An aromatic and climactic tour through the Core Social Justice Cannabis Museum in JP.
We’re only a few years into recreational legalization in Mass, so hopefully you aren’t tired of visiting dispensaries just yet. If the thrill’s already gone, then we suggest hitting some of the aesthetically significant destinations like Happy Valley in East Boston or Ascend in North Station, the latter of which is the work of designers who fashioned the Apple Store prototype.
There are also spots with lots of educational offerings and free events—our friends at Canna Provisions in Western Massachusetts are worth checking if you’re out that way—and we also adore smaller boutique-y craft shops like Western Front in Chelsea. Those and several other places are keeping things fresh even before the trees come out.
Among those maintaining our interest is Seed in Jamaica Plain. In addition to their extensive selections and sleek subterranean bud bunker, the space is home to the Core Social Justice Cannabis Museum, which “aims to provide a platform for multiple perspectives relating to the war on drugs.” Far more than a simple showcase for stoners, Core features multiple “curated exhibits related to the defective system of cannabis law in the United States that urge people to look back at events and influences that sculpted our relationship with cannabis, as well as recognize and memorialize the inequitable events leading up to the multi-billion dollar industry that is cannabis today.”
It’s worth noting that Core, which is owned and operated by women and has 81% minority investors, is located in the old Bella Luna-Milky Way cellar, where the legendary venue featured bowling, concerts, and baked ziti before moving to the Armory (and then sadly closing during the pandemic). And while those are pretty damn hard boots to fill, a place where you can buy weed and learn about the history of weed seems like an outstanding consolation.
