Fast-forward a few decades, and we've seen individual states struggle with how to legalize at the state level what is still inexplicably illegal at the Federal level. Different approaches have been taken with varying levels of success by OR, CA, WA, CO, etc., in their efforts to legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis. The road usually goes through legalized medical use, followed by recreational legalization.
Upon retiring from my day job, I thought I'd do some "research" into the brave new world of recreational legalization of cannabis in the belly of the beast, where the Federal mandate against its use emanates, and where a particular journalist who posts here lives - DC. I've been in a CA dispensary (basically, stoner heaven) and have had buds legally delivered to a hotel where I was staying out there once. But DC's way of doing business is...different. Besides the obvious conflict between Federal illegality and local permissiveness, there's also the issue of buying and selling weed in DC still being illegal, while possession of up to two oz and cultivation of up to six plants is legal. How to get past the thorny problem of legal possession with no commercial legal means of acquisition? Answer: Initiative 71. Basically, since it can't be bought or sold, the only way to transfer ownership is to "gift" it. From the link:
There are at least a couple ways this manifests itself. One way is for cooperatives to use storefronts to distribute small quantities of buds. At the one I went to, you pay $42 for a t-shirt or ball cap, and get a "gift" of ~2 grams of locally grown bud of indeterminate strain. No bueno.In November, 2014, nearly 65 percent of D.C. voters gave approval to Initiative 71, which allows for the legal possession of up to two ounces of marijuana, consumption in private homes, and the cultivation of up to six plants at a time. It also permits adults over the age of 21 to give each other up to one ounce of marijuana at a time, though it does not allow for sales of the drug.
The preferred means of procurement is the 420 event, which as described in the linked story, is basically an indoor flea market of vendors peddling their tasty wares - flowers, edibles, concentrates, oils, etc. Sites advertising the many daily events are easy to find online, but they don't show locations. Those interested in attending must send an email or message to the organizers, who reply with invitations showing the location's address, which is usually what appears to be a "vacant" multi-story row house in Northwest. Upon arrival and entry into the home's foyer, you're greeted by a rather large man of African descent who will need to see your invitation and ID, after which he will pat you down for weapons. At many of the events, there is a $5 charge to get in, which is waived for veterans like me. Once inside, there are usually 2-3 floors within the house in which the vendors have set up tables displaying their goods. They usually have 4-12 strains of bud available, displayed in glass jars with magnification lids that allow customers to view the nugs as if they were fine jewels. They also have oil cartridges, vape pens, shatter, wax, dabs, edibles - all form of consumable cannabis. You could also occasionally sample what was being offered. But to stay Initiative 71 compliant, none of the goods can be purchased. Customers pay $30-50 for stickers, cards, plastic beads, or other valueless items, then get to choose an eighth of an ounce of whatever the vendor has available as their gift. Customers can legally walk out with up to 2 oz. Despite the crappy drive through DC to get to them and the farcical business model, I dug going to the events. There are so many strains now, and the names given them are often pretty funny (I was enjoying Girl Scout Cookies on my drive cross country). But the worst quality bud available at an event is still far better than what I used to have to settle for back in the day.
Now that I'm in AZ, I'll have to get a medical card. There's a dispensary ~ 10 miles away, and I'm sure I can get delivery service. Or I may just quit. I have an oil cartridge and enough Blueberry gifted from the last event I attended to last a few more days. We'll see how things go after that.
