As we know, despite wide-ranging state legislation, consuming cannabis outside the proper confines of a private home is not exactly encouraged in the United States. There aren’t many places within the continental U.S. where you can publically toke adult-use, legal weed. And, as we march towards the (hopefully) inevitable destination of federal legalization, we need to set the standard by aligning with other similar, accepted social practices—you know, like drinking in public?

Europe, of course, has already been hard at work building the blueprint the States has been dragging its ass to duplicate. Amsterdam, the undisputed forerunner in making weed (and its public consumption) about as edgy as hanging a wooden plank featuring cursive letters spelling out “GATHER” in your dining area, has been honing this game for decades. Barney’s Lounge, part of the larger Amsterdam Barney’s empire, is one of the best examples; lightly stained wood chairs and decor that could best be described as “inoffensive” and “fine” fill the space where patrons (OK, mostly tourists) are invited to camp out for as long as they’d like.

Our friendly northern neighbors in Canada have similarly contributed to this blueprint, since first legalizing all cannabis use in October 2018. The country now sports brick-and-mortar lounges like Windsor’s BYOC (bring your own cannabis) venue Higher Limits and Toronto’s gamer paradise, HotBox Cafe.

We already know there is a market for cannabis hospitality and tourism, so the idea of adding establishments that allow (and encourage) legal consumption is a no-brainer. Build it, and they will come—and get ripped.

In the U.S., it will make no small amount of people happy to welcome Lowell Farms: A Cannabis Cafe into the mix. At the cafe, now open at the corner of La Brea and Lexington in West Hollywood, the vibe is different—it could be a trendy small-plates restaurant. The interior is bright, draped with greenery, and home to hairpin-legged tables and patrons—who are, most likely, passing a bong. Legally! While eating delicious food! And smoking weed! Legally!

[Disclosure: Lowell Farms donated cannabis to a Dope Girls event in Los Angeles in May.]

Lowell Herb Company made its name by growing quality, organic cannabis flower—and using that glorious crop to make pre-rolled joints, sold individually or in packs (the latter of which come displayed in biodegradable packaging, complete with a strike pad and green-tipped, loose matches—what even.) Even the company’s name has stoner roots, paying homage to weed hero William “Bull” Lowell, who grew hemp on his central Californian coastal farm and—as legend has it—was the impetus for the 1913 Poison Act, which marked the beginning of a long-ass battle with California.

Of course, adult-use went into effect in the state back in 2018. What better way to celebrate than by navigating the United States’ wildly confusing cannabis laws à la Catherine Zeta-Jones in “Entrapment" and launching an open-air brick-and-mortar with an on-site consumption license?

Now, the cafe has the distinction of being the first of its kind in the United States. Prior to its opening, those who wished to partake were legally relegated to friends’ couches, back alleys (which can be risky), and the occasional public, enclosed space. (For example, the one I visited in San Francisco’s Embarcadero neighborhood, a dispensary that also offered a “safe” space where I could toke on a business trip. TBH, it was mostly depressed-looking white guys tuning out to soundless televisions in a dark, carpeted bar that served only soda and juice. The communal smoking devices all looked like balloon animals.)

“I think it's what Los Angeles needed, and what a lot of people were telling me they wish existed in the city,” says Vanessa Lavorato, founder of L.A.-based infused chocolatier company Marigold Sweets and co-host of VICE’s weed cooking series “Bong Appétit.” “Los Angeles is such a huge market for cannabis. It'll be a tourist destination, which is great.”

The concept is four years in the making, Lowell’s restaurant director Kevin Brady says. “Our team traveled across the world to places like Barcelona and Amsterdam to seek inspiration in its conception,” he says. “As pioneers of ending cannabis prohibition, we are devoted to the treatment of cannabis in the same light as alcohol.”

A lot of cannabis businesses and professionals are highly averse to likening the industry’s journey to anything remotely involved with booze. And weed is different. For one, going too hard in cannabis means maybe an extra-long bath, whereas, well, not so much with alcohol. But! In an effort to further encourage the mainstream to go green, we need to make some safe-feeling parallels abundantly obvious.

The folks behind this cafe agree, as it turns out.

“The first step was making [the plant] for sale,” Brady says, “and now it is to give the public access to a safe, communal space where cannabis can be consumed without stigma. The unanimous approval by the West Hollywood Business License Commission solidifies cannabis' space in California, helping further its normalization.”

It’s no secret a lot of the people cashing in as the Green Rush surges across the country look alike: that likeness is whiteness. And as a small group of people accumulate wealth because of the plant, an enormous population—primarily people of color—continue to sit behind bars because of the same plant. Lowell works to be a responsible and self-aware player in the game, and launched an initiative to hire team members who have been previously incarcerated on nonviolent, cannabis-related charges.

As Lowell’s CEO David Elias says, “It's our priority to establish programs such as these to give motivated, bright individuals a second chance, and allow them to participate in this thriving industry.” 20% of Lowell’s current workforce were hired through the initiative.

Menu-wise, Lowell Café also scored big: Andrea Drummer is the head chef. For the uninitiated, Drummer—who penned the 2017 book Cannabis Cuisine: Bud Pairing of A Born Again Chef, and appeared in television shows like Cooking on High and the forthcoming Green Valley—is to cannabis-infused cooking what Jimi Hendrix was to electric guitar. But, as of now, Lowell won’t offer infused fare. (Instead, consumption will be allowed only in smoking and vaping form.) Drummer will shape Lowell Cafe’s offerings, which Brady calls “reflective of California flavors with its farm-to-table experience for both cuisine and cannabis.” Some menu items include fried chicken sandwiches, grilled peaches and burrata, and white-bean hummus with crudités.

Locals are excited.

“[Andrea] really created a niche for herself as high-end dining and education about edibles, and how to consume cannabis responsibly,” Lavorato says. “So it's a big deal that she got this on-site consumption license. There were only a few issued by West Hollywood, and I think it's appropriate that she is one of [them].”

There will be communal bongs in addition to on-hand “flower hosts,” who will function as weed sommeliers, making even the most canna-curious feel at ease. It stands to reason that, given the tourism potential and dangers of newbies going too hard, there will be the occasional THC zealot gone wrong. But that shouldn’t make these polished professionals blink an eye. As Brady points out, “The effects of cannabis affect everyone differently.”

Namely, some heavy doses of THC can make some people feel pretty high anxiety, which isn’t always great when combined with a (sure-to-be) bustling restaurant setting.

“Should a guest feel uncomfortable they are welcome to just ‘chill’ and come down from their high,” Brady says. “Our flower hosts and staff are expertly trained to provide guidance to prevent this scenario. Guests may also take a rideshare service back to their residence.”

Lyft me up, Scotty.