Mary Jane and her boyfriend Reggie are on the guest list for Delaware’s victory party this weekend to celebrate the legalization of recreational cannabis use in the state.
This blowout party is at Thousand Farm Acre in Middletown on Friday. Guests must be 21 or older to attend.
On the event flyer, it says guests are encouraged to “BYOBud (WE DON’T MEAN BEER).” In case you haven’t had your coffee yet, that means attendees are urged to bring their own weed.
Here are five things to know before attending this celebration hosted by marijuana prohibition organizations Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network (Delaware CAN), and Delaware NORML.
Who is Reggie?
Like the iconic Mary Jane, Reggie is also a pop-culture reference related to marijuana. Reggie is slang for “regular” weed.
What should you expect from Delaware’s weed celebration?
DJ Marchitect will set the tone as guests have options to enjoy happy hour and hors d’oeuvres (from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.), food trucks, cash bar, raffles, giveaways, bonfire and more. Event organizers also will share a few words as folks blaze up.
Marijuana is legal in Delaware.What does it mean for you?
Why is this event 21 or older?
When Delaware became the 22nd state to legalize recreational marijuana use on April 23, that law benefited only adults ages 21 or older. Like smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol in Delaware, it’s illegal to consume marijuana if you’re underage.
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Is it legal to smoke weed at this event?
Yes, it’s legal for guests to consume the legal limit of weed at this victory party. Although it’s illegal to still consume cannabis in public in the First State, Thousand Acre Farm will allow guests to smoke marijuana on their private property for this weed celebration, said Zoe Patchell, president of Delaware CAN.
Why is legal weed in Delaware important?
Delaware’s decision to legalize cannabis protects over 145,000 adult cannabis consumers in the state from arrest, civil citation, seizure of property and money, and the threat of being subjected to the criminal justice system, according to the Delaware CAN website.
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Patchell said too often when people think of legalization, the criminal justice aspects often are overlooked for the economic benefits, which do include “positive economic impacts.”
But that’s not Delaware CAN’s top priority.
“The main focus for us is on ending the human cost of cannabis prohibition and following up with additional reforms to address all the harms that have been caused by this bad policy over the last almost nine decades,” the organization’s president explained.
Victory for a ’long-fought milestone’
Patchell said Delaware CAN has fought on the frontlines to legalize marijuana for a decade. It was a full-circle moment when the state legalized weed, she added, because this year marks the 10th anniversary of the nonprofit.
“This has just been such an incredible collaborative process involving thousands of organizations, local small businesses, and thousands of supporters across the state,” Patchell said.
“After overcoming the countless obstacles that we had to overcome to achieve this long-fought milestone, we’re really excited to be able to celebrate this victory together as a community.”
Delaware’s legalization victory party is at Thousand Acre Farm (260 Reedy Point Road, Middletown) from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday. Parking is $5. Visit facebook.com/DelawareCANorg, denorml.org or call (302) 404-4208.
Reporter Hannah Edelman (hedelman@delawareonline.com) contributed to this report.
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