A nonprofit in Denver, Colorado, gave away thousands of free, pre-rolled marijuana joints to the homeless and anyone else who wanted one on Christmas Eve, in an out-of-the box attempt to raise awareness about homelessness.
“Merry Christmas and a puff puff New Year’s!” said one woman who accepted a joint from the Cannabis Can volunteers, a local ABC affiliate reported.
Nick Dicenzo, Cannabis Can founder and the organizer of the pot hand-outs, told reporters that he is trying to raise awareness about homelessness in Colorado by bringing people together with marijuana and encouraging them to donate to the cause.
” ’Cannabis can make a difference,’ is kind of what we’re standing for,” Mr. Dicenzo told ABC.
He hopes to raise enough money to buy several RV’s and provide restrooms and showers for those in need.
“A lot of the people we spoke with really were just like, ’If I had regular access to a shower and a haircut, my life would be so much better. I’d have so much more opportunity’,” Mr. Dicenzo told ABC.
In addition to handing out the joints, which Mr. Dicenzo says he grew legally, volunteers passed out fliers and business cards with information on how to donate.
But many people believe that giving free weed to the homeless only hurts them, but to those concerns, Mr. Dicenzo says: “Merry Christman, Happy Cannamas — would you like some rolling papers for tobacco?” ABC reported.
It is illegal to smoke pot in public in Denver, but marijuana can be given as a gift to anyone over 21. No money can be exchanged and each person can only carry up to an ounce of weed at a time.
“Which makes the logistics of this really tricky, but yeah I have lots of people with one ounce on their person,” Mr. Dicenzo told ABC.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.