Nick Gordon is the owner and curator of Ellenville’s Love, Velma, an underground jazz club where cannabis is part of the entertainment.
But combining “free” pot with a fee of some kind speaks to the “gift” economy for cannabis that has popped up in some corners of New York.
In Gordon’s case, he’s not gifting joints to every paying member; he’s making cannabis available in his venue, during the cultural events he curates — monthly jazz and cabaret pop-ups, periodic art events and a soon-to-launch, twice-monthly movie club happy hour.
“So many young people have moved here, and there’s nothing to do,” he notes.
“We have a hemp cultivation license, which means we can cultivate hemp for animal bedding, grain and hemp seed oil,” David explains.
Hacienda Don Pedro also offers pre-furnished tent cabins, and guests can pitch a tent as well during the camping season.
We don’t believe in putting cannabis in food itself for these events, because depending on your metabolism, the uptake can vary, and we don’t want anyone to overdo it.
Tickets were $100, with about 40 attendees.
Grant McCabe plans to turn his sister store, The Leaf, into a dispensary.
In 2014, he opened Smokers Mecca in Beacon — the same shop that offered a “Free Joint Friday” this summer — selling premium vape, tobacco and smoking accoutrements.
“The Farm Bill legalized the growing of cannabis as long as it has less than 0.3 percent THC,” McCabe explains.
“A few years ago, we could extract two or three cannabinoids, and now we can extract 50.
He works one on one with farmers and professional manufacturers on a line of CBD products that can be used to address various issues people may be looking to resolve with CBD — though it cannot legally be marketed as a product to treat or cure medical issues or diseases.
“We have gummies that are larger than the gummies you might find in a dispensary,” McCabe says.
“I have already spoken to the mayor and members of the police about it.