Washington state officials say it's not OK for bars to allow marijuana use, and they'll take quick steps to address that.
The announcement from the state Liquor Control Board on Wednesday followed a recent report by The Associated Press about establishments in Olympia and Tacoma that allow people to consume marijuana on-site.
But a worker at one such bar in Tacoma says the state’s efforts will do little good.
"Shutting down cannabis being used where alcohol is, is not going to stop it. It’s just going to mean that we can't regulate it. Right now, we are trying to do that, and I think that's the best bet to go,” said Michael Schaef, who runs the vapor bar above Stonegate Pizza in Tacoma.
Schaef says he prevents overuse at his club by closing down at midnight—earlier than the rest of the bar. And, he says, his patrons who are using pot aren’t drinking very much; rather, they tend to order pizza to go with their cannabis.
Washington legalized pot for adults last fall, but public display and use of marijuana is barred under the law, punishable by a civil infraction carrying a $103 fine.
The Liquor Control Board's rules allow it to punish bars that allow criminal activity on-site, but not bars that allow civil infractions, and that's the loophole regulators intend to address.
