Maine’s smoking rules may hamper cannabis consumption clubs

Maine is poised to become one of the first states to allow public consumption in social clubs, but a key restriction could handicap potential marijuana clubs: no smoking.

According to the Portland Press Herald, a bill to establish regulations covering Maine’s recreational marijuana industry doesn’t provide an exemption to a state law banning smoking in general in public places.

That means social clubs would only be able to allow edibles, tinctures and other forms of cannabis that don’t involve smoking. 

This could diminish the allure of social clubs, making the business model more challenging.

State lawmakers are still hammering out specific regulations, so they could potentially work a provision in to the bill to allow smoking marijuana. But the Press Herald report says that outcome is unlikely.