The legalization of pot in New York State changed the game. And even though the sale of recreational marijuana isn’t “legal” yet, the state’s entrepreneurs are already putting out their wares.
One pair of THC brokers hitched their trailer — Uncle Budd’s — to a busy upper Manhattan intersection. They offer delicious edibles and weed during the day. Under an LED banner, they have a menu of “gifts” without prices. Instead, the businessmen take “donations” that start at $20.
“We don’t sell anything,” one of the registered operators at Uncle Budd’s says (under the condition of anonymity). “Every donation is going back into the community.”
Technically, Uncle Budd’s isn’t a vendor. They organize charitable events and “give away” the product. The organizers educate the communities about cannabis’s health benefits. Uncle Budd is also very proud of being a black-owned business employing local residents.
Right now, they have a pair of trucks with more coming. Uncle Budd’s is hiring almost a dozen employees every two weeks. They prioritize individuals with a past in drug-dealing offenses.
Uncle Budd’s — as well as other organizations like it, sprinkled across New York — is going strong despite their tenuous positioning. The governing bodies in New York responsible for putting together the guidelines and rules for the state’s cannabis industry aren’t thrilled hearing about outlets like Uncle Budd’s. Officials argue the concepts of “donation” and “sale” and the venture itself not being the “correct way” to distribute marijuana. In fact, at this time, they’re illegal.
These arguments come out of the New York State Office of Cannabis Management: “Illegal cannabis sales include the concept of ‘gifting,’ where consumers are purportedly buying a tangential service or commodity and getting their cannabis as a gift. There is no ‘grey area’ in the law on this issue.”
The state has yet to hand out licenses while waiting for the cartography of the legal landscape. Right now, only medical marijuana dispensaries can legally offer weed. And only to consumers with appropriate clearance cards.
Interestingly, there have been no crackdowns on the likes of Uncle Budd’s. What’s influenced this is possession of small amounts of weed is now decriminalized, and that’s what most of these entrepreneurs offer.
Also, the sustainability of enterprises like Uncle Budd’s means more encouragement for people of color to have a stake in New York’s weed business. That’s a major talking point of legislators exploring legalization in communities criminally and adversely affected by illegal marijuana.
Detractors worry about a couple of issues. The first is the possibility of gung ho entrepreneurs ending up in jail. That’s counterproductive to the idea that legalization should halt racial disparity and cannabis incarceration.
Others worry about the quality of the cannabis “given” to consumers. Unregulated operators in a yet regulated business isn’t an ideal situation.
Of course, that argument’s grounded in the idea marijuana won’t be “good” or “safe” until the state’s running the show. It foregoes the fact communities of color shelled out damn good weed long before any state gave us permission.
