people can buy and drink alcohol on public property.

“Fresno needs more activities, and I’m sure the restaurant industry would support (it),” incoming Fresno City Council president Mike Karbassi told Action News.

“But it’s always going to come back to how this impacts safety on our roads. Fresno already has way too many distracted drivers and red-light runners,” he said.

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