While protesters and Donald Trump supporters clashed in much of downtown D.C. this morning, the deeply divided groups stood in harmony in Dupont Circle, waiting patiently on a line that stretched for more than a quarter mile up Massachusetts Avenue. Marijuana, it would seem, has more than one kind of calming effect.
"It's been great to have so many different people join us from all partisan stripes, different states," says DCMJ co-founder Nikolas Schiller. "It's one of those things that brings people together."
With the help of hundreds of volunteers, the cannabis advocacy group rolled more than 8,000 joints, far exceeding their original goal of 4,200, to give away for free in the hours ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration. They dubbed it "The Inaugural #Trump420."
"I've met Bernie supporters saying burn it down, Trump supporters saying, 'fuck yeah, we smoke weed.' There are people here who came for the Women's March and heard about this," said Seth Kaye, who live streamed much for the event for DCMJ. "It's such an interesting mix of people."
The goal was to put a spotlight on the issue, pushing the incoming administration to come out with an agenda to legalize cannabis despite the nomination of an avowed pot foe to lead the Department of Justice.
Thanks to a tremendous amount of media attention, people from around the country showed up.
"We came just for this," said Casey Heil, who drove up from Virginia Beach with some friends after hearing about the giveaway on the radio. The Trump supporter said he planned to head down to the Mall after receiving his joint, adding "it'll be pretty cool to see history being made."
Harrison Hurst also made a trek, driving seven hours from Morehead, Kentucky with five friends for the sole reason of attending Trump420. "It's my first time doing something this active," he says. Hurst planned to join DCMJ organizers in heading down to the Mall and lighting up four minutes and twenty seconds into Trump's inaugural address. "It's possible I'll get arrested, but I've made peace with it."
The giveaway itself was legal under D.C. law, which allows the gifting of marijuana but not sales (thanks to Congressional meddling). Organizers were careful to ensure that no volunteer was carrying more than the legal limit of two ounces, and checked IDs to make sure that recipients were 21 or older. Smoking in public, however, remains decidedly illegal, both on D.C. and federal land.
Nonetheless, one could make out the distinctive smell of marijuana from as far away as the Dupont Circle Metro station two blocks away, where a number of National Guardsmen were stationed. The wide swath of sidewalk outside the PNC Bank was a free-for-all, with a steady stream of smoke rising from the crowd.
After hearing about the event, D.C. resident Dan McSwain was curious as to how it would all play out. "I wanted to see what D.C. would do," he said, standing with a lit joint in one hand and a Tupperware of dates in the other. "This far surpassed my expectations."
A group of MPD officers were stationed across the street, but they didn't intervene and no arrests were made either at Dupont or on 17th Street NW by the Mall, where a group of about 100 participants collectively lit their joints at the appointed 4:20 mark in Trump's speech.
Back on the line outside the stately embassies on Massachusetts Avenue, volunteers wearing red liberty caps periodically took up bullhorns to thank people, many of whom waited for more than an hour and a half, for their patience and make announcements. "Have your ID," "it is illegal to smoke in public," "we tested the pot, it is a homegrown, 24 percent THC sativa blend. It won't make you sleepy!"
An older woman sitting at a nearby bus stop waited quietly as the party raged on around her. "I'm just waiting for the bus to go see my daughter." she told DCist when asked about the colorful scene. "I'm not a political person." When told that it was a bipartisan event in which people were giving away free marijuana, she made the sign of the cross.
A group of several dozen bikers also rolled through in the midst of the proceedings, revving through Dupont Circle, with a giant Trump flag trailing at the end of it.
Steve, from West Virginia, wanted to make it clear that the group wasn't affiliated with Bikers For Trump, which had a permit downtown and had previously provided "security" at several Trump rallies. He disagreed strongly with their messaging, saying "when you say we're going to make a 'wall of meat,' it really makes it seem like they're trying to start something."
Instead, he just wanted to celebrate Trump's win peacefully. Steve said he had an opportunity to join the parade, but didn't want to sit around downtown waiting for several hours and preferred to ride freely with his buddies. "I'm just trying to find a spot upwind of the 4/20 people," he added.
Though the plumes of smoke grew increasingly thick as the day went on, many held off for the appointed time, and some on the scene weren't even partaking in the giveaway at all.
"I just wanted to take it in. I support democracy, and all these people have a right to be here," said Anthony Harris, who came in from Pennsylvania and cited medical marijuana's many uses and the tax revenues from legalized cannabis as among the reasons why he hopes to see it legalized. Still, he gets drug-tested at work and opted to just observe. "I've been to a lot of Grateful Dead concerts and saw how they enjoy their lives. It's a very peaceful demonstration."
Jim, a first-time volunteer with DCMJ who didn't wish his last name to be used because he isn't "very public" with his marijuana use, spent the morning directing the line at the final crosswalk before reaching the jail cell where volunteers were giving away the goods. Despite the winding line and potential for divisive politics, "everyone has been pretty chill," he said.

Many even said that the good vibes cheered them up on an otherwise depressing day.
"I was upset when Trump won and I thought maybe [attending Trump420] will make me feel better," said Steve, who declined to give his last name because there are "people who don't need to know I smoke weed." The Canadian has been on a trip around several U.S. states and decided to stop in D.C. to check out the protests.
"I didn't want to wake up and feel bummed," McSwain said. "This has been strangely edifying. I didn't expect to feel any better."

You must be sucking Luke's balls...
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Lol!
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I stayed at home and got high all day by myself like a decent American.

Fuck politicians, don't support greedy parasites regardless of what corrupt party they are from.

Freaks Wrote:
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> I stayed at home and got high all day by myself
> like a decent American.
>
> Fuck politicians, don't support greedy parasites
> regardless of what corrupt party they are from.

So you're telling me you kept to your self and didn't bother anyone and kept on living your life? Are you some kind of new crazy? *snowflake mind blown*

"We came just for this," said Casey Heil, who drove up from Virginia Beach with some friends after hearing about the giveaway on the radio.

420 miles of driving.
$42 to park.
One free joint.

Priceless.