Watch CBS News

Hempfest Takes Over Boston Common

BOSTON (CBS) -- You may have noticed something in the air around Boston Common this weekend.

Hempfest was happening downtown--the 28th Annual Boston Freedom Rally, put on by the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition.

hempfest cannabis freedom rally boston common
HempFest took over the Common over the weekend. (WBZ-TV)

Live music, vendors, and contests were on the agenda for marijuana advocates.

Along with that was what organizers called the "smell of freedom."

"I think it's just everyone coming together to one common goal," said one attendee. "Weed just connects people."

Massachusetts legalized marijuana via a ballot initiative last November.

hempfest cannabis freedom rally boston common
An attendee smokes on Boston Common. (WBZ-TV)

"Now that it's legal, it's just a lot better," said another attendee. "It just feels safer."

The state's Cannabis Control Commission just started work on a set of new marijuana regulations.

Those regulations should be in place by next July, when recreational pot shops are set to open.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.