But even in states where cannabis has been legal for years, the rules on its consumption are still evolving. Alaska voters ushered in legal recreational marijuana use in 2014. Still, on the Alaska cruises restarting this summer, passengers can buy cannabis at ports of call but can’t bring it back to the ship because they sail in federal waters. They also can’t smoke it in town, or take it kayaking, fishing or on a hike onto federal land, said Ms. Rose, who added that she hoped consumption lounges would be allowed in the future because currently, “you tell people it’s legal to consume, but there’s nowhere to do it.”
Hotels generally have “no smoking” rules for all substances. But based on complaints about odors posted on the Trip Advisor review site, guests don’t always take them seriously. The MGM Grand in Las Vegas has multiple posts on the topic, including one that said, “Hotel hallways reeked of marijuana smoke 24/7. Not really a place for kids.” Brian Ahern, director of media relations at MGM Resorts International, said in an emailed statement that “marijuana is explicitly prohibited at all MGM Resorts properties, and this policy is clearly communicated to guests and visitors.” Violations can result in fines and eviction, he said.
Legal status of the substance doesn’t seem to matter in this case — there are complaints from all parts of the country, including states like Texas and South Carolina where smoking cannabis is illegal. A reviewer at a hotel in Garland, Texas, claimed that when they complained, staff tried to pass the smell off as incense, but “I know what pot smells like,” the guest wrote. A reviewer in Columbia, S. C., complained of their hotel: “It smells marijuana all over. I just don’t understand the management doesn’t do anything.”
Future daze
As cannabis continues to gain acceptance, travelers may be more likely to incorporate into their vacation plans. Jesse Porquis, a 31-year-old-corporate software instructor from Denver, wasn’t specifically looking for lodging that allowed marijuana use when he embarked on a recent camping trip. But he decided to try out Camp Kush in southwest Colorado, after reading its description, which included an artist in residence as well as communal hang out spaces where guests could smoke weed.
On site he mingled with guests, including a couple in their 50s from South Carolina consuming legally for the first time. It was a comfortable and relaxed experience, he said, “that just happened to include marijuana and meeting interesting people.”
The attitude was, “hang out and leave the rest of the world behind,” Mr. Porquis said. And he’d like to do it again.
Jennifer Steinhauer contributed reporting.
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