Cannabis retailers in Portland, Maine can now legally serve freshly prepared drinks like lattes and teas, as long as they don’t contain marijuana.
The Portland City Council and mayor voted unanimously on Monday to update city code and allow marijuana retail locations to operate as restaurants in the context of nonalcoholic beverage preparation. This change clears the way for cannabis cafes and shops to sell non-infused beverages made on-site to those 21 and older.
Mark Barnett, owner of Higher Grounds on Wharf Street, had long pushed for the amendment. His business operated as a traditional coffee shop until switching to cannabis retail in 2020—yet he was barred from selling the very drinks that built his customer base. Barnett called the previous rule a source of “severe economic pain” and said the update could help other struggling shops diversify their income.
“It would also allow any other marijuana retail stores to better diversify their revenue streams in a time of economic crisis,” Barnett told the council.
The change is expected to cost the city roughly $102,800 to hire an additional marijuana inspector. However, Councilor Anna Bullett, who sponsored the amendment, noted that the city was already planning to bring on more regulatory staff due to nearly 100 licensed marijuana businesses.
“You kind of have to write new rules,” said Bullett. “And sometimes you have to change the rules that you wrote because new things happen—this is one of those circumstances.”
