Pot patios are coming to D.C. this summer thanks to the city's evolving cannabis laws.
OG Article: here
View our Fair Use Policy: here
Why it matters: This is the first time D.C. residents will be able to legally smoke or consume marijuana in licensed retailers' outdoor social spaces like rooftops and courtyards.
Driving the news: The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) tells Axios its new Summer Garden program — part of the 2022 D.C. Medical Cannabis bill — is finally getting off the ground.
How it works: Registered D.C. residents (and others) can buy medical cannabis and products to consume at licensed retailers who have an ABCA-approved Summer Garden endorsement.
Operating hours are set between 8am and midnight. There's no live entertainment permitted, but retailers can play ambient music.
Retailers can't serve alcoholic beverages, but they can serve N/A drinks and food in the Summer Garden.
Additionally, retailers can apply for an Education Tasting Endorsement that allows a business to offer cooking and how-to classes, plus tastings.
Zoom in: ABCA representatives tell Axios they've accepted two Summer Garden applications. The National Holistic Healing Center in Dupont Circle has been approved (the endorsement has not yet been issued).
Another for New Leaf Smoke Shop on H Street NE is awaiting approval for an endorsement, with a protest hearing scheduled for May 22.
Between the lines: Getting a Summer Garden is a highly regulated process that also includes a 45-day public comment period.
The big picture: The Summer Garden program is going into effect along with a broader swath of marijuana legislation that more clearly regulates cannabis sales — and, for many, makes legal weed more seamless and widely available.
Comments