California governor Jerry Brown has put the kibosh on cannabis cocktails served at bars and restaurants. Bill no. 2914, signed by Brown in late September, prohibits an alcoholic beverage licensee from, selling, offering or providing cannabis or cannabis products, including an alcoholic beverage that contains cannabis or cannabis products. No alcoholic beverage can be manufactured, sold or offered for sale if it contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabinoids (CBD), regardless of source.
The state was first to legalize medical marijuana in 1996; California officially made pot legal for recreational uses on Jan. 1. Several California bars have offered cocktails with a CBD tincture, including the LA-area-based Gracias Madre, Pattern Bar and Prank. The CBD compound can offer medicinal benefits from anti-inflammatory to antidepressant properties, vs. the psychoactive effects of THC.
The state’s laws regarding cannabis cocktails are likely to continue to evolve as questions arise. For instance, hemp cocktails, as long as they don’t contain CBD or THC, might remain legal under the new law, since California has legalized industrial hemp production.