The New Smell of New York
New York has been through a lot these last few years. It needs a joint. But do we really all need to smell it?
Hello from New York City. It has been a year since the now-disgraced Governor Cuomo signed into law new regulations that made recreational use of weed legal in New York State. This week, our sister state, New Jersey, just west over that bridge and through those tunnels, started legal pot sales. Our new governor, Kathy Hochul, says similar plans are on track; we should see sales in New York kick off this year. Rounding out our tri-state threesome is Connecticut, to the north, where it is now legal to consume, as well. Dispensaries are coming soon to preppy towns that permit pot sales.
Here in the city, two things are clear: one, everyone is confused about the rules; and two, the entire city stinks of weed. The confusion, I am sure, will subside. You really just have to google it or ask your pot-smoking friends. They’re both happy and eager to tell you what’s what. For me, I first had to learn the difference between THC and CBD. (I know, I’m a novice.) Then I had to understand that the Weed World “weed trucks” and the like that line the streets around Herald Square and Times Square don’t actually sell pot yet. They say they do, but their products likely don’t have THC. They’re tourist traps for right now. My education continues.