What’s Better Than Watching the Eclipse? Watching the Eclipse…on Weed

We are only a few days away from the much-hyped total solar eclipse that will occur on August 21.

People within the “path of totality” – a 70-mile wide swath of land that runs from Oregon to South Carolina – will be able to view the rare celestial event.

Tens of millions of people are expected to travel into the path of totality to view the event at its fullest. If you’re lucky enough to live in the path, you’ll get to see the eclipse in its totality from your own backyard.

About one million people are expected to travel to Oregon to view the eclipse – and it appears that many of them want to add a bonus to the experience: cannabis.

Local news stations are reporting that some Oregon marijuana dispensaries have seen a spike in sales ahead of the solar eclipse, reports Business Insider:

“Tourism already to Oregon, plus an eclipse, is doubling up. And that means customers are doubling in our doors,” Mike Drevecky, an employee at the Little Amsterdam Wellness Center in Portland, Oregon, told The News Review. “I mean, we’re swamped this morning alone.”

A dispensary in the city of John Day is reportedly turning away recreational customers, in order to have enough product in stock for medical marijuana patients.

In Huntington, pot shop Hotbox Farms is expecting 10,000 customers or more through the solar eclipse event, according to WVTV Fox 13. The small railway town has a population of about 400. Steven Meland, co-owner of Hotbox Farms (one of two dispensaries in town), said the company’s 21 employees will work around the clock in order to meet customer demand.

Marijuana has been legal for recreational use in Oregon since 2015. People over the age of 21 with a valid ID can buy and carry up to an ounce of weed. It’s also legal to give away weed as a gift, so long as it is used in private. Driving under the influence of marijuana is still illegal in the state.

Some dispensaries are offering special eclipse products. Oregon’s Finest, a pot shop in Milwaukie, is selling a variety of marijuana called Moon Puppies. High 5 Tours, a Portland-based marijuana-tourism company, is offering a “Stoner Eclipse Adventure 2017” package that includes transportation from Portland to eastern Oregon, two nights of camping, snacks, and protective glasses.

 For more on the eclipse, please see 5 Amazing Facts You Must Know About the Total Solar Eclipse on August 21 and A Few Last Minute Tips Before Next Week’s Solar Eclipse.