DENVER — Get ready to start seeing more people smoking marijuana inside some of Denver’s businesses. The city is approving a new hospitality establishment license so people can legally consume cannabis products on site.

They started accepting applications in November, and approved the first license this month.

Before this year, people could consume marijuana legally outside their home if it was at a private social club operating on a membership. After overhauling its marijuana rules and regulations in 2021, Denver didn’t allow private clubs to allow on-site consumption anymore. The city now requires a license to do that.

On Monday, the city approved a license for an existing private club in Rino called Tetra Lounge, pending successful completion of required inspections. Its owner, Dewayne Benjamin, hopes to open a consumption lounge before 4/20.

Tetra Lounge has operated as a private social club over the past few years, but the business had to close after the new licensing mandate went into effect in Denver. The business became the first social equity applicant in Denver approved for a hospitality establishment license, pending inspections.

Denver is solely focused on social equity applicants for this licensing to make the industry more diverse and accessible. Tetra Lounge will now be designated as a legal and safe place to consume marijuana in Denver. [Read More @ 9News.com]