A new cannabis cafe that just opened at Queen Street in Goodna is already sparking heated debate among locals. The cafe, run by the company Professional Pot Smoker, bills itself as Australia’s first legal cannabis club and a safe space for medicinal marijuana users.
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With 400 members already signed up, the exclusive Cannabis Club offers a membership-based program giving access to private locations across the country.
For a monthly fee of $4.20, club members can visit the inaugural Goodna location and other future sites to socialise, learn about cannabis from medical professionals, and attend cannabis-themed events.
However, the cafe’s proximity to shops and a primary school has some parents feeling concerned about exposing children to marijuana culture.
The founders stated on their website that they opened this club in response to a glaring lack of a safe, welcoming environment where medical marijuana patients can use their medication without discomfort, interact with medical cannabis experts to learn about their treatment, and connect with the larger community of medicinal users to which they belong.
“Our newly refined program aims to address this gap and provide a supportive environment for individuals seeking information, professional guidance, and a sense of community within the realm of medical cannabis,” they stated on the website.
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Cannabis has been legally available by prescription in Australia since 2016 to treat conditions like chronic pain, epilepsy, and side effects from cancer treatment. However, social stigma and complicated access rules have meant relatively low patient numbers so far.
As the first of its kind, the Goodna cannabis cafe reflects evolving cultural attitudes toward marijuana’s therapeutic uses. But it also highlights the tensions that can arise as alternative treatments become more mainstream and visible in local communities.
Published 6-May-2024