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How Jerry Brown Harshed Our CBD Cocktail Mellow
The Rye Meow at Gesso in Los Angeles. The cocktail is made with rye whiskey, dry vermouth, elderflower and CBD oil. (Photo courtesy of Gesso)
Remember that awesome list Caroline on Crack made about where to drink CBD cocktails in Los Angeles? It just became obsolete.
You can blame California governor Jerry Brown, a onetime Jesuit novitiate who wanted to become a Catholic priest. This week, Gov. Brown quietly signed Assembly Bill 2914, which prohibits any establishment with an alcohol license from...
"selling, offering, or providing a cannabis product that is an alcoholic beverage, including, but not limited to, an infusion of cannabis or cannabinoids derived from industrial hemp into an alcoholic beverage."
There's been a boom in cannabis cocktails since since Prop. 64 went into effect in January, making recreational cannabis sales legal.
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AB 2914 goes into effect immediately. Establishments that don't comply could have their licenses suspended or revoked.
Otium's Blue Dream cocktail, made with Rhum Clement VSOP, Casa Magdalena Rum, lime, vanilla orgeat, Giffard Blue Curacao and H. Hemp Company coconut CBD oil. (Photo by Caroline Hollingsworth)
One of the goals of the bill is to keep the alcohol and cannabis industries separate, according to MG Retailer, an online trade magazine for the cannabis industry: "Dispensaries are forbidden from selling any products that include alcohol and bars and liquor stores cannot sell any items that infused with any cannabinoids."
For the craft cocktail scene in Los Angeles, that means no more Pirate's Gold made with cachaça and Gold Flora CBD oil at Broken Shaker. No more Stoney Negroni or Rolled Fashioned at Gracias Madre. No more CBD-spiked Negronis at Otium. L'chaim.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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