California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Nevada may have passed legislation that legalized recreational marijuana in 2016, but in most cases, business licenses won’t be handed out until at least January of 2018. So while it’s legal to posses up to an ounce of weed for personal use, it’s still illegal to sell it.
The legislators aren’t ready, but the businesses and people are. Enter some strong business acumen and ingenuity.
Stores are “selling” admission fees and brown paper bags that just happen to come with “free” samples of weed, MassLive reports. For example, a small store with the unsubtle name of Mary Jane Makes Your Heart Sing started charging a cover charge of $20 to get in, and $50 for VIPs. Then, once the patrons have their ID checked and are inside, they get a gift of weed or edibles.
The Massachusetts enforcement agencies weren’t too happy with the work around, however. The Springfield, Mass., police quickly shut it down.
Others have been a bit more forward in their creative marketing techniques. On Craigslist, a man put up an ad selling $325 bags. To be clear, just the bags were for sale — although the priced up bags came with a thanks you gift of an ounce of marijuana.
“Disclaimer: I am selling you an empty bag,” the posting said. “Marijuana placed in that empty sandwich bag is simply a legal gift, not connected in anyway, to any sale.”
Then there are the $55 lemonades with a parting gift of weed that the Boston Globe sussed out.
Pro-marijuana people have always, and always will, find creative ways to make things work. Besides, who doesn’t like free gifts?
