Cannabis celebration planned for Tuesday, Apr. 20

Cannabis has been legalized in New York just in time for 4/20, the quintessential pot day for cannabis enthusiasts.

And The New Guard—a group of millennial advocates in Port Chester who aim to educate young people on government structures, resources and legislation—is planning to use the occasion appropriately. On Tuesday, Apr. 20, the group will be hosting a combined celebration and protest in the Marina Parking Lot area starting at 4:20 p.m.

The celebration, according to Randy Moran, one of the organizers, is warranted because “cannabis is actually legal in New York, finally.”

“We’re trying to educate people to know your rights,” he explained. “We know the War on Drugs has always disproportionally impacted BIPOC and we don’t want to see that exacerbated in Port Chester. We want to make sure people are responsible. There’s lots of confusion with the language of the legislation, so we’re doing this to educate people on what the law actually means and what can and can’t happen.”

The event will feature speakers and offer various fliers educating attendees on the reality of legalized cannabis. Through a “baggy hunt” component, people will be able to search for hidden packages that will contain appropriate, legalization-themed gifts.

“The protest element is about Port Chester’s new drug paraphernalia ban,” Moran said, referring to a new Village law that prohibits the sale of items used to inject illicit substances. “In light of legalization, we want to get the ban repealed.”

To conclude the afternoon, celebrators and protesters alike are invited to join The New Guard in a caravan around the Village to spread the message further. Route details, Moran said, will be announced at the event.

“I think this will be our biggest event thus far, we have other organizations collaborating with us for it,” he said. “We want to focus on people power. As opposed to relying on legislators coming to talk about the legislation, we need to make sure we hold ourselves accountable and create a community that works together.”

—Sarah Wolpoff