For the cannabis community, a Thanksgiving “cousin walk”—an annual outing where younger adults take a break and share a joint before the holiday feast—has been around for years. But if you get your news from some in the mainstream media, you might assume it’s a new trend.
That the stoner tradition is finally reaching the pages of outlets like The Wall Street Journal this season is one of the latest examples of how marijuana culture is being normalized—albeit gradually in much of the mainstream press.
Here’s a sampling of cannabis-related headlines from national outlets in the days leading up to Thursday’s holiday:
- The Wall Street Journal: “This Year’s Thanksgiving Surprise: Half of the Guests Are Stoned”
- Bloomberg: “Cannabis Is In, Booze Is Out at This Year’s Thanksgiving Table”
- The Independent: “What is a ‘cousin walk’—and are you hopping on this Thanksgiving tradition?”
- Morning Brew: Pre-Thanksgiving strolls are firing up weed sales
“What started as a subversive activity among dedicated stoners has mushroomed into a full-blown tradition. Like every other holiday, it’s gone commercial,” the Journal reported. “With marijuana legal for medicinal use in 40 states and recreational use in more than half of those, the industry is seizing on the popularity of the pre-turkey toke to boost business.”
“Hiding the activity from disapproving kin—as much as a person reeking of weed can—is part of the fun for participants,” it says. “It can be a two-way act: some of those familial squares know exactly what’s happening outside even if they act like they don’t.”
The article also referenced Instagram posts from the New York-based cannabis dispensary Gotham that’s marketed a marijuana pre-roll pack called “Cousins Walk” ahead of Thanksgiving. The retailer described the cousin walk tradition as “a secret society that meets once a year.”
While mainstream media sources might be on a steeper learning curve when it comes to covering cannabis, there is a through-line that touches on a more timely trend: Adults are increasingly choosing marijuana over alcohol. And on a holiday like Thanksgiving—where the appetite-enhancing qualities of cannabis become especially relevant—that trend is on full display.
Recent polling shows that younger Americans are increasingly using cannabis-infused beverages as a substitute for alcohol—with one in three millennials and Gen Z workers choosing THC drinks over booze for after-work activities like happy hours.
Another survey released last month found that a majority of Americans believe marijuana represents a “healthier option” than alcohol—and most also expect cannabis to be legal in all 50 states within the next five years.
With Thanksgiving fast approaching amid these consumer trends, it appears likely that more cousins could be spotted briefly departing their hosts’ homes for the annual stoner sojourn.
Last year, multiple states—as well as federal officials in the U.S. and Canada—issued reminders about their marijuana laws ahead of Thanksgiving, with some urging adults to consume responsibly if they plan to partake the holiday—and others warning people to avoid traveling across the border with cannabis.
Photo courtesy of Martin Alonso.
