Hilary Bricken, lead attorney for the Canna Law Group, a practice area of Seattle-based law firm Harris & Moure, has fielded dozens of pitches from enthusiastic entrepreneurs seeking help in developing business models and navigating the legal issues. One company in the adult entertainment industry even sought her advice on branching out into hemp-based adult products.
“I’ve heard everything pitched to me from gaming lounges, where there would be a series of recliners and you can get stoned and play Xbox all day, to cannabis cafes where there’s a full menu that really adheres to the cannabinoids (the chemicals in cannabis) and how they affect your taste buds and your interaction with food,” Bricken says. Some entrepreneurs have talked up the idea of “evaluation bars,” where people could bring their own marijuana and experts would educate them on each strain’s composition and its potential effects, and Bricken says the sophistication level could eventually rival that of high-end wine purveyors.
Washington’s wine industry, in fact, is often cited among cannabis enthusiasts who envision similar tours through bucolic, organic pot farms. Bricken says she has already spoken with winemakers and commercial farmers in eastern Washington who are considering whether a certain new crop might help them tap into a big curiosity factor and generate new revenue. Cannabis farmers markets — currently limited to medical marijuana patients — also are popping up around the region and poised to expand their customer base.
Following the lead of several establishments in Colorado, at least two bars in the Seattle region have opened BYOP (bring your own pot) private clubs, while party promoters are gearing up for this month’s big “Studio 4/20” bash, complete with acrobats, food trucks, a beer garden and a latex fashion show.
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