Happy 420! Specials And Deals Abound On National Weed Day Across The Country

Social media is abuzz over 4/20, the unofficial holiday celebrating all things marijuana, including its consumption. As pot fans across the country commemorate National Weed Day, restaurants in states such as California and Colorado and even in the nation’s capital are promoting 4/20 specials and deals in hopes of luring hungry smokers with cheaper eats. Some dispensaries in those states and others with legal weed are offering discounts or even freebies to certain customers.

Many say such deals are a sign that the budding U.S. cannabis industry has gone mainstream, much like Valentine’s Day or Black Friday. As more states move toward decriminalizing marijuana or legalizing it all together – 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized either medical or recreational pot, or both – the stigma associated with the drug has been fading. This February, pot shops in Colorado, Washington and California sold romantic, marijuana-themed Valentine’s Day packages for couples. They included everything from cannabis-infused chocolate hearts to THC-imbued lubricants and oils.

National Weed Day is "pretty much our Christmas, it's the big holiday for us," Brandon Miceli, general manager at Herbal Wellness Center in Phoenix, told Fox 10 Phoenix. The medical marijuana dispensary is doing giveaways and raffles Monday as part of 4/20. Other medical dispensaries in the area are giving medical marijuana card holders free pot. For the latest and best 4/20 deals, check Weedmaps, the Internet’s guide to legal marijuana.

In Colorado, considered the epicenter of reefer madness in the U.S. these days, some restaurants are promoting lunch specials to welcome pot users. “We try to make a friendly environment, not just for stoners, but everyone in general,” Alma Jensen, manager of Cheba Hut in Fort Collins, told the Collegian. “It’s an event for anyone who wants to celebrate.” Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012.

For pot consumers who are on a budget but want to support legal marijuana businesses, here’s a list of pot shops offering discounted weed, courtesy of the Colorado Pot Guide.

In San Francisco, store owners around Golden Gate Park – a popular hangout for marijuana smokers, especially on 4/20 – say they’re hoping for a jump in sales. “It’s definitely good for the business,” one local merchant told CBS SF Bay Area. For all the 4/20 discounts and deals around San Francisco, check out Sticky Guide’s roundup.

Living in the D.C. area? Stop by the Amsterdam Falafelshop for a special “marijuana pairing” menu. Here are more ways to celebrate 4/20 in the capital, courtesy of the Washingtonian.