Apple Pie, Cranberry and Cannabis

Will After Dinner Edibles One Day Be A Normal Part Of Holiday Dinners?

By Lindiwe Vilakazi

Apple pie, turkey - smoked or deep fried of course, garnished with fresh cranberry sauce, your favorite aunt’s mac and cheese, and greens adorn your best house plates during the Thanksgiving holiday.  Like the taste of smooth liquor to compliment a heavy meal, similarly, Americans love a good roll of greenery to ease numbers of paunched bellies after a delectable meal.

Although the after-meal smoke is a common practice among many, indulgers tend to separate into their respective generational circles to partake, as societal stigmas have long made such activities an awkward event when in the presence of varying age groups.  Interestingly enough, if you come from a more conventional household, the elders have probably not even bothered to share that they have taken more than a few tokes of weed in their heydays, and in many cases, still do today. 

But now that the marijuana legislation has passed for marijuana possession and consumption, and with a booming industry of medicinal dispensaries throughout the DC Metropolitan community, the desire for weed is creating intersectional spaces for adult smokers to mingle with many irrespective of age group.

Anton Johnson, a frequent dispensary customer, and long-time smoker had had a few laughs himself while observing the diverse group of customers who walk through his local dispensary’s doors throughout the year.  Although there is still a significant gap in age groups soliciting the dispensary, this business space serves as a common ground for adults of all ages to convene in the name of marijuana.

“I’m used to seeing people of all ages coming through the area dispensaries, or even pop-up shops around the city.  I think we have all known that everyone, from your aunts and uncles, to potentially your parents, to have a history of smoking weed.  But the public retail, gifting, and smoking spaces do merge the different age groups for a common interest, even if it is for just a short time while picking up the flower itself,” Johnson said.  “Now stepping out and smoking together?  I’m not sure about that.  Not only is there a social barrier between the age groups, but there is just a code of conduct that elders have been taught to honor. I know my elders are not allowing me to see them get into that, and they wouldn’t opt to see me getting high either, to be honest with you.”

So, (within guidelines and parameters) across the blue state, it should be interesting to see whether the flower’s legality may have potential to break the ice between faithful new, and old school weed smokers.