Much like movies and sports, cannabis is intertwined with Los Angeles culture. Walking down the Venice boardwalk or most other popular city areas is impossible without at least catching a whiff of weed drifting over the crowds of surfers, bicyclists, skaters, and tourists.
The passing of Proposition 64 in 2016, which made adult-use cannabis legal in California, has only increased the plant's role in the city and across the state as a whole. Over 220 dispensaries call LA home, and some 1,500 legal weed stores operate in Los Angeles County.
What to know about smoking weed in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is among the best places to enjoy the 4/20 holiday anywhere in California, right up there with San Francisco. The City of Angels is also one of the top destinations in the entire US for visitors to make the most of this extra-special celebration.
Photo by: Gina Coleman/WeedmapsImage lightbox
But there are still a few restrictions:
- Cannabis users can only legally consume in a licensed marijuana consumption lounge or at a private residence with the owner's permission.
- Smoking in public places, like parks and sidewalks, near schools, or anywhere with children can land violators a ticket and possibly a misdemeanor citation. The same goes for smoking weed inside most buildings, including restaurants and even bars.
- Local law states that lighting up at outdoor events such as music festivals, expos, and fairs may also land you an unwanted ticket. In reality, though, it's only enforced at these outdoor places if you're partaking around minors.
Buying adult-use weed in LA is pretty simple. All you need is a government-issued ID, such as a driver's license or passport, that proves you're 21 or older. Recreational users can buy and carry up to 1 ounce of flower or 8 grams of THC concentrates.
Purchasing medical cannabis is more difficult, but it might be worth the extra effort, thanks to its lower age limit and higher possession limit. Adults 18 and older must have a California Medical Marijuana ID card, which allows you to buy up to 8 ounces of flower. The state doesn't accept medical weed cards from other states.
If you're visiting Los Angeles from out of state, only purchase what you can consume during your time here. It's illegal to bring your marijuana outside of California, even if you're going home to a cannabis-legal state such as Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon.
420 events in Los Angeles
Despite the restrictions that limit you to consuming cannabis in private residences or licensed lounges, you can still have a blast this 4/20 in Los Angeles. Underground parties, 4/20 weed contests, mansion-based fashion shows, bumping concerts, and private movie nights are among the city's many offerings for social smokers.
West Coast Cure: Win weed for a year
Photo by: Courtesy of West Coast CureImage lightbox
In honor of 4/20, California brand West Coast Cure offers the chance to win cannabis for a year for only $4.20. Up to five winners will receive one ounce of WCC Top Shelf Indoor Flower per calendar month (not to exceed the individual daily purchase limits) for 12 months at a participating licensed California retailer for $4.20 for the year.
You have the chance to win in two ways:
- Simply purchase the brand's Jeffrey 5-pack pre-rolls and find one of the four "Diamond Tickets" in the packaging—just like a weedy Willy Wonka. Those who score a Diamond Ticket will be eligible to participate in a skills-based trivia contest to validate their win.
- Take your creativity skills to a new level with the #WCCDIAMONDS UGC contest. Participants are invited to craft the most creative photo or video featuring a gutted Jefferey. WCC co-founder JCURES will choose the winner based on originality.
The contest runs now through 4/20/2024. See the official rules page here.
Private event: 420 Experience at Keys Hollywood
Presented by Geen Street and High Rise, this private, invite-only event has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel, and 2023's event can be seen in the upcoming High Hopes on Hulu. Ring in 4/20 with musical performances, specialty cocktails, and ample opportunity to light up. The event will be held at a private estate in Hollywood.
- Address: Unannounced until 4/20 — Hollywood, CA
- Time: April 20, 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Afterparty: 8:00 pm – 12:00 am
- Price: Free
Shred 420
Photo by: Courtesy of Grateful ShredImage lightbox
In the late 201s, LA-based cover band Grateful Shred went from street performers to a national touring band in three years. The group has hosted an annual 420 bash for six years to acknowledge the Grateful Dead's role in 4/20's history.
Cannabis folklore credits the original band for distributing flyers at their 1990 show in Oakland — which advised fans to smoke at 4:20 pm on April 20 — as a reason for the date and time becoming popular worldwide. This year's Shred 420 will feature Grateful Shred concerts on April 19 and April 20, complemented by DJs, vendors, and a trippy “Space Age” opening ceremony.
- Address: Lodge Room – 104 N Ave 56, 2nd floor, Los Angeles, CA 90042
- Time: April 19, 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm and April 20, 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm
- Price: $35 - $60
Underground 420 Fest
Enjoy cannabis product giveaways, live music, games, celebrity appearances, and food vendors in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA).
Neo-soul hip-hop artist Fitty The Ceaser, jazz artist Eve Minor, and rapper Blue Melodies will take the stage during the Underground 420 Fest, while MC F.R.E.$.H. and self-proclaimed “Vibe King” DJ Shots will hold down the turntables between the live music acts.
A hidden underground area will allow at least eight hours of indoor smoking, creating a stoner's paradise indoors. Registered vendors for the event include weed-infused baker Puff Puff Pastries and cannabis cocktail maker Fox on Darox, plus over a dozen others. The event will stream the much-anticipated boxing match between Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia on a giant screen.
- Address: DTLA - Los Angeles, CA 90015
- Time: April 20, 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
- Price: $10 - $100
Coachella
Photo by: Courtesy of CoachellaImage lightbox
What better way to celebrate 420 than enjoying one of the world's premier music festivals with the biggest names in music? For those with a thousand-plus bucks to spend, the second weekend of the annual Coachella festival — April 19 to April 21 — is almost certainly your best bet for living the stoner's holiday to the max.
This year's headliners include Lana Del Rey, Lil Uzi Vert, Sublime, Taking Back Sunday, Lil Yachty, DJ Snake, Tyler the Creator, Doja Cat, and J Balvin.
- Address: Empire Polo Club – 81-800 Avenue 51, Indio, CA 92201
- Time: April 19 - 21, 11:00 am – midnight
- Price: $500 - $720
Cannabis & Couture
Get high and enjoy high fashion at this immersive 10-hour event that aims to blend weed with fancy clothes, art, and music in a private Simi Valley mansion. Cannabis & Couture bills itself as an enchanting odyssey where luxury and weed culture converge to create a one-of-a-kind experience.
The mansion will feature outdoor gardens adorned with live art and offer networking opportunities with industry heads and influencers alike. Count on a variety of cannabis strains and products for sampling and designer paraphernalia for sale. Gourmet chefs will serve marijuana-infused dishes, and fashion designers will show off their latest weed-inspired garments.
- Address: Private mansion (address provided only for RSVP-ed guests) — Simi Valley, CA 93099
- Time: April 20, 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
- Price: $24.20
The Cannabis & Movies Club: 420 Special Celebration
Photo by: Courtesy of The Higher PathImage lightbox
Billed as a blend of cannabis, food, and fun, this event on April 21 features showings of classic stoner favorite Friday and the more recent comedy Eurovision at one of LA's most popular weed lounges.
The Green Room lounge, next to The Higher Path dispensary in Sherman Oaks, will show the 1995 film starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker at 5:00 pm and the 2020 movie featuring Will Ferrell at 7:30 pm the day after 4/20. The smoking lounge will also have music, games, snacks, and, of course, plenty of weed on hand for stoners to enjoy.
- Address: The Green Room on Ventura – 14082 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
- Time: April 21, 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
- Price: $15 - $50
Kush Groove
Pro-cannabis mainstays and California legends will come together for this annual concert at the Kia Forum. Ice Cube, WC, E-40, and Mack 10 are among nearly a dozen confirmed acts, plus a special yet-to-be-announced performing guest.
Remember how to Dougie? Cali Swag District, the artists who created the legendary viral dance, will be at Kush Groove, too. While you'll likely be able to get away with smoking during this indoor show, we recommend lighting up beforehand, just in case.
- Address: The Kia Forum — 3900 W Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90305
- Time: April 20, 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
- Price: $129 - $199
Tips from a Los Angeles local
Tracy Mann, a budtender at Elevate Los Angeles on W 3rd Street, has lived in LA for 15 years and enjoyed plenty of stoner holidays during that span. One mistake she's seen tourists make repeatedly on 4/20 is not pacing themselves enough to make the most of the day. “You could spend the entire weekend checking out different 420 events here, and you'd always have something to do,” she said. “But too many people go too hard first thing in the morning and end up missing out.”
Photo by: Gina Coleman/WeedmapsImage lightbox
To avoid getting too baked too soon, Mann advised consuming just enough marijuana to get the right buzz and re-upping as needed. But if you find yourself too roasted, Mann recommended Breez Citrus Recovery Spray — a full-spectrum CBD liquid — to help you get back on track.
Written by Chris Kudialis | Featured image by Henning Witzel on Unsplash
