Recap: Plenty of free pot samples, and even sales, at Cannabis Cup’s first day

For the second year in a row, the U.S. Cannabis Cup — the largest event in High Times magazine’s portfolio — kicked off Saturday at the Denver Mart with speakers and vendors from throughout the country, and plenty of free marijuana.

The free pot samples came as a surprise to many after Colorado’s Marijuana Enforcement Division released a memo threatening sanctions against state-licensed cannabis shops that took part in the Cup’s tradition of distributing samples of marijuana and pot products to attendees. Instead, marijuana flowers, hash and edibles were distributed by out-of-state companies with nothing to lose.

With plenty of tourists in the crowds, the sight of the complimentary cannabis was a welcome one.

A steady crowd of thousands of marijuana enthusiasts lined up around the block to be the first to see the latest in growing, extraction and smoking accessories at the annual expo. Bill Stewart, 63, drove from Madison, Wis., to see his first Cannabis Cup.

“I’ve been smoking for 40 years and just visited my first dispensary,” said Stewart. “It’s kind of unbelievable.”

http://www.thecannabist.co/2015/04/18/cannabis-cup-denver-recap/33600/