The state of Texas has had a tense legal relationship with marijuana for decades. While the substance is still illegal for most people to possess, that doesn’t stop them from celebrating the unofficial holiday that falls on April 20, also known as 420.
The numerical symbol for the holiday started with a group of friends in California before spreading among the Grateful Dead fan base and, eventually, the broader public. Now in Austin, businesses and individuals celebrate the date to express their support for the community and the plant’s properties.
In Texas, certain forms of the substance are completely legal, like CBD oil, Delta-8 THC, and Delta-9 CBD. Shoppers can find these chemicals in specialty stores for cannabinoid-derived merchandise, gas stations, and grocery stores across the state.
Austin is a cannabis-friendly city in an otherwise drug-hostile state. Their laws restricting marijuana are more relaxed compared to Texas as a whole, and urban citizens tend to have progressive opinions on cannabis legalization. It doesn’t take long for one walking around the more urban areas to get an earthy whiff of smoke or spot art referencing various forms and effects of marijuana consumption. Just across the street from the University of Texas’ Dealey Center for New Media, someone of legal age could stop by the Moxy Austin – University hotel for CBD-infused cocktails.
Marijuana can help people relax an overworked mind, or unwind after a hard day. 420 is a chance to connect with others in the community and many businesses are happy to make the most out of the weed-centric holiday.
Closer to campus, the Glassmith is a popular and convenient source of cannabis and tobacco materials, and collector’s items for smokers. Earlier this year, the business expanded their mobile shop in West Campus to include Billy’s Bodega, where customers can buy drinks and snacks.
The business regularly hosts events for its customers to attend. During March, National Women’s Month, they threw The Glassmith Gals Garden Party, where attendees molded and decorated clay lighter cases. For 420, The Glassmith hosted a glass blowing competition with a combined total of $1125 in prize money to be split between three winners at their Rio Grande Street location. The event boasted a Reggae music set from DJ Sampa and a bud bar provided by The Haze Connect, an Austin-based store that sells CBD and hemp products.
Community-based events like this can help destigmatize marijuana use. Public and inclusive exposure can fight stereotypes of smokers being lazy, rebellious or dangerous. Users can use recreational marijuana to relax, but it can also offer relief to those suffering chronic pain or other mental and physical health struggles. Restrictive policy makes it more difficult for people to benefit from using the plant’s properties.
Because Ausin is more lax where marijuana is concerned, the city’s decriminalization laws often conflict with Texas’ laws on the state level. While citizens voted in 2022 not to press charges against recreational amounts of marijuana possession, the substance is still illegal in the state. Recently, Attorney General Ken Paxton reminded citizens of just how unstable cannabis’s legal status is.
On January 31, Paxton sued Austin and four other Texas cities for passing ordinances decriminalizing low-level possession of marijuana. Austin saw the highest voter approval rates with 85% of voters in support of the ordinances. Despite the overwhelming voter support, Paxton argued that they violated state laws and the state constitution.As the capital city, Austin hosts several political groups fighting for the protection of cannabis to be codified into law. Texas NORML, a trans-partisan, educational nonprofit group, fights to educate voters and legislators about the benefits of legalization and use. Their website has a library of resources for those interested in learning more and getting involved.