‘Green Wednesday’: Cannabis Joins Turkey In Thanksgiving Tables Across US As Stigma Fades
November 27, 2025
Last Updated:November 27, 2025, 23:12 IST
Bringing cannabis into familiar traditions, from big Thanksgiving meals to the so-called ‘cousin walk’, helps advocates show how normal use can ease lingering stigma.
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A budtender helps customers purchase marijuana at California Street Cannabis Company. (Getty Images via AFP)
Cannabis dispensaries across the United States reported one of their busiest days of the year on Wednesday, as Americans prepared not just for turkey and pie, but for what many now call “Green Wednesday”, the fast-growing cannabis shopping day ahead of Thanksgiving.
At a dispensary in Silver Spring, Maryland, customers streamed in throughout the day, stocking up on edibles, pre-rolls and speciality products to share with family or enjoy during the long holiday weekend.
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Staff said many shoppers were preparing for relaxed family gatherings, the traditional post-dinner walk, or simply hoping to unwind with visiting relatives.
E. Friday, a personal care specialist at the RISE dispensary, said the pattern had become familiar. “Cousins coming to town, family getting together, people needing to relax a little. You know how it goes,” they said, as customers queued at the checkout, Washington Post reported.
Industry experts say Green Wednesday has grown rapidly as cannabis becomes more mainstream and widely legal across many states. Some dispensaries now see sales rival those recorded on 4/20, the long-established cannabis holiday. At RISE, exclusive products such as the “Queen Cola” — a 14-gram long-stem flower — sold out in 15 minutes.
Dominic O’Brien, chief commercial officer at Green Thumb Industries, which operates RISE and other dispensaries across 14 states, said the day marks the beginning of a significant sales period. “Some customers who only shop a few times a year, and those consumers are coming in around Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving and 4/20,” he said.
The Cannabis Media Council estimates the US cannabis industry to be worth around $34 billion, with a further $28 billion in hemp-derived products such as THC-infused drinks, now sold in mainstream outlets.
The term “Green Wednesday” emerged in California roughly eight years ago, inspired by the surge in sales before Thanksgiving.
Dispensaries in Washington, DC, where new regulations and licensing systems are taking effect, promoted holiday specials and even published guides on pairing strains with traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Some companies are also hosting cannabis-and-food pairing events, which have become increasingly popular.
Advocates say the holiday has helped normalise cannabis use within families. Amy Deneson of the Cannabis Media Council noted a rise in “generational” acceptance. “Elders are consuming cannabis, even though they have been the most misinformed and have the most stigma of all the generations,” she said.
Despite cannabis still being classified federally as a Schedule 1 drug, many states permit recreational and medical use. Experts warn consumers to remain aware of legal restrictions, especially when travelling across state lines. A new federal measure, included in the recent spending bill, may tighten regulation of hemp-based products next year.
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News world ‘Green Wednesday’: Cannabis Joins Turkey In Thanksgiving Tables Across US As Stigma Fades
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