Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
WeHo Wants To Be A Weed Hub For Tourists — But Not Like Amsterdam
()
West Hollywood was the first American city to have a cannabis cafe. Now, it aims to be the country's first cannabis destination for tourists. The number of dispensaries will grow but the city is hoping the real draw will be in consumption lounges, businesses where customers can consume cannabis on site.
In 2019, the Original Cannabis Cafe was the first to offer a restaurant menu, along with a selection of marijuana products. Closed since the COVID-19 pandemic, it's scheduled to reopen in the coming months. In the next couple of years, more than a dozen other cannabis lounges are set to open in the neighborhood.
John Leonard oversees West Hollywood's cannabis policies. He says they've received applications for various types of lounges, including one with a bowling alley and one inside a spa.
"It's not just going to be this cookie cutter row of six cannabis lounges on a single block and they all look the same. They're spread out throughout the city and they're going to offer a variety of experiences," Leonard says.
Support for LAist comes from
Scott Schmidt is the executive director of Emerald Village, West Hollywood, a group of business owners teaming up to grow the city's cannabis profile. He says they want to attract both pot tourists and locals. "We really don't want to be Amsterdam but we don't want to be Beverly Hills either," Schmidt says.
West Hollywood city estimates the new businesses will bring in five to six million dollars in cannabis tax revenue.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs. -
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
Best of LAist