Denver First U.S. City To Allow Pot In Bars, Restaurants ~
Denver, Colorado is again making history as the first city in the nation to pass a law allowing patrons to use pot in bars, restaurants and other public locations. So what’s the catch you might ask? Well, businesses must first obtain approval from their neighbors and the pot cannot be smoked.
Proposition 300, which takes effect immediately, was approved by Denver voters by a very close margin. “It’s the sensible thing to do,” said Emmett Reistroffer, a Denver marijuana consultant and campaign manager for the pot-in-bars measure. “This is about personal responsibility and respecting adults who want to have a place to enjoy cannabis.”
Bars and restaurants who are interested in obtaining a license will have a few hurdles to overcome before allowing pot in their locations however. First, they must gain support and approval from their surrounding neighbors. Next, their patrons will have to bring their own marijuana in order to comply with the state law that bans the sale of both marijuana and food or drink in the same location. (Wait… who made that law?) Customers will be allowed to use pot within the business location as long as it is not smoked, while the possibility is on the horizon for allowing outside smoking areas.
Interested bars and restaurants will also have to submit an operations plan showing how they intend to prevent underage use as well as procedures for identifying and handling potentially over-intoxicated customers. They will also have to provide special training for their staff members to ensure these procedures are understood and followed.
While this may be a big step for those in support of allowing pot us in public places, there are still many opposed to the idea. There is constant concern that the public will not be adequately protected from stoned patrons who leave a bar that allows both drinking and pot use at the same time. To say the least, it will be interesting to see how this new law pans out.
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