Cannabis Café Opens in Portland, OR

In a sign of some things sure to come, the nation's first marijuana café opened Friday in Portland, Oregon.

Called The Cannabis Café, this 100-patron seat café provides a unique environment for a unique clientele. In order to gain entry, a person must be a member of the organization called NORML, be an Oregon resident and have a valid prescription for medical marijuana.

"This club represents personal freedom, finally, for our members," said Madeline Martinez, Oregon's executive director of NORML, a national group pushing for marijuana legalization.

"Our plans go beyond serving food and marijuana," said Martinez. "We hope to have classes, seminars, even a Cannabis Community College, based here to help people learn about growing and other uses for cannabis.”

A two-story building houses the café and has a rich history itself. It has a history as a former speak-easy and has been Rumpspankers, an adult, erotic club.

Café members must pay $25 per month to maintain their private club membership.

According to NORML records, there are about 21,000 registered medical marijuana users in Oregon. Medical marijuana has been proscribed for a host of ailments, including Alzheimer's, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and Tourette's syndrome.

Although the café does not serve alcohol and gives away portions of medical marijuana, its servers are call budtenders. The café does serve food.

The owner, Eric Solomon has great plans for the cafés success.

"I still run a coffee shop and events venue, just like I did before we converted it to the Cannabis Cafe, but now it will be cannabis-themed," said Solomon.

His future plans include holding marijuana-themed weddings, film festivals and dances in the second-floor ballroom.

The café opens nearly a month after the Obama administration told federal attorneys not to prosecute patients who use marijuana for medical reasons or dispensaries in states which have legalized them.

It has totally relaxed some who qualify for The Cannabis Café membership.

"To have a place that is this open about its activities, where people can come together and smoke -- I say that's pretty amazing." said Tim Pate

And even with some reservations, other locals are hoping it might even be good for business.

"I know some neighbors are pretty negative about this place opening up," said David Bell, who works nearby. "But I'm withholding judgment. There's no precedent for it. We don't know what to expect. But it would great if it brought some customers into our store."