San Francisco is gearing up for the "Space Walk" — a cannabis lounge crawl planned for 2026 that promises to be the weed-friendly answer to pub crawls. And look, we're not here to clutch pearls about legal cannabis. Prop 64 passed a decade ago. Adults can make their own choices. That's kind of our whole thing.

But let's zoom out for a second.

The city is rolling out the welcome mat for cannabis tourism at a moment when some rather pressing issues remain, shall we say, under-addressed. Homicides are trending sharply upward compared to last year's historic lows. The city's response to the spike? Officials have literally called for a "ceasefire." As one local put it: "A ceasefire! Wonderful work! Sounds like they came to an understanding with the murderers." Another SF resident added, with the dry wit this city is known for: "City calls for ceasefire? Genius. Next calls for no more crimes pls."

We bring this up not to rain on anyone's Space Walk parade, but because it perfectly illustrates San Francisco's peculiar talent for prioritizing vibes over fundamentals. The city can fast-track a cannabis crawl but can't seem to fast-track basic public safety infrastructure. We can curate an experience economy for tourists but struggle to make residents feel safe walking home.

To be clear: cannabis lounges are a legitimate business. Entrepreneurs should be free to build them, and adults should be free to patronize them. The free market works — let it work. But city government's job isn't to be an event promoter. Its job is to keep people safe, maintain clean streets, and not waste taxpayer money.

If San Francisco wants to be a cannabis tourism destination, fine. But maybe nail the basics first? A city where people feel safe enough to walk is a prerequisite for a city where people want to Space Walk.

Get the fundamentals right, and the fun stuff follows. Get it backwards, and you're just putting glitter on a pothole.