A Maine House committee held a hearing Jan. 24 on legislation that would allow cannabis consumption lounges to operate in the state.
The bill, Legislative Document 1952, is sponsored by Rep. David Boyer, R-Poland, and would allow licensed “cannabis hospitality establishments,” where residents and tourists could consume cannabis in a social club-type setting, according to a Spectrum News report.
“It would provide a controlled and regulated environment for adults similar to a brew pub that allows you [to] try different beers and then take some home,” Boyer told members of the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee last week, according to the news outlet. “This would help ensure public safety and reduce the likelihood of public cannabis consumption in inappropriate places.”
Boyer added that cannabis consumption areas would especially benefit tourists, who may be prohibited from consuming cannabis in hotel rooms. He said 14 other states, including Massachusetts, New York and Maryland, already allow on-site cannabis consumption at licensed businesses.
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Boyer’s proposal would require cannabis businesses to pursue a separate license to allow on-site consumption, Spectrum News reported. Patrons would be able to consume cannabis in a controlled area where age can be verified by employees, who would also be required to undergo training on how to recognize impairment.
Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee members raised several questions about L.D. 1952 during last week’s hearing, including how law enforcement could test drivers for impairment and whether the proposal would violate an existing law that prohibits indoor smoking, Spectrum News reported.
In response, Boyer said police officers could use field sobriety tests to judge whether a driver is under the influence, and compared on-site cannabis consumption to cigar lounges, which allow smoking in their facilities.
The Maine Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP) opposes the measure, Spectrum News reported, with regulators citing indoor air quality, the lack of available training for servers and the potential for impaired drivers as their top concerns.
“This bill simply does not address the serious public health and safety issues raised by permitting the public consumption of a substance that impairs critical thinking, memory, judgment, balance and coordination,” said OCP Director John Hudak, according to the news outlet.
The Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee is expected to continue its consideration of L.D. 1952 in the coming weeks.
