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As per X page @rawsalerts' post dated April 21, 2025, hundreds of individuals gathered at Washington Square Park in New York City to get stoned on cannabis and celebrate April 20, 2025, also known as 4/20.
The date is known as Smoke Out Fest or National Weed Day, and the event in NYC mirrors similar gatherings in multiple cities across the United States. The X page described the scene, stating:
"The atmosphere is electric as clouds of smoke rise above the park, with people openly rolling joints, passing blunts, and lighting up bongs in celebration of cannabis culture."
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For the unversed, recreational cannabis is legal in New York and was initially sanctioned for medical use with the implementation of the Medical Cannabis Program in 2016. Additionally, the plant, often referred to as weed, was legalized in NYC on March 31, 2021, when the Marihuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA) was signed.
According to the New York State Department of Health website, the MRTA legalized possession of up to 3 ounces of cannabis or up to 24 grams in concentrated form, like vaporization oil, for personal use by individuals aged 21 and over. It also allows adults to store up to 5 pounds of cannabis at home and to consume and share it, without compensation, with others aged 21 and older.
What are the rules concerning the use of recreational cannabis in New York? Details explored
While the government sanctions the use and possession of cannabis in New York under specified amounts, there are certain rules as to the use of recreational weed in the state. Despite legal possession, it is illegal to drive under the influence of the plant-based substance or to use it inside a vehicle, regardless of whether the car is parked or the person consuming cannabis is a passenger.
Additionally, it is illegal to use or possess cannabis in any form on federal property, as per federal law. An NYC government template available online mentions that New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments have smoke-free policies banning smoking, vaping of tobacco, and cannabis on the property. Since public housing falls under a federal program in NY, it is subject to federal law, thereby prohibiting the use of the plant-based substance and its related product.
Property owners may prohibit vaping and smoking of cannabis inside their premises, which is seen in the case of certain private buildings that don't allow the use of the plant-based substance inside units. However, property owners cannot ban the possession of legal amounts of cannabis or the use of edibles in one's residence.
What is the story behind 4/20 and cannabis? Details explored amid people celebrating on April 20th in New York
There are many theories surrounding the correlation of the number '420' and cannabis. Some believe it is a police radio code for marijuana, while others think it is related to Bob Dylan's track Rainy Day Women #12 & 35, in which the singer says, "Everybody must get stoned." The logic behind this connection is that multiplying 12 by 35 is 420.
According to a report by PBS News dated April 2023, one of the most popular stories linking the celebration of April 20 with cannabis dates back to the 1970s. At that time, a relative of one of the members in a group of California high schoolers reportedly grew marijuana in the woods near the premises but was scared about being caught. Hence, he drew a map and asked the group to harvest it.
One day during the fall semester in 1971, at exactly 4:20 p.m., the group of friends went to the woods to look for the cannabis after smoking a joint. While they were unable to locate the stash, their code '420' stuck.
Cannabis is also used for multiple medical conditions, including muscle spasms, nausea, and chronic pain. Additionally, it is known to help with symptoms of epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
