Walk down any downtown Portland street and it’s not unusual to smell cannabis.
That’s despite the fact current law says people can only smoke it in private.
Sam Chapman with the New Revenue Coalition says Oregon lawmakers need to give people public places to smoke, especially since many have rental agreements that don’t allow them to smoke on the property.
“On top of that you also have folks who are coming from other states to explore our new craft cannabis industry, that simply don’t know where they can consume the legal product they just purchased. So where do they often go? On the streets, in parks, in their car,” he said.
“That is not in the best interest of public safety.”
New Revenue Coalition supports Oregon lawmakers giving people public places to smoke cannabis.
Kristian Foden-Vencil / OPB
Chapman said the New Revenue Coalition is having a lobby day in early December and a fundraising event in Portland on Dec. 13.
Perhaps Chapman’s biggest hurdle will be persuading lawmakers to permit waivers to the Indoor Clean Air Act. Oregon’s public health agencies have spent decades getting tobacco smoke out of pubs and restaurants.
Dr. Tom Jeanne, an epidemiologist at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division, said the agency doesn't take positions for or against legislative proposals, but he’s concerned about the health effects cannabis cafes could have.
“Our responsibility is to Oregonians to create a safe, healthy, environment for all Oregonians where they can live, work, learn and play to their fullest potential,” he said.
“One way we can do that is by maintaining the Indoor Clean Air act which protects Oregonians from the health risks of secondhand smoke.”
Jeanne said cannabis smoke is not harmless and neither is the vapor from vape pens.
He said cannabis cafes will likely normalize the use of cannabis, especially among children.
“That’s a concern for increasing youth use of these products,” Jeanne said.
Cigar bars and hookah lounges have waivers from the Indoor Clean Air act, allowing people to smoke indoors. Such establishments were grandfathered in when the act was passed.
But they're also restricted to tobacco smoke only. Meaning cannabis smoke would be a change-of-use significant enough to negate a waiver.