San Francisco's Board of Supervisors has voted to allow licensed cannabis retailers to serve food and non-alcoholic drinks on site, paving the way for Amsterdam-style cannabis cafés in the city. Retailers hope the move will boost tourist traffic, but lung health experts have raised concerns about exposure to harmful chemicals produced by cannabis smoke and vapour, warning of potential risks to customers and staff who spend time in such venues.

The decision, passed in mid-July, brings San Francisco closer to the café-style cannabis consumption model long associated with the Netherlands, where patrons can smoke or vape on premises while eating and drinking. While the change is being welcomed by parts of the cannabis industry as a potential draw for visitors, medical experts cited in reporting on the vote highlighted worries about "toxic chemical" exposure linked to inhaling cannabis smoke, adding a public health dimension to the debate over the policy's rollout.