The Front Tea and Art Shop in Lafayette Colorado is best described as eclectic. During the daylight hours the cafe on the corner of S. Public Road and Cleveland Street is a coffee and tea shop that specializes hemp and mushroom coffee and chainsaw art by Bongo Love, a world famous carver of reclaimed wood. It's a lively family-friendly place, a buzz with activity and lots of local art. By night the cafe becomes The Hive Co-op, where the buzz changes to a cannabis coffee and tea shop, for 21 and older folks only. The caveat, BYOC, "bring your own cannabis," to smoke or use in a vaporizer. There is a one-ounce limit, $5 cover charge, and valid ID card holders only.
The shop owner, Veronica Carpio, opened the shop after Amendment 64 passed, legalizing marijuana in Colorado. Even with Amendment 64's passage, is a cannabis cafe legal? The Colorado State legislature is working out the kinks now to determine just what is legal and what is not. Carpio has walked the ledge of legality in the past. The Daily Camera newspaper reports the she closed her dispensary after being charged with marijuana possession.
According to the Daily Camera newspaper, she agreed to a plea deal for felony possession in exchange for the dismissal of more serious distribution charges, and was sentenced to 12 months of probation and 48 hours of community service.
Local law officials say she seems to be well versed in the law and is well within the guidelines, according to statements by Lafayette police Cmdr. Gene McCausey.
Law makers met recently to begin the process of creating the rules. In the meantime, a club like the The Hive Co-op is legal, strictly as a gathering place. If anyone were to sell it, that would be illegal. The top priorities as of now are public safety issues, such a juvenile use and driving under the influence.
Who knows, in time it may be necessary to request a cannabis smoking section or a cannabis-free smoking section in Colorado restaurants.
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