San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman announced a local ordinance to bring cannabis cafés to the city, building on Assemblymember Matt Haney’s AB 1775 (2024), which allows licensed cannabis lounges to serve food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Mandelman Press Contact: Sophie Marie - Sophie.Marie@sfgov.org
SAN FRANCISCO — Assemblymember Matt Haney joined San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman today to announce a new local ordinance that would allow cannabis cafés in San Francisco, building on state legislation passed in 2024 that allows licensed cannabis lounges to serve food.
The proposal would implement Assembly Bill 1775, authored by Haney and signed into law last year, which permits licensed cannabis retailers to expand their businesses by offering food and non-alcoholic beverages at on-site consumption lounges.
“Lots of people just want to enjoy legal cannabis in the company of others while having a coffee, eating a sandwich, or listening to music – but right now, in San Francisco, that’s illegal,” said Assemblymember Matt Haney, Chair of the state’s Downtown Recovery Committee. “This is going to help the struggling legal cannabis industry survive by expanding what they can offer consumers, and bring new energy to our nightlife economy. San Francisco has always been a leader in cannabis culture, and we’re continuing to lead the way.”
Supporters say the ordinance will help stabilize the legal cannabis industry while giving San Francisco’s nightlife economy a new boost.
“This is common sense legislation to allow cannabis businesses to sell food and non-alcoholic beverages for onsite consumption,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “Cannabis cafés can support San Francisco’s post-pandemic recovery, and they can help sustain a legal cannabis industry that struggles to compete with the unregulated illicit market. Cannabis cafés will give San Francisco retailers a new revenue pathway while maintaining strict health and safety standards. Assemblymember Haney created this pathway by passing AB 1775; now it’s on us in City Hall to get cannabis cafés over the finish line.”
California helped pioneer modern cannabis culture through early adoption of medical cannabis and a globally recognized cultivation industry. But many legal cannabis businesses now face significant challenges, including high taxes, strict regulations, and competition from the illicit market.
Allowing cannabis cafés, similar to those found in Amsterdam and other major tourism hubs across the world, could provide a new model for licensed businesses to attract customers and create social spaces where adults can legally consume cannabis alongside food and entertainment.
If adopted, the ordinance would make San Francisco one of the first cities in California to fully implement the expanded lounge model authorized under state law.
The proposal is expected to support small cannabis businesses, encourage tourism, and contribute to the revitalization of San Francisco’s downtown and nightlife economy.
###