Dispensary Offers Free Cannabis at Litter Cleanup Project

On July 22, several dozen people showed up in downtown Gardiner, Maine to pick up trash at an event sponsored by Summit Medical Marijuana. The dispensary offered a free gram of cannabis for every full bag of trash that was collected by volunteers.

Anyone over 21 was eligible for the free cannabis incentive if they presented a bag full of trash collected from around town. Gifting cannabis is considered legal under Maine law. Organizers alerted city officials and the police chief that the event was taking place before moving forward with the cleanup. Participants were able to fill over 100 trash bags full of litter and trash.

Dennis Meehan is owner of Summit Medical Marijuana and led the effort to collect trash. “It’s really people coming together, it was a special thing to see people being selfless and giving their time on a really hot and sunny day,” Meehan told the Press-Herald. “A gram is a really small amount. People were doing it because they are caring individuals.” Meehan added that some participants rejected the free cannabis, because they just wanted to pick up the trash and help the environment.

Meehan used Facebook and other social media challenges to advertise the event. The purpose of the event was to bring awareness to the “life-changing” nature of cannabis, and perhaps, to dismiss some lingering stigma surrounding cannabis consumers.

Both Meehan and his wife Tracy are both licensed as medical cannabis caregivers, but anyone who is 21 or older was allowed to participate. Under Maine law, adults can possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis with no penalty, so long as they don’t consume it in public or in restricted areas. Question 1 was passed by voters last November, and took effect beginning January 30.

Meehan got the idea from other similar projects, and he plans on expanding the cleanup project across Maine.