If you’ve walked through any city park on a nice spring day, chances are you’ve smelled it.
New York City has a lot of interesting smells, but for the purpose of this article, we’re talking about cannabis.
Marijuana and the people who smoke pot in and around city parks have been a common sight long before New York legalized recreational use of it for adults 21 and older.
Still, some might be surprised to learn that smoking weed in many public places, including city parks, is very much illegal. There’s also a (pretty low) chance you could be fined.
That hasn’t stopped entrepreneur and Black Girls Smoke (BGS) founder Vic Styles from hosting her annual 4/20 “Puff in the Park” event in Prospect Park for the third year in a row.
In addition to the festivities, “Puff in the Park” is also billed as a rally to peacefully protest New York State laws that prohibit park goers from smoking within the park.
“We would like to see a designated cannabis smoking area in the park,” Styles told NBC New York.
It’s just one of many goals that fall under the group’s main mission to erase “stigmas, color lines and gender biases” in an industry that is still dominated by cis white men.
After moving to New York from Los Angeles, Styles launched her brand in 2020 as a fun way to find community and connect with people during the pandemic. In three years, BGS has amassed 50,000 followers on Instagram “with no paid media, no ads, no major sponsorships or partnerships,” Styles added.
More than 3,000 people RSVPd for last year’s “Puff in the Park” event.
This year, Styles and her team aren’t sure how many people will attend, but nearly 1,000 have signed up.
“A lot of cannabis events are not geared toward us,” Styles said. “There are people that don’t look like me […] and I don’t feel appreciated, seen or safe in those environments.”
A 2021 Leafly Jobs report found that despite nationwide efforts to close the racial gap, Black cannabis entrepreneurs account for less than 2% of the nation’s marijuana businesses.
“Puff in the Park” 4/20 event hosted by Black Girls Smoke. Photo Credit: Black Circuit Media
Meanwhile, in response to criticism that smoking cannabis in the park is unsafe and will increase drug activity, Styles believes the solution is simple: safe smoking spaces.
“It will create accessibility for patients that need to consume and also for tourism.”
As for the environment: “Most cannabis consumers use eco-friendly papers, whether they’re hemp or biodegradable.”
In the meantime, those looking to attend “Puff in the Park” can expect a picnic-style party Thursday complete with music, DJs, vendors and food.
“This is the cookout that everybody talks about. What you’re going to find is a positive environment.”
On the event page a list of items attendees are encouraged to bring include: a blanket, flower, snacks and water.
“We’re just really proud of the community that we’ve been able to build and more importantly, the voices we’ve been able to amplify and the minds we’ve been able to change around this plant.”
Styles told NBC New York that she is working with NYC Parks and the Prospect Park Alliance’s events department.
NBC New York reached out to Prospect Park several times for comment and have not heard back.
H/T: www.nbcnewyork.com
