The smell of unsmoked nuggets wafted through the air outside the State House Thursday, as a small group of pot enthusiasts who had gathered to celebrate marijuana being legal brazenly gave away portions of the leafy drug.
When a man passed Rachel Ramone Donlan a clear bag of pot seeds, and a dab a concentrated form of cannabis that contains THC she danced in place, shuffling her feet from side to side while twisting her body with joy.
It was like Christmas, she said, but this groups tree was a bit different.
Im very excited, said Donlan, who was wearing pot leaf earrings, a winter hat with pot leaves printed on it, and a green faux fur jacket. We did this in public in front of the State House, and its completely legal. Its under the limit, and no one is going to get in trouble for it anymore.
Donlan said she also brought a nice big joint that she planned to give to a friend, to usher in the historic moment for supporters who have long lobbied for legalization in Massachusetts.
As of Thursday, it became legal for people over the age of 21 to smoke and possess a limited quantity of marijuana. While selling the drug is still against the law, at least until retail stores open sometime in 2018, those who enjoy lighting up are allowed to receive marijuana for free.
To showcase the new law and celebrate the pot gifting, Ellen Brown, an educator at the Northeastern Institute of Cannabis, a Natick-based school that teaches courses about the marijuana industry, held in her palm a pile of pine-cone shaped buds. The crop, she said, was symbolic and there was nothing wrong with sharing it with friends.
Were allowed to give away up to an ounce, were allowed to give away concentrates, were allowed to give away seeds, she said. And thats the way it should be.
Nearby, Keith Saunders showed off a large mason jar filled to the brim with a light-green strain of marijuana.
A day earlier, such a move would have led to a civil infraction. But with the new law in place, there was nothing to fear as he twisted the cap off the jar, letting the smell of marijuana sail into the nostrils of those standing around him.
[Standing here with the jar] means we have common sense in our drug policies, said Saunders, a board member with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
He added that the rally was a little celebration of the holidays.
While posessing marijuana and smoking it at home is legal, partaking in a few puffs in public spaces say, like the State House steps is not. Marijuana is also still illegal under federal law.
But that didnt stop two men who sat apart from the rally attendees from toking up.
Friends Stephen Hession and Cesar Valle brought to Beacon Hill a legal amount of purple haze, a few joints, and a long wooden pipe that called Gandalf, after the pipe smoked by the bearded wizard from the Lord of the Rings books and films.
The pair said they were smoking in protest. Sure, they were excited about changes to the states laws. But more, they agreed, needs to be done to completely end the prohibition of pot.
Its a step forward. Its cool that people have the right, and that they arent going to get in trouble, said Hession, who was wearing a winter hat that read, Get High.
I still believe that we should have open use, Valle chimed in, before pulling out Gandalf and placing the tip of the pipe into his mouth.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: High On Marijuana Legalization, Small Group Celebrates At State House
Author: Steve Annear
Contact: 1-888-694-5623
Photo Credit: Stave Annear
Website: The Boston Globe
