Medical Marijuana Zone

This piece was co-created by Michelle Janikian and Catherine Goldberg.

4/20 is only days away—and what better way to celebrate the “high holiday” than heading to Sin City?

The state of Nevada legalized adult use cannabis during the November election, and while there’s no rec dispensaries open yet, medical dispensaries honor medical marijuana cards from around the country. Adult use cannabis is expected to be available as soon as this summer, but since January 1, 2017, anyone over 21 can legally possess up to 1 ounce of flower and 1/8^th of concentrate.

Here’s the plan: get a room on the strip to be in the center of the action. According to kushtourism.com, there are plenty of cannabis-friendly lodging options on Las Vegas Blvd South. Then, first things first, download the app Cannabis in Vegas. It’s a marijuana delivery app that looks like Amazon and will deliver all of your weed-related needs, from flower, dabs, and edibles to paper and glassware, within an hour.

You can’t go to Nevada without trying some of the finest craft cannabis in the state, Tahoe Hydroponics. They won first place in all three indoor categories at the 2016 Jack Herer awards, and you can try their award-winning strains on your trip. Order their winning sativa Black Jack, indica Tahoe Hydro OG, and hybrid Gelato 45. “[Tahoe Hydro OG] consistently leads the state in highest registered terpenes, averaging double digit scores in myrcene and limonene while most other genetics register half of that. It’s no wonder it’s a favorite among patients throughout Nevada,” said co-founder Ray Schiavone.

To stay medicated all weekend (and on your flight back), order a couple Manna Molecular transdermal patches. These patches are worn on the skin for extended and discreet relief and were even recently named one of the “10 Pot Products and THC Tech You Need to Know About” by HIGH TIMES.

If members of your gang are looking for a non-psychoactive product, check out Remedy’s 20:1 CBD:THC pill called Antidote. Especially good for pain and soreness, Antidote is looking to replace over-the-counter options like ibuprofen. Professional paddleboard racer, Braly Joy, said, “[Antidote] has completely replaced any Advil, Ibuprofen, over the counter, or prescribed pain pills [for me]. I am seeing recovery times improve and my soreness is completely gone. I started using the Antidote capsules last September when I tore my labrum in my left shoulder. My options were surgery that would call for a 15 month recovery or a new treatment called PRP. I went with PRP and the CBD option and I am free of any pain and able to train at a high frequency.”

In general cannabis can be used to ease many common ailments, including headaches, insomnia, or fatigue. Now with adult use cannabis in Las Vegas, consumers can opt for products like Remedy before taking an Advil, melatonin, or drinking a red bull.

Unfortunately for cannabis tourists in Las Vegas, like in Denver, there are very limited options on where cannabis consumption is permitted. But this may all change soon with the introduction of Senate Bill 236. Set in motion by Senator “Tick” Segerblom (D-Las Vegas), SB 236 would allow businesses, like bars, cafes, and casinos, to apply for licensing that would allow cannabis consumption on the premises, like a café in Amsterdam. Segerblom has been a supporter of legalizing and taxing marijuana in the city for over a decade, and cultivators in the area have even named a strain after him called Segerblom Haze. “We’re Sin City. We should make Las Vegas the marijuana capital of the world,” Segerblom told a panel at the recent HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup.

Until SB 236 is passed (fingers crossed) there are a couple of private property locations where tourists are welcome, like The Kush Lounge Las Vegas. Just a ten minute Uber ride from the strip, The Kush Lounge LV provides everything from bongs and dab rigs to Wi-Fi and video games, except actual cannabis products. So bring that Tahoe Hydro and relax in this marijuana mansion.

On Thursday, April 20^th, however, from 4:20 PM until midnight, Vegas-based cannabis marketing agency, Social Media Unicorn, is hosting an out of this world 4/20 party at The Kush Lounge LV. There will be edibles and cannabis skin products available at a discount, plus all the OG members of Nevada’s cannabis scene will be there to mingle with.

If you’re not much of a mingler, not to worry, they’ll be screening the hilarious new stoner comedy Doobious Sources in the movie theater downstairs, where it’s totally cool to smoke. Grab some popcorn, a nice Remedy indica, and be prepared to giggle! This ridiculously stoned saga is reminiscent of the cannabis classics Half Baked and Dazed and Confused, and is also available on the iTunes store and Google Play.

Krista Whitley, founder of Social Media Unicorn and host of the 4/20 event, commented: “Come celebrate the highest of holidays… offering complimentary infused massages, an open bar, gourmet munchie buffet [and more]… This event is a highlight of what Social Media Unicorn does best: being the cannabis industry together.”

Social Media Unicorn is an unconventional digital marketing agency that offers around the clock service to cannabis brands in the Las Vegas area. Cannabis PR and marketing companies have to get extra creative because they aren’t allowed to use traditional digital avenues, like Pay Per Click or Facebook ads, to promote their clients. Social Media Unicorn has been representing medical marijuana in the state since 1998 and are deeply involved with the Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association, along with local brands, dispensaries, cultivators, and consumers. “The Nevada cannabis market may be younger than other markets, but our strength is in the deep roots and enthusiasm that our cannabis community shares. The people make the difference,” Whitley said.

For the rest of the weekend, the lovely souls who started Puff Pass & Paint are hosting different cannabis classes where tourists can legally smoke and socialize with other enthusiasts. On Thursday 4/20 and Saturday 4/22 they’re holding their signature Puff Pass & Paint class. Then on Friday 4/21 they have a Puff Pass & Pamper infused skin care class, and on Sunday 4/23 they’re throwing a Puff Pass & Pastry cannabis cooking class and brunch. Their mission is to give people a legal and relaxing place to consume, socialize, and get those creative juices flowing. Heidi Keyes, founder and artist said, “We wanted to encourage [people] to enjoy the process of making art instead of focusing on the end result or making a perfect painting. Cannabis is so beneficial to this – it helps people relax into their own creative selves and find that childlike sense of wonder and excitement again… I look around at these people legally consuming cannabis and loving making art and it makes my soul happy.”

All classes are BYOC (Bring Your Own Cannabis) in order to comply with local regulations regarding distribution, and are for people 21 and up, but otherwise Keyes told us all kinds of people attend. “Everyone enjoys PP&P… as you know, there is no ‘stereotypical stoner’. Cannabis users come in all forms and ages – we have students, friends, families, a granddaughter with her 80-year-old grandparents, moms and daughters, bachelor/bachelorette parties, business professionals… you have to be 21 plus with a valid ID to attend, but that’s really where the similarities end, and that is so refreshing to me!” Just make sure to RSVP first.

Of course, Vegas has tons of other cool shows and activities, like Britney Spears’ Piece of Me Tour and the world’s tallest ferris wheel, the High Roller. Just remember to respect local laws and only consume cannabis where it’s legal, and slap on a Manna Molecular patch where it’s not. 4/20 in Sin City is a match made in party heaven, enjoy!

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