Music and flashing lights greeted passengers as they boarded a new party bus for marijuana users. The High There Hopper was created by the same people who came up with dating app for weed smokers.
The party bus is being branded as a mobile cannabis lounge, a place to experience marijuana and socialize.
"We’ve all ridden limos before, people drink and consume alcohol in limos, why couldn’t we provide the similar experience for cannabis users," said Brain Sherman, Chief Operations Officer for High There.
Recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado but it's illegal to use it in public. The creators of the High There app claim the bus helps solve two problems: the lack of legal locations to enjoy marijuana and the risk of driving under the influence. They also said the party bus concept is 100 percent legal.
"Obviously we want to ensure the safety of Denver residents and this is something that we’re paying close attention to. It seems to be operating within the law," said Dan Rowland with Denver’s Office of Marijuana Policy.
Under Colorado law it's okay to smoke weed in limos. High There partnered with an existing limo company, working on this concept for the past three months. The bus does not have a partition separating the driver but marijuana is not allowed to be consumed in that area.
"This is what freedom looks like in Colorado," said Robert Correy, legal counsel for the High There Hopper. "If it’s inside the bus with tinted windows on private property, smoking is perfectly legal under the laws of our state.”
The idea has similarities to the popular ride sharing service Uber, allowing riders can track the exact location of the bus through the app.
The limousine party bus seats 20 people. The service will launch a route in Denver's Lower Downtown (LoDo) on Saturday, January 2.
The company is also in talks with concert venues and events like the X Games to provide transportation. Sherman said he envisions expanding the bus to other cities with similar marijuana laws.