Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

A great stocking-stuffer’: Deals on recreational marijuana enter Black Friday frenzy

Essence

John Locher / AP

People wait in line at the Essence cannabis dispensary in Las Vegas, Saturday, July 1, 2017, as recreational sales of marijuana begin.

American shoppers will take to malls, warehouses and brick-and-mortar outlets Friday for what has long been one of the most lucrative days for retail companies across the country.

In Nevada, for the first time, Black Friday will include legal recreational marijuana. And just like big-box retailers, pot stores are rolling out the deals in hopes that customers will flock through their doors for some holiday shopping.

“Cannabis use has been misunderstood and vilified in our country for over 80 years, so this day will feel both surreal and celebratory,” said Andrew Jolley, president of the Nevada Dispensary Association and owner of The+Source dispensaries in Las Vegas and Henderson. “We’re very excited about the first holiday season of adult-use in Nevada.”

Jolley’s dispensary is one of over 40 weed stores valley-wide to offer Black Friday discounts, on everything from marijuana flower products to edibles, like chocolates, and concentrates like shatter, wax and carbon dioxide oil. Under Nevada law, adults age 21 and over can purchase up to one ounce of marijuana flower or one-eighth ounce the THC equivalent of edibles and concentrates.

While medical marijuana has been legal for the previous two Black Fridays, legal weed was available only to those with a state-issued medical card and not legally allowed to be shared. With recreational pot now legal, buyers can gift up to the legal limit to other adults in the state, like they would a six-pack of beer or a handle of vodka.

“It’s a great stocking-stuffer, and now you can treat it like alcohol in that regard,” said state Sen. Tick Segerblom, who sponsored the lion’s share of pro-pot legislation over the past six years to legalize sales of the plant. "As long as no kids can get to it. It's for adults only."

Among some of the larger dispensaries to offer discounts Friday include The+Source, whose first 250 customers on Friday will receive a Desert Grown Farms 1 gram pre roll with any purchase of $20 or more. Strains of Pineapple Express and Star Dawg flower will also be discounted up to 25 percent, while supplies last.

Recently opened Nuwu Cannabis Dispensary on tribal land near downtown Las Vegas will have edibles, concentrates and eighths of select flower strains on sale Friday through Sunday. Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary, 2520 S. Maryland Parkway, is offering a free pre-roll with every purchase and buy-one-get-one-free on edibles.

Essence Cannabis Dispensaries in Henderson and Las Vegas will offer an eighth of select flower products for $35, down from $53. Reef Dispensary will offer one free 10-pack of fruit chew edibles per customer with any purchase.

Editor’s note: Brian Greenspun, the CEO, publisher and editor of the Las Vegas Sun, has an ownership interest in Essence Cannabis Dispensary.