5 things to know before you roll up to weed victory party in Delaware

Andre Lamar, Delaware News Journal
Updated ·3 min read
2

UPDATE: Delaware CAN president Zoe Patchell said the cannabis celebration party planned for June 16 will be postponed due to a threat of rain and lightning. The organization is in the process of selecting a new date. 

Mary Jane and her boyfriend Reggie are on the guest list for Delaware's victory party to celebrate the legalization of recreational cannabis use in the state.

This blowout party is at Thousand Acre Farm in Middletown at a date to be announced. 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?

Zoe Patchell, president of Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network (CAN) is outside of Legislative Hall in Dover. Delaware CAN has been on the frontlines to legalize recreational use of cannabis in Delaware, since the nonprofit was founded in 2013.
Zoe Patchell, president of Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network (CAN) is outside of Legislative Hall in Dover. Delaware CAN has been on the frontlines to legalize recreational use of cannabis in Delaware, since the nonprofit was founded in 2013.

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.”

The date of Delaware’s legalization victory party is to be announced after being rescheduled due to the forecast for poor weather this weekend. 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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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What to know about weed legalization celebration in Delaware