Group makes push for cannabis cafes in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A group wants Oregon lawmakers to allow public places such as cafes where people can smoke legal pot.

Current law says people can only smoke it in private. The New Revenue Coalition wants to change that so people can have public places to light up. The group says people aren’t able to smoke in private because many rental units bar smoking indoors.

Oregon Public Broadcasting says the group will have to persuade lawmakers to allow waivers to the Indoor Clean Air Act, which aims to protect people from secondhand smoke by creating smoke-free public places.

Dr. Tom Jeanne, an epidemiologist at the Oregon Health Authority, says the agency doesn’t take positions for or against legislative proposals but he’s concerned about the health effects cannabis cafes could have.

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Information from: KOPB-FM, http://news.opb.org