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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane marijuana lounge to host kids’ Halloween party

The Members Lounge, a members-only medical marijuana dispensary in Spokane Valley, is hosting a children’s Halloween party.

But it’s not what you think, the owners say.

“We are all parents here and we figured, why not do one little thing for the kids?” said Kevin Jacobs, a co-owner of the establishment and the manager of adjoining sports bar MariJane’s TapHouse and Grill.

Jacobs said all marijuana, pipes, vapor pens, advertising posters and paraphernalia will be moved out of the marijuana lounge to make room for the children’s Halloween party.

“At 9 p.m. the kids will go home and we will move things back in,” Jacobs said. “After that it will be for adults only.”

The Members Lounge shares a building with the sports bar, as well as a medical marijuana co-op called AxisPoint MMD. No marijuana is grown there.

The kids’ party is organized by Access Point Event Center, which also operates out of the same location.

“We are not trying to get around anything or do anything illegal,” said Jacobs, “we are just taking advantage of the square footage that we have.”

Sgt. Matt Smith of the Spokane Valley Police Department said nothing prevents the business from inviting children into the pot dispensary, as long as no products or paraphernalia are visible.

Located in the former Ringo’s Casino, Jacobs said the sports bar and the marijuana lounge are separate. They share an entryway, but bar patrons can’t even see into the lounge.

“You can’t bring your drinks in here,” said Jennifer Dehart, director of operations for the Members Lounge, “and you can’t bring cannabis into the bar.”

The Members Lounge opened in July as a place where people can smoke marijuana in relative privacy as opposed to smoking in a park or at home.

“You have to be a member to smoke here,” said Dehart, “and unless you have a medical card you can’t buy cannabis to smoke here.”

Dehart and Jacobs agree that their business model may be as confusing as the many handmade signs on the front of the building, but they insist they are doing everything by the book.

“We are not having the children’s party to (market) to the kids,” Jacobs said.