A visit to a London cannabis cafe

Sarah Green
Nov 6 · 3 min read
Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

I set off on a rainy Saturday in November, the sound of fireworks in the distance. As I waited for the bus there was a slight anticipation of what the evening would hold. This wasn’t going to be an ordinary Saturday night at a restaurant or a pub. This time I was going somewhere a little different…

A friend had arranged for a group of us to attend a London cannabis cafe. Many of these types of cafes can be found hiding in plain sight all over London, with many more up and down the UK. The location was sent to us by text, and as we got closer to the venue more specific instructions were given. Behind an ordinary-looking high street shopfront we were escorted through and welcomed indoors out of the cold. Once inside, we were ushered in and through another door where there was a counter with a small bar selling soft drinks and snacks. The interior was reminiscent of a coffeeshop in Amsterdam; the low lighting adding to the atmosphere.

We immediately got the etiquette wrong, walking through to the seating area before being called back to the to go over the policies of the venue, show ID and make our purchase. Scrambling together enough cash between us, we got some Cali weed and went to take our seats. Inside the main area was a mixture of booths and tables, dimly lit with decorations still up from the Halloween party the night before. All the booths were taken already so we sat at a table to enjoy our weed and take in the surroundings for the evening. There were people from all ages at the club, and although it was male-dominated there were a couple of other women which was good to see. We helped to even out the balance anyway!

The ‘speakeasy’ feel at the club certainly added to the vibe of the evening. As conversations with friends began to flow, we felt at ease and very comfortable in our new hangout for the evening. One of the people who worked at the venue chatted to us briefly about a leak they’d had the night before, carefully checking the ceiling to make sure there was no damage. The mood in the club was friendly and relaxed.

We talked about everything from maths to mental health; the warm and open environment combined with the effects of the cannabis allowing for conversations to begin on a deeper level than usual. As anyone that consumes will know, cannabis is a connector of minds, allowing for deep and multifaceted discourse to flow with ease. Some new friends joined us later on in the evening, and conversations continued to meander across engaging and varied themes.

While we were at the venue, it struck me what an important role cannabis clubs and cafes have in facilitating conscious communication. So much of our dialogue nowadays is superficial and lacking in depth and connectedness; and when combined with our increasingly isolated and lonely ways of living, it’s easy to see how this lack of connection can be a recipe for all sorts of problems. Cannabis social spaces could be a viable solution to the disconnection that is behind so many mental health challenges we have in today’s society.

Cannabis social venues are an exciting prospect for the creating and sharing of ideas. As we move forward with the rapid regulation of cannabis across the world, it’s important to acknowledge the importance of cannabis clubs and cafes in creating a space to communicate, and facilitate connection and community. Where pubs are often busy and full of drunk people talking nonsense at you, cannabis venues provide a refreshing alternative for those that prefer to remember their conversations the next day. Good conversation allows you to feel more connected, and after our night at the cannabis cafe came to an end, I felt recharged by the conversations I’d enjoyed that night. Here’s to many more evenings spent socialising over cannabis and reveling in the art of conversation.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade