It's Weed Week!
Plus: LY in NY
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Time to read: About 4 minutes. Contains 1,019 words.
Good morning!
The most magical, myrcene-dominant time of year has arrived. For this cannabis columnist, every 4/20 has served as a sort of timestamp for my career. 4/20/2020 marked the start of my three-year stint as Thrillist’s Cannabis Editor. Last 4/20, I got to coordinate and moderate my own dream panel about creativity and cannabis business at Los Angeles’ Aster Hotel with Marta Freedman, Geraldine Mae Cueva, and Lizzy Jeff (and we all got PAID). This year, I am letting myself roll with the whimsy of our blessed weed holiday, and decided last minute to venture far out of my comfort zone: I’m going to New York!
It feels right to do it big for the first 4/20 with my book out there in the world. There are a ton of things happening, but I’m centering my trip around a “surrealist 4/20 infused dinner” hosted by the accessory brand Amitha on Saturday. I’m going to try and make it to as many other activations as possible—including Sundae School’s ice cream truck!—as well as a few dispensaries. It’s also my first time in the city (!), so some basic touristing will be at hand. The surrealist dinner, the shops, the happenings—I’ll be sharing observations on all of the above in a phat New York scene update next week.
For now, here are a few news items and legislative updates on my mind as we gear up for celebrations this weekend. Happy preparations, dear readers!
One-Hitters: Cannabis News at a Glance
“Green-out” solutions are a must at this year’s festivities. It’s 2024—if you don’t have harm reduction supplies on hand at your consumption-friendly event, you’re setting your guests up for potential disaster. For further reading on the options out there, I unlocked this past post for all to read about the trend and what’s inside the products made to help highs fade faster when people are feeling uncomfortably intoxicated. (I haven’t tried it, but I learned about Undoo after publication, so mentioning it here for consideration.)
Origin story: Mary Romano. Yes, that was my pen name for the first year or so of my writing career, and, no, I did not get to pick it myself. You can hear the full story, along with a lot more of my backstory as a mixed race kid growing up in predominantly white rural Oregon and how cannabis helped give me a sense of belonging as an adult in this episode of the Seriously Authentic podcast, hosted by the very brilliant and creative Larissa Board.
A different schedule for medical vs. adult use. Recent comments from FDA Commissioner Robert Califf brought up a third avenue in the current discussion of rescheduling possibilities for cannabis: what if medical and adult use get treated differently? This was pure musing from Califf during a hearing called by U.S. Rep. James Comer, a Kentucky Republican and the chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and may not factor in anywhere, but it does highlight a possibility not yet discussed.
50.3% of U.S. adults have tried cannabis, ever. Only half! That’s according to a 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Now, considering a few percentage points for people who weren’t down to get that real when surveyed, it’s still a reality check of how many people are still waiting for the right product to be presented to them in the right way at the right time. We know way more than 50% believe cannabis should be legal for medical and/or recreational use, and a chunk of them are likely curious—they just haven’t felt 100% comfortable walking into a dispensary or ordering Delta 9 gummies just yet. I’m always encouraged by statistics like these—they remind me of all the potential that lies ahead.
Some cannabis companies are being targeted by PPP loan whistleblowers. Because the Paycheck Protection Program was a federal program, the Justice Department is including cannabis-touching and ancillary cannabis companies in investigations into possibly illegitimate loans dispersed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The DOJ has a policy that entitles 15% of the proceeds from any settlement agreement to individuals who provides tips of PPP loan violations under the False Claims Act, fueling a wave of companies dedicated to this exact whistleblowing. One public case that DOJ disclosed last month involved a holding company of Marley Natural.
A certification for products with intoxicating hemp THC on the the way. The U.S. Hemp Authority is about to launch an Adult-Use Hemp Product Certification Program to help legitimize and foster more confidence in the safety of Delta-8 and Delta-9 THC hemp products. The seal of approval would ensure that products use “good manufacturing practices, truth in labeling, and other measures that the FDA requires for dietary supplements and food and beverages” and additional safety compliance points. I’m curious if many of the hemp brands reading this are certified through the USHA? I’m not sure how much of an industry-standard the certification is on the non-intoxicating side. I think a certification program for good actors sounds fine, but in light of the growing calls for bans on intoxicating hemp, it’ll take crackdowns on bad actors to make a real dent in public perception.
The weed scene in California’s wine country is going strong. I loved reading this Wine Enthusiast piece charting cannabis adventures from posh San Francisco dispensaries out to destinations like The Madrones, Cannescape getaways, and even CBD mud bath spa experiences in Sonoma and Mendocino County.
The next weed gathering holiday: 4/21? A handful of New York brands are organizing a hike on the Hudson River Greenway down to Riverbank State Park for the day after 4/20 as a way to “close out the weekend festivities with movement and mindful consumption in community.” While I know many people are going to want to chill at home on Sunday, I like this idea of a wind-down/extension of the holiday, especially in the form of physical activity. I went to a workout class the day after 4/20 a few years back and really enjoyed that day-after detox vibe.
In green gratitude for every one of you,
Lauren Yoshiko