CHOWHOUND: Cooking and Entertaining with Cannabis: Here’s What You Need to Know By Kelsey Butler

Hosting a Cannabis Event

Live in a place where weed is legalized for recreational use? Then you may be intrigued by cannabis events that are popping up, where pot is center stage. Hosting one of your own? Samantha Montanaro, owner/operator of events company Prism House PDX, co-owner of digital cannabis community Tokeativity, and chair of Historic Parkrose, shares some dos and don’ts: Make sure you have great music (whatever that means to you and your crowd), which can make and break the vibe, and ensure that you have non-infused foods for people to eat. “If the food is all infused, people are guaranteed to over-consume,” Montanaro says. Another tip: Label cannabis goods so everyone knows what they’re consuming.

She also emphasizes that it’s key to encourage responsible consumption. “Set the stage for responsible consumption by making a disclaimer at the start,” she says. “Remind guests that everyone has a unique body and to not feel pressure to hit every joint or eat every app that circles the party. Guests can always have more…it is really not fun to have too much, and can be quite embarrassing at a cannabis party.” If you’re serving infused foods, Montanaro recommends keeping it low-dose. “This is the only way to ensure nobody will over consume,” she says. “Five [milligrams] or less is best! Encourage people to wait a while before going back for seconds.”

Hosts should also have tools on hand just in case someone inadvertently overdoes it. CBD tincture, capsules, and lemon juice, or essential oils like black pepper can help reduce the intoxication of cannabis, Montanaro says. Finally, encourage safe transportation by making it easy for guests to take a rideshare or public transit after the soirée.