What You Should Know about Cannabis Events
Cannabis events are great but you should be aware of a few things.
If you have never been to a cannabis event, you need to get off your couch one weekend and check out our cannabis events schedule here and go to one! Marijuana events can range all the way from the Super Bowl or World Cup Event, MJ BIZ CON Las Vegas, to smaller events like painting and cannabis events at local studios. Yoga and cannabis events are very common now and even cannabis cooking classes are popping up for weekend warriors looking for something new to learn about in the kitchen. Before you go to a cannabis event, it is best to go over a few ground rules or set your expectations.
*You cannot buy weed at most cannabis events…yet. Since cannabis is still Federally illegal and most states run stringent guidelines on how you can and where you can sell cannabis once you get a state license, it is not like going to a ball game and buying a hot dog. Now, that is the official story you will be told by the event organizer, that is what it will say on all the paperwork and licensing as well. They could not get a permit for a cannabis event if they did not agree to those terms. In reality, yes, there will most likely, maybe 90% sure, someone or multiple people selling weed at the event. Think of it like going to a Phish or Grateful Dead show, do they sell weed at the beer stands and hot dog stands in the arena? No. Can you find weed if you just ask a few people or read a few signs? Yes. Many times the sellers will either tell you they are selling by coming up to you and saying they have some great stuff or do you need any. Worst case, if it is small event, cannabis consumers love to share and talk about their weed, so you certainly will be able to bum a joint or try someone else’s stash. Do you want to do that all the time and be “that guy”? No, but for an event where you get caught with no supply, people are generally friendly and will help a fellow stoner out.
*On-site and off-site consumption rules – Most venues will not allow on-site consumption of cannabis since it is Federally illegal, that is just part of the terms of the contract that has to be signed to CYA, or cover your ass as we call it, if you are the venue or vender there. Does that mean their won’t be many people consuming at that location, no way, there will be, it will just be done in areas outside the venue. For example, MZ BIZ CON Las Vegas is the biggest cannabis show in the world each year and it is now held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The Las Vegas Convention Center does not allow cannabis consumption on-site, or in their buildings. Since Nevada is a fully legal medical and recreational cannabis state, there ends up being about 2,000 people smoking or vaping cannabis outside the convention center on the sidewalks and main outside plaza areas. Again, what is says on paper and by letter of the law is no consumption, but in reality, everyone just goes outside to do their business.
*Paying to go to an event – Like events in any business, space, time, and people cost money. People have to charge for events because they have to rent out space, pay speakers or teachers, put on a good presentation of whatever the event is focusing on, and that stuff all costs money. Look, we would all love cannabis to be free for the world and events to be free, but you just can’t do it that way since venues and vendors charge for services. Some events are just a few bucks to get in like a music festival or outside gathering. Bigger shows that last a few days can run a few hundred dollars for a ticket. Again, you get what you pay for in life, whether you are talking great weed or great weed shows. If you have a $10 ticket to something, realized the organizer may not be brining in the Rolling Stones or Guy Fierriea to teach or entertain you. Keep you expectations in line with the show size and your ticket cost and you will have a great time and never be disappointed.
*Ticketing is sometimes a problem, so be ready to jump through some hoops – Major event providers still won’t deal with cannabis officially, so your seamless Eventbrite experience is not quite there yet on the cannabis side. Event organizers may have work arounds so you can charge a ticket to a credit card or debit card, but it may involve a few steps. Just remember, the event organizer wants to take your money as easily as possible, so they are the last person you should be getting mad at as they are the ones most frustrated. You may have to send in a check, show up with cash, or do something that you aren’t used to doing if you are using Ticketmaster. New startups like EventHi are filling the gap in cannabis event ticketing, so contact them if you are planning an event and need a ticketing platform that is cannabis friendly.
*Be respectful to the host community after you leave the event – Just because you had a great time and got baked with really cool people at a location doesn’t mean the people down the street or next to the location want you to be smoking mad blunts walking by or acting like a baked stoner in their store as your next stop. Barcelona, which has the most cannabis social clubs in Europe, has a rule. You go into the private club, buy and use your cannabis there, and come out of the club with your cannabis put away and no public usage going on. The same should apply to your events. Have a blast, do your cannabis thing, but when you leave the event, remember the rest of the town wasn’t at the event and getting high, so no need to blast the world with the ganja smell and your weed philosophy. The reason this is also important is for the event organizer. They want to host more events whether it is a week later (cooking class) or a year later (big show) and if enough residents complain about the people leaving the event or the smells, guess who doesn’t get another permit for an event? Yep, so if you liked the event, be respectful as you leave and go about your day or you could get the event shut down for good by the town’s folk complaining.
Looking to hit an event, we have a full cannabis event page that you can sort by date, zip code, state, pricing and more, click here to check our calendar!
How Do You Find Marijuana Conferences and Events Near You? from CannabisNet on Vimeo.
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