"Weed the People", officially "Weed the People: A Cannabis Legalization Celebration", was an event held in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

on July 3, 2015, two days after recreational marijuana became legal in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. Sponsored by the ''

Portland Mercury ''Portland Mercury'' is an alternative bi-weekly newspaper and media company founded in 2000 in Portland, Oregon. It has a sibling publication in Seattle, Washington, called '' The Stranger''. Contributors and staff Editor-in-chief: Wm. Steven ...

'' and two cannabis companies, the event was attended by an estimated 1,500–2,000 people, who were provided up to seven grams of

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

for immediate consumption or to take home. Organizers complied with restrictions on recreational sales by distributing free cannabis and required attendees to pay an entry fee. More than 1,300 tickets were sold, but the building's 500-person capacity meant long wait times to enter. Media outlets reported on the historic nature of the event, which was described as a "stoner's paradise" and a celebration of freedom.

Background and planning

"Weed the People: A Cannabis Legalization Celebration", or simply "Weed the People", was held two days after recreational

became legal in Oregon. The

Burnside Burn The "Burnside Burn" was an event held on the Burnside Bridge in Portland, Oregon, starting at midnight on July 1, 2015, the day recreational marijuana became legal in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was organized by Portland NORML, the local chapter ...

, which was organized by

Portland NORML Portland NORML is the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) affiliate for Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The chapter was established in January 2015 by Portland-based radio host and cannabis activist Russ Belville. ...

and held on the

Burnside Bridge The Burnside Bridge is a 1926-built bascule bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States, carrying Burnside Street. It is the second bridge at the same site to carry that name. It was added to the National Register of ...

starting at midnight on July 1, 2015, preceded the event. "Weed the People" was sponsored by the local alternative weekly newspaper the ''

'' and two cannabis businesses— and Oregon's Cannabis Concierge. It was produced by Connie Wohn, who said enthusiasm and demand were high. The event sold out quickly (by June 24–26), and there was a waiting list with 750 additional interested participants. The ''Mercury'' cannabis correspondent Josh Taylor, who organized "Weed the People", said the event "celebrates the throwing off of oppression and the freedom of legalization". Referring to the observance of

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...

on July 4, he said: "And now, people can watch the fireworks tomorrow while high. They were probably going to do that anyway, but we're just helping them along." According to Wohn, event organizers were prepared and met with "any agency that could've had any sort of recourse or legal ramification on this event". The

Portland Police Bureau The Portland Police Bureau (PPB), officially the Portland Bureau of Police, is the law enforcement agency of the city of Portland, the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. While oversight of Portland's bureaus shifts among the five City ...

"gave it their blessing" and did not have a large presence. Security guards were hired to perform bag searches and enforce a ban on outside alcohol and cannabis consumption. The promotional poster for "Weed the People" had

patriotic Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to one's country. This attachment can be a combination of many different feelings, language relating to one's own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, political or histor ...

imagery depicting an eagle carrying a stem of marijuana leaves in one talon and several

joints A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

in the other.

Event

The alcohol-free celebration, believed to be the "first formal event with free cannabis giveaways", took place from 2:00–9:00 pm at Metal Craft Fabrication (or MCF Craft Brewing Systems), a former craft brewery and industrial building in the

North Portland North Portland is one of the six sextants of Portland, Oregon. North Portland is a diverse mixture of residential, commercial, and industrial areas. It includes the Portland International Raceway, the University of Portland, and massive cargo faci ...

section of Eliot. Between 1,500 and 2,000 participants were supplied with up to seven grams of marijuana, which they could consume openly at the event or take home. Organizers complied with a temporary limit on recreational sales by distributing free cannabis and had attendees pay a $40 entry fee. Most attendees were from the

Portland metropolitan area The Portland metropolitan area is a metro area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered on the principal city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) identifies it as the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, ...

, but residence in Oregon was not required; some attendees were from as far away as Idaho and Michigan. Inside the venue there were cannabis plants, a lounge (or "chill out area") with seating and music, smoking devices, cannabis and food vendors, and a "Grow Garden" where attendees picked up their free samples; out back was a fenced-in yard with an on-site

taco truck A food truck is a large motorized vehicle (such as a van) or trailer, equipped to cook, prepare, serve, and/or sell food. Some, including ice cream trucks, sell frozen or prepackaged food; others have on-board kitchens and prepare food from scratc ...

. Guests also had the opportunity to meet farmers and producers from local businesses and dispensaries. "Weed the People" had a few complications: organizers sold 1,336 tickets and were prepared to supply enough product for all attendees, but the building's capacity was 500, resulting in long entry lines. Hot temperatures both inside and outside the building resulted in at least two people

fainting Syncope, commonly known as fainting, or passing out, is a loss of consciousness and muscle strength characterized by a fast onset, short duration, and spontaneous recovery. It is caused by a decrease in blood flow to the brain, typically from ...

and a visit from the local fire department for medical treatment. However, people were reportedly patient as they waited in lines. There were no personal disputes during the event, and there were enough cannabis products for all attendees.

Commentary

Jamie Hale of ''

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 185 ...

'' called the event "historic" and "a veritable stoner's paradise", writing:

In a city where recreational marijuana events have struggled just to get off the ground, Weed the People represented an effort that, while it had its issues, was unprecedented ... In cities around the country, carrying around seven grams of cannabis can mean serious jail time. In Portland on Friday, it was a cause for celebration ... It meant freedom to consume a drug people many had already been consuming, it meant freedom from fear of arrest for doing so, it meant the opportunity to smoke, to eat and to vaporize freely—a freedom many in Oregon will be exercising enthusiastically.

Willamette Week ''Willamette Week'' (''WW'') is an alternative weekly newspaper and a website published in Portland, Oregon, United States, since 1974. It features reports on local news, politics, sports, business, and culture. History Early history ''Willame ...

'' Martin Cizmar said the event was described as a "shitshow" on social media, and believed "Weed the People" was a financial success.

KATU KATU (channel 2) is a television station in Portland, Oregon, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside La Grande–licensed Univision affiliate KUNP (channel 16). Both stations share studios on NE ...

's Reed Andrews described the event as the "first of its kind" and said it "is testing the limits for what's legal when it comes to marijuana in Oregon". Sam Catherman of '' The State Column'' described the event as "a gathering that connected entrepreneurs and enthusiasts who were excited about the burgeoning industry in their state". '' The Stranger'' Christopher Frizzelle ended his reporting on the event with, "Happy freedom day, everyone. What a country." Keegan Hamilton of ''

Vice News Vice News (stylized as VICE News) is Vice Media's current affairs channel, producing daily documentary essays and video through its website and YouTube channel. It promotes itself on its coverage of "under-reported stories". Vice News was create ...

'' described the event as a "veritable weed Disneyland" and "a celebration of newfound freedom". He added: "More than just giving Oregon residents and visitors the opportunity to exercise their new legal right to get high, 'Weed the People' illustrated how vast the market is for marijuana and related products, and how strange it is that the drug is now technically legal to possess but illegal to procure for people who haven't received authorization from a doctor."

References

External links

Weed the People: A Cannabis Legalization Celebration!
at Bold Type Tickets
Weed the People Portland—A Cannabis Legalization Celebration!
at Facebook
Hurry! Get Your Tickets Quick for Weed the People!
(June 21, 2015), ''Portland Mercury'' {{Eliot, Portland, Oregon 2015 in cannabis 2015 in Portland, Oregon Cannabis events in the United States Cannabis in Oregon Eliot, Portland, Oregon Events in Portland, Oregon July 2015 events in the United States North Portland, Oregon