Celebrity chef Andrew Gruel has some strong opinions on the idea of bringing Amsterdam-style cannabis cafés to California, calling it an "absolute disaster."
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In a recent interview with FOX Business’ "Varney & Co.," Gruel, who is also a restaurant owner, shared his concerns about the new bill Governor Gavin Newsom signed at the end of September. The bill, Assembly Bill 1775, allows local jurisdictions to let licensed cannabis retailers serve food, non-alcoholic drinks, and even host events with live music on their premises.
Gruel explained that while he’s a supporter of free markets, there’s a limit when it comes to how California handles things. "I'm an open-market guy," he said, "as long as you're not infringing on somebody's liberties, I would say go for it." However, when it comes to California’s regulatory setup, he's far from convinced.
"The unfortunate reality is that, in California, this isn't going to work because you don't have a regulatory framework set up where you can actually police," Gruel noted. His concerns go beyond just regulation, though. He pointed to the current issues with bars and restaurants in the state, saying, "We already see it with bars and restaurants where drunk people are spilling out all over the place. Somebody gets stabbed, and then nothing happens; they get let back out on the streets."
Another issue Gruel raised is the existing culture around cannabis use in California, where he feels things are already out of control. "California already smells like… you know, the world fair of skunks, everybody smoking weed everywhere," he said. Bringing cannabis cafés into the mix, especially around families and children, seems like a bad idea to him. "Now you introduce this into a food setting, and potentially have kids around."
Gruel also expressed doubts about the state’s ability to handle the new legislation. "I just don't think that Newsom can handle this. I don't think the state of California can manage this," he remarked.
Interestingly, Gruel doesn’t think cannabis cafés would be problematic in every state. "[If] this were Florida or another state, I'd say, yeah, go for it. So what, you got a couple of guys eating extra donuts and getting high in a café," he said. "But California, I'm telling you, it would be an absolute disaster."
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