stephen weiss

how have you seen cannabis laws and acceptance change over the years around here?
when i first started smoking some 40 years ago people were risking obscenely lengthy jail sentences for a plant that -- even for those that don't realize it -- is medicine. in 2023 i had a legacy event in a parking lot on new york ave in atlantic city with the police as our security. the fact that we are so close to safely enjoying our reefer without the madness of those that still vilify it is something i always felt was coming and yet am still surprised it's here.

these next 10 years i'm hoping to see a joint become just as accepted as a glass of wine or can of beer after a hard day's work. in atlantic city my team and i are constantly blowing smoke in people's faces -- figuratively, of course -- to open their eyes to normalize cannabis in society just as with some other legal vices.
cannabis lifestyle events must become commonplace. we need options beyond just purchasing cannabis from one of the far too many dispensaries statewide. if all we are permitted to do is make a purchase then return to a private residence to consume, the marijuana market will slowly be consumed by large MSOs and weed will stay in the shadows as a drug. we need to go to festivals, concerts, comedy clubs, movie theaters -- and be able to enjoy our cannabis without judgement.

in 50 years you'll go to a reggae festival and walk up to the concession stand and order a joint just like you would order an ice cold beer.
what are your go-to spots for pot in the city these days?

i really love the so-called oversaturation of dispensaries in atlantic city for the consumer. the competition lowers costs as each dispensary is vying for the limited number of dollars in the early stages of the market. my motto is support those that support you -- so currently i am enjoying products from mpxnj, juniper lane, rollin' green, and peaches garden.

are you more of a smoking guy or edibles?
i will always be a smoker even when eventually the smoke catches up with me. the instant high is what i enjoy over a slow-to-hit, possibly long-lasting, or maybe you-don't-feel-it-at-all edible. mind you, when it comes to cannabis consumption i will try it all.

concentrates like rosin, shatter, or diamonds are my absolute favorite -- with diamonds slightly edging out the others as it is pretty much just pure THC. for flavor nothing really beats hash rosin as there are no chemical aftertastes. hamsa and grohn pearls are the edibles brands i really like. when it comes to flower though, i'm old school and weed is weed. smoking flower is more about the culture and community and enjoying burning one with my friends.

tell us about the 420 cruises -- what can people expect?
we did our first 420 cruise april 20th 2024. the cannabis industry changed so dramatically in one year from the 420 fest the year before. mpxnj had their grand opening that day as the first atlantic city cannabis dispensary and it would still be their best sales date ever had they not run out of weed -- thanks to the 1200 guests we had across the street at our event.

fast forward one year and there are now multiple dispensaries in atlantic city, all with reason to not want a legacy event of that magnitude in the city while their hands were tied by CRC regulations to do the same. still with no regulations defining 420 lifestyle events, i took to the high seas and booked a cruise through the back bays of atlantic city through our now good friends atlantic city cruises at 800 n. new hampshire ave. it was fun and a hit.

so once again we hit the high seas with a three cruise run with licensed dispensary sponsorships and legal weed legally gifted on board by third party friends of the cruise. the point of the cruise has and always will be to get people high outside of the confines of their private residences. so we give away as much weed as we can -- pre-rolls, eighths, dabs, edibles, and any other way we can think of.

how do you get tickets?
there are four ways to get on board. buy direct from me for $40 and receive a gift of an eighth when you get to the boat. go to rollin' green at 1011 arctic ave and spend $40 at the dispensary and get a free ticket. good time drinks will be at the dockside bon voyage party pregaming with some tasty treats -- spend $40 with them and get a free ticket while supplies last. or go on eventbrite and pay $50 plus fees.

schedule -- all times pm:
5:00-6:45 dockside pregame
6:45 boarding starts
7:00-10:00 cruise through the bay
7:45 sunset

what else do you have going on in the cannabis world right now?
norstep is doing our part to help find solutions. we are a street team for all three mpxnj locations in nj. we are working with rollin' green on this cruise and other projects, and in doing so we are bringing entertainers into their store to promote awareness. working with the colleens over at juniper lane -- plans are always in motion on a collaboration with them. we love supporting other go-getters trying to advance cannabis lifestyle events like over at sunnytien with spencer and the crew. and we have spoken with others about events like ac leef and peaches garden.

does weed help keep you grounded with nature?
weed helps me stay grounded with existence. i always say marijuana is medicine -- but not only is it medicinal, it is recreational and spiritual. i smoke because it helps with a lot of medical issues. it doesn't take away the pain, it helps my mind turn off the pain.

i believe everything we need to thrive on planet earth has been provided by mother earth. weed never judged me for that. it only helped me expand on it. so folks can keep their holy books -- i'll take my spiritual plant and my belief that we are the light so many people spend their lives in search of. i'll be a good person because i was raised well. i will never judge nor will i be judged.

does smoking weed make you brave enough to face those storms or are you just built like that?
nah, i am the youngest of five with a slew of foster siblings who were all older than me. i was always trying to keep up, which got to the point of me always going first. be it by choice or as the guinea pig, i was never quite right in the head when it came to doing stupid stuff. standing on the jetty during a hurricane just seems like fun. smoking weed has to play a part in that, but i think i'm driving in the blizzard with or without weed -- it's just a lot more fun when you're high.