Washington DC permanently bans cannabis clubs

City lawmakers in Washington DC voted to slap a permanent ban on private clubs catering to marijuana users, eliminating the chance for recreational cannabis business opportunities in the nation’s capital.

The DC Council’s 7-6 vote sends the measure to Mayor Muriel Bowser, who already has said she supports outlawing the clubs, Washingtonian magazine reported.

District voters approved a ballot measure in 2014 legalizing the possession, home cultivation and private use of cannabis by adults. But the referendum barred its use in public places like parks and restaurants, and Congress has prevented the city from starting commercial recreational marijuana sales (thought medical cannabis sales are legal).

The legislation passed Tuesday lumps private-membership groups into the list of public places where cannabis use is illegal. It also makes permanent a temporary ban imposed earlier this year when a handful of clubs surfaced.