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NYC 4/20 convention looks to bring together cannabis industry, educate New Yorkers – Metro US

NYC 4/20 convention looks to bring together cannabis industry, educate New Yorkers

NYC 4/20 convention looks to bring together cannabis industry, educate New
Getty Images/Frederic Brown

Looking to take New Yorkers out of the haze of misinformation, one convention hopes to celebrate 4/20 with a night filled with networking and education — all while having a good time.

Cannafree NYC is a pro-cannabis event scheduled for Wednesday night that aims to bring together members of the cannabis industry, while also offering New Yorkers the chance to learn more about the legalization and industrialization efforts going on in the state.

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cannabis business owners, advocates, enthusiasts, people working in the cannabis industry and also those who want to work in it are expected to attend according to the event’s organizer, who asked to go by her industry name “Sensi.”

“The purpose is to unite these people,” she said. “With New York being such a fresh market in the cannabis industry, there is not much information.”

The event is slated to start at 9 p.m. and will go through 3 a.m. the next morning. Although organizers did not disclose the location for the conference, the event’s webpage said it will take place at Space Ibiza NY in the Upper West Side.

Cannafree NYC — which will be hosted by Donnell Rawlings of “The Chappelle Show” — will feature vendors, cannabis businesses from around the country, a glass art installation, games and contests.

Attendees, who must be 21 and older, are asked to dress in green. And although the event is being held on on April 20, otherwise known as 4/20 Day, a worldwide celebration of the pot culture, organizers said they do not advise and “will not tolerate any illegal activitiy on the premises.”

There will also be performance by Waka Flocka Flame, DJ Whoo Kid, Wugoo and other members of Wutang, and more. Special guests also include Ol’ Dirty Bastard Jr.

And of course, what is a cannabis conference without some food to munch on.

Along with giving people the chance to network and party all night, Sensi said that the event will also be a great place for people to just get information. There will be tables throughout the venue where attendees can learn about medical cannabis in New York and also the legality of possessing marijuana.

“Education is key to fueling the entire movement,” she said. “It’s so much that needs to be done but it actually takes someone to get the ball rolling.”

Sensi also added that 10 percent of all the proceeds from the event will go toward helping groups, such as the New York Cannabis Alliance, which continue to build on the efforts for the legalization and progress of marijuana in New York State.

“The reason we want to help benefit these organizations and companies is because without them there would not be such a massive movement,” she said.

She said that what makes Wednesday night’s event such an “epic and historic one” for New York City is the fact that from April 19 through April 21 the UN General Assembly is meeting in the city to discuss international cannabis and drug reform.

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Such an event has been held in other cities previous years, but according to Sensi this is the first time it is making its way to New York City and she encourages people to come and learn.

“If cannabis is on board here in New York City, I’m pretty sure it’s going to fall in line with the rest of the East Coast,” she said. “Let’s change the stigma. People have the stigma that pot is bad for you, but it’s actually the opposite. Let’s talk about what’s really important.”