Free Weed On 420 Day: Here’s How To Get This COVID Vaccine Freebie

As part of an effort to push Americans to get their COVID vaccine, one New York activist has organized an event that is centered around 420 day – the unofficial marijuana holiday - by offering free weed joints to anyone that shows a valid vaccination ID card.

Cannabis activist Dana Beal has organized the free event, Joints for Jabs, which will take place on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. EDT in Union Square Park in New York City.

The event’s Facebook post says a table will be set up with a “free joint for anyone who brings proof vaccination, surrounded by socially-distanced demonstrators with anti-anti-vax signs.”

Beal, 74, who is the founder of the Global Marijuana March and veteran of the Youth International Party known as Yippies, told the New York Post about the giveaway, “Krispy Kreme is giving away donuts, the least the medical marijuana movement can do is take a stand up for science.”

The news of the event comes as Gov. Andrew Cuomo legalized adult use of recreational marijuana in New York on March 31. New Yorkers are now allowed to possess up to 3 ounces of weed outside their residence and can smoke cannabis in public where tobacco is permitted, according to the signed law.

“I’m sure he didn’t foresee we would be giving out free weed to promote his vaccination effort,” Beal told the Post.

But Beal was quick to say that anyone that does not have proof of their COVID vaccination will not receive a freebie. “If they don’t have proof, we’re gonna send them away,” he added.

A similar Joints for Jabs event will also be held on May 1 at the Cannabis Parade in New York City.

“We’re going to have thousands of joints for both events,” Beal told the Post.

This is not the first Joints for Jabs event to take place this year. Cannabis activist group DC Marijuana Justice lawfully distributed free bags of cannabis outside Washington, D.C. vaccination centers in January as it looked to further the discussion on marijuana reform. Other dates and locations were also expected to be announced by the organization.

Beal, who has been a longtime cannabis activist, has been jailed on pot-trafficking charges in the past, but the new law in New York states that those over the age of 21 can legally hand out up to 3 ounces of the drug to anyone over 21.

Like Beal, several companies are offering freebies to anyone that is fully vaccinated with the COVID-19 shot. Krispy Kreme is providing free donuts for the rest of the year with proof of vaccination, while Samuel Adams and Budweiser are buying the first round of beers for vaccinated Americans. Staples and Offices Depot are offering free vaccination card lamination, and Uber and Lyft are giving away free rides to vaccination appointments.