With attendees like Cynthia Nixon -- of "Sex and the City" fame and a Democratic challenger to Gov. Andrew Cuomo -- the annual Cannabis Parade took place in Manhattan's Union Square on Saturday.
While Nixon has been vocal about her desire to legalize marijuana, there were 300 others who took part in the event.
Marchers held signs with slogans, like "pot power," and chanted sayings, such as "legalize don't demonize."
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.
The 2018 NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally unfolds in New York City Saturday, according to Metro New York, the same day as the Cinco de Mayo holiday.
In New York City, possession of cannabis has been decriminalized but not legalized. Possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis may result in a $100 violation (similar to a traffic ticket) for a first offense. A second offense is $200, a third offense is $250 and a possible 15-day stint in jail.
Possession of up to 25 grams (3/4 of an ounce) will get you a $100 ticket on a first offense. Public use can get you thrown in jail.
Public use (“burning”) is a misdemeanor punishable by a $250 fine and up to 90 days in jail.