Local
No pot uniformity in DMV region
Restrictions fewest in D.C.; tightest in Virginia
Spend time in D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Rehoboth Beach? Be careful — cannabis laws vary significantly in our region.
The District has the freest laws. In Washington, medical and recreational cannabis use is legal for adults over 21. It joins 10 states (Maine, Massachusetts, Colorado, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Michigan and Alaska) as the pot-friendliest jurisdictions, although it is still illegal to sell pot commercially in D.C.
In Maryland, Delaware or if you venture into West Virginia, cannabis is approved for medical use with a doctor’s recommendation. Recreational use has been decriminalized in Maryland and Delaware. It’s a misdemeanor in West Virginia.
In Virginia (and throughout the Bible Belt), CBD-only (Cannabidiol) laws allow for some medical access. Virginia, however has some of the most expansive CBD laws of the 14 states with CBD-only laws.
Be careful traveling though — no states allow transport of cannabis across state lines.
Cannabis is prohibited in all forms in three states — Idaho, South Dakota and Nebraska.
Other interesting cannabis numbers, courtesy of the 2018 publication “Marijuana Goes Mainstream”:
• 88 percent of Americans support the legalization of medical marijuana according to a CNN poll.
• 84 percent of Americans support ending jail sentences for those caught with small amounts of marijuana (CNN).
• 60 percent of Americans support outright legalization of marijuana according to Gallup.
• marijuana ranks third among recreational drugs in the U.S. after alcohol and tobacco according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
• 75 percent of U.S. marijuana sales come from California or Colorado (herb.com).
• $6.7 billion was paid for legal marijuana sales in the U.S. in 2016, up 30 percent from the previous year according to Arcview Market Research. It’s expected to hit more than $20 billion by 2021.
• Black market marijuana sales accounted for $46.4 billion in sales in 2016 (Arcview).
• Daily cannabis users average 600 extra calories a day (herb.com).
• 55 million Americans have tried pot at least once (Marist/Yahoo poll) and 35 million are regular users averaging once or twice-monthly use.
• smoking pot around your pets will affect them; symptoms of pets inhaling second-hand pot smoke include pacing, panting and loss of balance, usually within 30-60 minutes of exposure.
• 14 percent of U.S. marijuana smokers are Republicans (Marist/Yahoo).
• 11 percent of marijuana users say they hide their stash (Marish/Yahoo).
• 76 percent of Americans say marijuana is more of a health risk than tobacco (Marish/Yahoo).
• The famous Hollywood sign has been vandalized twice to read “Hollyweed” — in 1976 and 2017 according to the New York Times.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
I don’t see the point in a relationship
Julius’ Bar ‘sip-in’ laid groundwork for Stonewall
Trans parent charged with kidnapping, allegedly fled to Cuba with child
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Inside the lonely world of MAGA gay men
Wagons ho! High-class, head-turning haulers
Rorschach stages ‘Dragon Play’ in unlikely, raw space
‘Big Mistakes’ an uneven – but worthy – comedic showcase
