Weed Still Not Allowed At Burning Man Because Of Federal Law

The Burning Man festival in Northern Nevada is officially underway, but you won’t find anybody burning weed. Organizers of the annual event have warned its patrons that smoking weed is still not allowed at the festival.

No Burning at Burning Man

The event typically draws tens of thousands of people to the Black Rock City Desert. It is intended to be a celebration of free expression and art. Although one would associate smoking weed with such ideals, it is still not allowed at the festival.

Nevada recently legalized recreational weed. Despite this, it is still obviously illegal on a federal level. And unfortunately for Burning Man attendees who want to spark up, the festival is on land owned by the federal government.

As a result, a strict no weed smoking policy will be enforced by the patrolling Pershing County Sheriff and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rangers. And authorities said they will issue tickets.

These citations generate thousands of dollars in extra revenue, so naturally, enforcing officers will be on the lookout.

Given the location of this event, federal law trumps state laws. That means that Nevada’s state laws allowing recreational weed are essentially moot. If caught with weed, people can face up to a $1,000 fine.

Nevada legalized recreational cannabis back on July 1, but simple possession has actually been legal as far back as January 1.

Nevada became the latest state to legalize recreational weed. When the state approved recreational weed, it joined Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Washington, D.C.

During the first week of legalization, Nevada smashed all sales projections. In fact, the state ran out of weed and was not able to meet all the demand. Despite all this, smoking weed is still not allowed at Burning Man because of federal law.

Final Hit: Weed Still Not Allowed At Burning Man Because Of Federal Law

Despite its legal status in the state of Nevada, weed is still not permitted at Burning Man because of federal restrictions.

Regardless, it seems likely that there will be plenty of weed-smoking at the festival. According to Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen, cannabis was the most widely-used illegal substance at the festival last year.

More specifically, he said that weed was the most common drug at last year’s Burning Man, followed up by cocaine, ecstasy, and acid.

Although it might prove difficult, there are certainly ways you can get your hits in on the down low if you’re heading to Burning Man. Perhaps taking an edible would be in your best interest.

If you’re willing to risk it, you may even want to take a portable vape pen. But keep in mind that there have been reports of “Camp Spies” dressed as normal festival-goers. Either way, if you’re looking to get your fix, be discreet.