As warmer weather arrives, more cannabis enthusiasts will be heading to the great outdoors to hike, camp, picnic with friends and attend live music festivals. Often, these activities will involve cannabis consumption, which means potential litter, fire hazards and other environmental concerns.
“Unfortunately, cannabis consumers are often stereotyped as being aloof and careless when it comes to consumption in the great outdoors,” says Ben Owens, Founder & Crew Leader of CannaVenture®, which has been organizing and hosting cannabis-friendly outdoor events like hikes and camping trips across the country since 2016. “By following a few simple courtesy rules that our events use, cannabis consumers can continue to prove that stereotype to be false, allowing us all to enjoy the natural beauty of the great outdoors and help preserve it for years to come.”
CannaVenture has teamed up with the Cannabis Creative Movement to create a guide that describes in detail how cannabis consumers can be responsible at outdoor events. The guide also helps to promote and support CannaVenture’s nonprofit partner Wilderness on Wheels, an organization that provides wheelchair-accessible hiking, fishing and camping facilities to make wilderness activities available to all. The Responsible Recreation Guide, which you can download for free here, includes a variety of tips and information for responsibly enjoying cannabis in the great outdoors.
It is important that all outdoor cannabis use be done safely, as damage from irresponsible cannabis use can include:
- Disruption of wildlife/ecosystem
- Litter left behind from product packaging, pre-rolls, etc.
- Potentially damaging and deadly wildfires
- Vulnerable ecosystems become susceptible to increased harm
“The cannabis community is already working to remove the stigma from cannabis consumption, and we have made great strides in this area over the years,” said John Shute, CEO and Founder of PufCreativ, a co-founder of the Cannabis Creative Movement. “So it is very important that we do not let irresponsible behavior destroy the progress we have made with regard to the acceptance of cannabis for medical and recreational uses. It is very easy to follow some very basic guidelines to ensure that we are not contributing to environmental damage or creating further negative perceptions about cannabis.”
The Responsible Recreation Guide is available here. To download other free guides from the Cannabis Creative Movement, please visit the website.
