Start dreaming of a Green Wednesday; Start dreaming of a Green Wednesday New cannabis holiday designed to help with long weekend
Aunt Edna’s lumbago. The time Grandpa caught a squirrel with a fishing net. Your cousin’s poor decision to marry “that bum.” All things you’re going to have to listen to sober for the seventh year in a row this Thanksgiving if you don’t come prepared with something that takes the edge off, spurs your appetite for dry turkey and drier stuffing, and maybe even makes you giggle a little at the squirrel story.
Similar to alcohol, cannabis is known for being able to increase many people’s enjoyment (and tolerance) of holiday get-togethers. And, as with all things holiday, Washington retailers are finding a way to capitalize on this coping mechanism.
Following in the tradition of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, “Green Wednesday” is the latest non-official holiday aimed at increasing merchandise sales. Green Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, started on a small scale around 2016 and has been growing each year. According to sales data from states where cannabis is recreationally legal, Green Wednesday is second only to April 20 (4/20) when it comes to single-day marijuana sales, although another weed-inspired “holiday” is also gaining traction; 710, held on July 10, also known as OIL when the letters are creatively positioned.
Compared to standard Wednesdays the rest of the year, national sales on Green Wednesday in 2020 were up substantially, almost 140%. While some of the reason for the huge sales increase can probably be attributed to added stress from dealing with a holiday during a pandemic (and perhaps people possibly spending Thanksgiving alone to help slow the spread of COVID), Green Wednesdays going back several years also showed large sales increases on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving.
Locally, Green Wednesday doesn’t appear to have really taken root yet as a stand-alone holiday, but Christmas, Thanksgiving and other holiday specials of some sort are offered at most Spokane-area retailers. For instance, Cannabis and Glass stores in both Spokane and Spokane Valley haven’t had Green Wednesday sales in the past but have had Thanksgiving sales. This year they are contemplating a hybrid of the two, plus end-of-year promotions.
“We celebrate most holidays with some sort of sale, Thanksgiving being one of them, ” Marshall Piatt, director of corporate operations for Cannabis and Glass, wrote in an email. “We will likely roll this into a Harvest/Thanksgiving/Green Wednesday sale.”
As of late October, Piatt wasn’t sure exactly what his company will offer for its sales but said there is a good chance deals could even stretch into Thanksgiving weekend since a lot of people will have a four-day weekend that week. With all that free time, much of it potentially spent with family, the speculation is that many customers will buy cannabis to stave off possible boredom and/or irritation. Others can use the sales to save money and stock up on products that they can use throughout the coming months. North Spokane’s The Green Nugget has a similar plan as Cannabis and Glass.
“We actually do not celebrate Green Wednesday but focus our efforts on Black Friday and a Thanksgiving overnight special,” wrote The Green Nugget’s Marketing Director Martina Graves in an email.
A handful of other Eastern Washington shops contacted also said they put the emphasis more on Thanksgiving and Black Friday than Green Wednesday, but all planned to offer some sort of deals.
Nationwide, the items that marijuana retailers report sell best leading up to and on the holiday and holiday weekend include items that are discreet or can be used quickly, such as pre-rolled joints, edibles, vape
pens and cartridges. Probably for the same reason they are popular all year-round: they’re quick to use, easy to carry in a handbag or pocket, and much easier to hide than a big pipe.
So eat dessert first this year! Consider having that edible brownie or cupcake before the big meal to help you choke down the canned beets later.