Penticton 'potio' smoking lounge blazing a trail for cannabis tourism
A dispensary in Penticton made its patio into a pot smoking lounge, and its success could turn a new leaf for the cannabis industry in the Okanagan.
Back in February the BC government permitted smoking pot anywhere you’re allowed to smoke cigarettes. Cannabis Cottage on Martin Street took the opportunity to realize a vision for a social space for weed enthusiasts.
Cannabis Cottage owner Mariana Wolff said the “potio” has been busy since its grand opening on April 20 (4/20), an auspicious date for a cannabis event. It was one of the first shops to open up a smoking lounge in the Okanagan.
“We've been calling it the ‘potio’ and we have a few picnic tables outside. It's honestly so simple. It's just a designated space that's on private property. People are welcome from the community to come and use the space, even if it means bringing your own, because it's just a place where you can consume with other like-minded people,” Wolff said.
The shop has been working with craftspeople in the community to host events like painting workshops with featured cannabis products and live music.
“We'll feature a brand that night. And then everybody will get to learn a little bit about the brand and experience some of their product and consume some of it. Then they participate in this guided crafting night,” Wolff said.
Wolff said the patio is free for people to use even when there isn’t an event.
“There are people that have said, ‘oh, I just love that this space is here. It's just convenient. It's on my walk home.’ So they'll choose us because it's somewhere where they can quickly have their smoke right after work, do their unwind, kind of like someone might stop at a local pub and have a quick beer,” Wolff said.
Since the shop is downtown there are people who live in buildings nearby who don’t have a place they are allowed to smoke.
READ MORE: OKIB staff met with weed police months before raid
“There's people that live in the area that are in apartment buildings that have bylaws in the building where they're not allowed to consume, even in the parking lot of the building and definitely not in their units. So it's been good, especially for those individuals in the community,” Wolff said.
Wolff is going to try to keep the patio open during the winter with help from a customer who donated an outdoor space heater.
“There are two tables that we pushed together on the heater. So there is a little bit of heat there. That's going to be a trial into the winter to see if people can respect the heater, and determine how much propane we go through and how much it's gonna cost,” Wolff said. “It was just donated last week, and it's already been getting used daily.”
Other cannabis shops around the Okanagan have reached out to see how they can follow Cannabis Cottage’s lead.
“Somebody out by Silver Star had their retail store that has a really cool backyard area. They were going to try and do the same thing. There's slowly going to be more of these spaces opening up across the province. And I'd love for B.C. to stay at the front of that and show Canada how it can work,” Wolff said.
At the moment people are allowed to smoke and consume pre-packaged edibles on the patio but Wolff hopes to see regulation change that would allow for a cafe with weed infused menu items.
“I would absolutely love to be a full blown cannabis cafe and partner with a baker in town and get infused baked goods and have espresso and tea that's infused. So down the road, that's where I'd like to see it going,” Wolff said. “It's definitely satisfying for the moment, but there's lots of room for regulatory improvement and evolution.”
Wolff sees a future where cannabis tourism is comparable to the tourism around beer and wine in the Okanagan and around Canada.
“I just feel like this is the next big step. I want the regulators to see that it can work, that it can be managed safely, and that it's something that will definitely contribute to and be a big part of tourism in our part of the country in the future,” Wolff said.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jesse Tomas or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. Find our Journalism Ethics policy here.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.
