Reader: Denver Has Effectively Legalized Social Consumption Out of Existence

Denver has been cracking down on cannabis events, issuing violation citations to nine different organizers and venues – including the city’s longest-standing marijuana lounge – for allowing unlicensed public pot consumption.

Tetra Lounge had received tentative approval to operate as an indoor marijuana venue in 2022, but still hasn’t received an official permit. The RiNo venue has held occasional private events allowing marijuana use as it works toward city licensing approval, but that violates public consumption laws, according to the Denver Department of Excise & Licenses, which served Tetra and owner Dewayne Benjamin a general violation ticket on July 29. And over the past month, the department has issued similar notices to eight other entities.

Consumers lit up over Denver’s weed-related enforcement actions in their comments on the Westword Instagram page. Says Elias: 

Denver has effectively legalized social consumption out of existence.

Counters the Farmer: 

Get a license! I have to have a license to operate legally; why shouldn’t they have to finish upgrading the building to handle smoke and then get their license and be legal? Because they don’t want to. …I’m tired of my business being held to one standard and potheads another! Just sayin’: Put the bong down and get the work completed and then get your license!

Notes Steele:

 What a waste of time and tax dollars.

Adds Charles:

The government needs to decide what its priorities are. Fix your homeless and hard drug problems, and then you can bother people consuming a legalized substance.

Observes Jeff:

 Can’t smoke anywhere but at the house. 

Responds Amanda:

 You can’t smoke cigarettes inside, either. Why should it be any different with pot? It stinks! I don’t smoke either of those, and I don’t want to be around the smell of it. If you want to do it at home, fine. f you want to have edibles at events, fine. But you can’t just smoke it inside anywhere you want. It’s such a disgusting smell.

Concludes Baely: 

Oh, come on! They’re not bothering nobody, and it’s always good vibes.

What do you think of the city’s enforcement’s actions? Denver’s stance on social consumption in general? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.