Breaking: Woody Harrelson Needs Newsom’s Signature to Serve Snacks at His Cannabis Cafe!

Woody Harrelson, a well-known actor and cannabis activist, is pushing for a marijuana bill to be passed in California.

As an Emmy award-winning actor and a long-time proponent of marijuana, Harrelson is calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to consider a law that could pave the way for cannabis cafes in the style of Amsterdam to be opened in California. His interest in the matter is personal since he is part-owner of the Woods WeHo, a cannabis dispensary and lounge in West Hollywood.

In a video message shared by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), the author of the bill, Harrelson expressed, “What we are asking for is a tiny concession – the ability to sell noncannabis items in the lounge. I don’t see how this can harm anyone. Let’s make this possible.”

The actor, a three-time nominee for the Oscars, had previously advocated for the legalization of marijuana at the federal level during a visit to Capitol Hill last year. He emphasized the significance of the California bill as a lifeline for dispensaries and lounges across the state that are on the brink of closure due to “excessive taxation and overregulation, which are strangling our industry.”

“Although I’m an anarchist by nature and I’m not fond of government,” Harrelson added, “I find myself striving to do what’s right. I hope that Newsom and others in power will do the same.”

A representative for Harrelson had not immediately responded to The Times’ request for further comment as of Wednesday.

A previous version of the bill was vetoed by Newsom last year due to worries about “enduring smoke-free workplace protections.”

Upon Newsom’s prompting, Haney introduced an updated version of the bill in January. This bill has since been passed by both the Assembly and state Senate with ease. Newsom has yet to deliver his decision.

If passed, AB 1775 would allow local jurisdictions to authorize licensed cannabis dealers to prepare and sell non-cannabis food and non-alcoholic drinks. The legislation would also permit these cafes to host live music and other entertainment.

At a Friday press conference at the Woods dispensary, Haney voiced his optimism that Newsom would back the bill.

“The governor recently commented that the future happens here first,” Haney noted. “This is the future. This is what adult-use cannabis will look like. This is the future of supporting our small cannabis businesses and their capacity to prosper.”

Haney went on to say that Californians voted for Proposition 64 in 2016 wanting to use legal cannabis in a social setting, “yet the state has maintained this arbitrary, misguided, and outdated prohibition” on dispensaries engaging in activities unrelated to marijuana. Cannabis cafes in West Hollywood have been using workarounds to separate food services from the dispensaries, such as teaming up with nearby restaurants to deliver food to their clients, according to previous reporting by The Times.

“AB 1775 is straightforward,” Haney explained. “It removes that prohibition,” enabling California’s lawful cannabis businesses to “thrive and compete with the illicit market that, regrettably, is expanding at a faster rate than the legal market.”

In addition to this, Haney pointed out that the legalization of cannabis cafes could lead to the creation of “good, high-paying jobs,” which would “revitalize our commercial districts at a time when many are still recovering from the pandemic.”

Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the bill, which would come into effect on Jan. 1, if signed.

Staff writer Laura J. Nelson contributed to this article.