Three brown bags with cannabis leaves coming out of them on a green background

Celebrate Green Wednesday, the Cannabis Black Friday

Verilife

Cannabis is on the menu for this year’s Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and dispensaries have the sales revenue to prove it! Known as the cannabis industry’s Black Friday, Green Wednesday takes place the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and it has cemented itself as a “high holiday” next to 4/20 and maybe even National Dab Day (7/10).

So what does this mean for cannabis shoppers? Lots of deals! For this holiday guide, we’re going to make sure you know everything about Green Wednesday and how to take advantage of celebratory dispensary discounts.

What is Green Wednesday?

Green Wednesday is the day before Thanksgiving when cannabis enthusiasts flock to dispensaries across the country to stock up on their favorite products before spending the next day with their families.¹ What makes this canna-holiday unique is that it wasn’t started by the retailers–like most shopping-related celebrations. In 2017, a cannabis delivery company in California noticed that sales went through the roof during the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. As cannabis legalization spread across the country, so did the uptick in sales on the same day every year.²

Minature shopping cart filled with different cannabis products

While the exact reason behind this trend is “highly” debated, there are several theories:

Stocking Up - Since many businesses tend to close shop from Thursday until the following Monday, cannabis enthusiasts use the day before the holiday to stock up on their favorite products.²
Holiday Stress - A combination of family drama, social anxiety, and stressful travel situations may lead to cannabis use as a coping mechanism. In fact, a survey conducted in 2022 found that 24% of participants plan to consume cannabis to help them enjoy the holidays more.³
Increased Acceptance - As more and more states legalize cannabis, the stigma around marijuana use is waning. Traditions like the “Thanksgiving Walk” or “Cousin Walk” in which families enjoy cannabis together may no longer be a source of secrecy or shame.⁴

How to Shop Smart on Green Wednesday

If this is your first Green Wednesday, you might be wondering if there are ways to capitalize on deals while also reducing shopping stress. Here are our top three tips to help you do just that:

Sign Up for Dispensary Emails & Loyalty Programs: We get it—the last thing any of us need is more emails clogging our inbox. But if you’re a cannabis enthusiast looking to catch a deal for Green Wednesday, this is going to be your best way to get ahead of the crowd. Dispensaries send out many of their promotions over email and text, and some even reward their most loyal customers with additional discounts. It pays to be part of these distribution lists and loyalty programs.
Shop for Deals All Week: Don’t sleep on the days before Green Wednesday. A lot of dispensaries recognize the tidal wave of cannabis enthusiasts they’re going to get that day, so they roll out deals earlier in the week. Make sure you’re signed up for email deals and loyalty program alerts to know when the sales are dropping. It’s the best way to buy bud on a budget.
Order Online Ahead of Time: On the second busiest shopping day of the year, you can expect some wait times and lines to get to your favorite bud. Because of this, you might find it a lot easier to just order online for pickup in-store. Not only will you avoid the wait, but you’ll secure the product you want before it’s sold out.

Brown paper bag, tincture bottle, and vape all with cannabis leaves on them

Answering Green Wednesday FAQs

Get ready for the big holiday by making sure you know the answers to these frequently asked Danksgiving questions:

Are dispensaries open on Thanksgiving?
While we can’t speak for every dispensary across the country, there’s a good chance that your favorite dispensary will be closed on Thanksgiving so the budtenders can enjoy time with their families too.

When did Green Wednesday start?
While 4/20 is always going to be the busiest cannabis holiday of the year, marketers across the country noticed that cannabis consumers were flocking to dispensaries before the long Thanksgiving holiday. This made Wednesday one of the biggest selling days of the year. Not to be outdone by big box stores’ Black Friday, a California cannabis delivery service named the day Green Wednesday.

Do dispensaries have Black Friday deals?
While you can probably expect a couple Black Friday deals at your dispensary, the smart cannabis enthusiasts are going to be there for Green Wednesday, aka the day before Thanksgiving, which is the Black Friday of cannabis.