It took nearly five decades, but the New York Cannabis Parade has finally gone mainstream. “We have an unprecedented lineup of elected officials this year,” says co-organizer Noah Potter, an attorney specializing in drug policy. “We’ve never had anything comparable.”
The “very bold and forward-thinking” City Councilman Rafael Espinal was the first elected official to participate in the march, and that was just in 2015. In 2018, there are seven politicians taking part; New York governor hopeful Cynthia Nixon has also come out in support for legalization.
They’re not the only ones showing support for the country’s longest-running pro-legalization event. For the first time, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union will also join the march, led by President Stuart Appelbaum. Not to mention business people — the city is home to nearly 30 pot dispensaries, including the new Apple store-like MedMen — like Women Grow and High NY. “Every year, it feels like we’re gonna break through,” he says. “This year, we’ve broken through in a significant way.”