Green Wednesday is the day before Thanksgiving when cannabis lovers and enthusiasts flock to dispensaries across the United States to stock up on their favorite products, usually at discounted prices. It’s like Black Friday but for weed! The biggest shopping days for cannabis retailers is not Black Friday or Cyber Monday but rather April 20 (aka 4/20) and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, known as Green Wednesday. It’s a cannabis holiday like 4/20, where shoppers tend to buy more of their favorite THC products (usually at a discount). Sales tend to surge as people stock up before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. There are multiple theories as to why this happens.
Most businesses remain closed on Thanksgiving, and many businesses extend their closures until the following Monday. As a result, cannabis lovers stock up on products on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to ensure they have enough for the long weekend’s sessions, family gatherings, and maybe the annual Thanksgiving walk.
Many consumers use cannabis to cope with the stress of being with their family; others swap alcohol for THC products; and for many, it’s simply a reflection of mainstream acceptance. The week of Thanksgiving, many dispensaries curate major celebratory deals all week, not just on Green Wednesday.
When did Green Wednesday start?
Unlike Black Friday or Cyber Monday, what makes this cannabis holiday unique is that it was not started by the retailers. In 2017, in California, a cannabis delivery service/dispensary noticed that sales sky rocketed on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Shoppers were flocking to dispensaries before the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. As cannabis legalization spread across the country, so did the cannabis sales on the same Wednesday of every year. This phenomenon made Wednesday before Thanksgiving one of the biggest cannabis selling days of the year. Not to be outdone by big box stores’ Black Friday, a California cannabis delivery service named the day “Green Wednesday.” Reports over the years have shown that cannabis lovers spent big on Green Wednesday, with sales revenues increasing an average 91% when compared to a typical Wednesday. According to Dutchie, a point of sale and e-commerce platform used by more than 6,500 dispensaries in the US and Canada, on Green Wednesday the average cart size has been shown to increate up to 9%, to $70.80. In 2024, Weedmaps saw Green Wednesday drive 46% more orders and 53% more revenue compared to the Wednesday of the week before, showcasing the popularity and promotional power of this cannabis holiday. “While not as well-known as 4/20, Green Wednesday is quickly becoming a premier cannabis holiday and a vital day of business for cannabis dispensaries,” Dutchie CRO Spencer Scott stated in a press release.
Although, the exact reason behind this shopping trend is “highly” debated, there are several theories of why this phenomenon exists:
- Cannabis is becoming a substitute for alcohol: Holiday parties traditionally feature festive cocktails, beers, and wines. However, in the recent years, consumers are exchanging alcohol for cannabis products like THC infused beverages and edibles. “The use of weed to replace alcohol is a growing trend in the United States. In fact, a recent study found — for the first time ever — the daily use of cannabis of any kind among Americans surpassed the daily use of alcohol.” While more Americans swap alcohol for cannabis, the popularity of Green Wednesday will just increase.
- Holiday travel and family stress: Combination of family drama, social anxiety, and stressful travel situations may cause increased cannabis use as a coping mechanism. It’s no secret that the holidays can be a stressful time – there’s a lot to manage between traveling, family visits, and preparing for the holiday. Since many US adults find relief from all the hustle and bustle through cannabis, purchasing enough cannabis products for the weekend has become increasingly common. Whether it’s for stress relief or simply enhancing holiday gatherings, cannabis can help facilitate creativity and conversation, adding an enriching layer to any friend or family gathering. In fact, a survey conducted in 2022 found that 24% of participants plan to consume cannabis to help them enjoy the holidays more.
- Increased Social Acceptance: As more states legalize cannabis, the stigma around marijuana use is diminishing. Many cannabis participants are creating new traditions like the “Thanksgiving Walk,” “Smoke Brake” or “Cousin Walk” where families and friends enjoy cannabis together. It may no longer be secretive, shameful or regarded as taboo. Green Wednesday is a great way to celebrate the legalization of cannabis and enjoy the many forms the plant can take (flower, vapes, pre-rolls, cannabis infused beverages, gummies, pills, dabs, topicals, etc). As Green Wednesday gains popularity, joining in on the festivities can help soften the stigma associated with the plant and increase awareness of the benefits cannabis offers.
How Best to Shop on Green Wednesday?
If this is your first Green Wednesday, you might be wondering if there are ways to capitalize on deals while also reducing shopping stress. So what does this mean for shoppers like you? Lots of deals and your chance to score major discounts on flower, edibles, vapes, concentrates, and more! but while supplies last. Here are our top tips to help you:
- Plan: Prepare for Green Wednesday (the Black Friday of cannabis) by marking your calendar and setting a reminder. This year its Wednesday, November 26, 2025.
- Budget: The holiday season can be financially taxing. Set a budget and put money aside so you can shop for your favorites without breaking the bank or getting a surprise credit card bill.
- Sign Up for Dispensary Emails & Loyalty Programs: We get it—the last thing any of us need is more emails clogging our inbox. But if you are a cannabis enthusiast looking to catch great deals on Green Wednesday, this is going to be your best way to get ahead of the crowd. We at Stage One send out our weekly promotions over email and text, and we reward our most loyal customers with additional savings, gifts with purchase, and discounts. It pays to be part of our Stage One Cannabis Family and our loyalty program.
- Shop for Deals All Week: Stage One Dispensary has great deals happening all week leading up to and after Green Wednesday. We and our partnered brands will be celebrating the cannabis holiday with exclusive once-a-year deals, so be sure to visit our deals page and apply promos and coupons at checkout. Make sure you’re signed up for our email and loyalty program alerts to know when the sales are dropping. It’s the best way to buy bud on a budget.
- Order Online Ahead of Time: On the second busiest shopping day of the year, you can expect some wait times and lines to get your cannabis game on. Visiting family out of town? Traveling without a car? You might find it a lot easier to just order online for pickup in-store or for our FREE delivery service. Not only will you avoid the wait, but you’ll secure the products you want before they sell out?
- Stock up: With some of the year’s best deals happening on Green Wednesday, stocking up won’t be hard. Pick a variety of products so there’s something for everyone at the Thanksgiving table.
Danksgiving is a cannabis-themed celebration that typically takes place on the Sunday or during the holiday weekend after Thanksgiving. It’s marked by a feast of cannabis-infused dishes — think garlic-herb cannabutter, infused potatoes and stuffing, and cannabis pumpkin pie — enjoyed with friends, family, and fellow cannabis enthusiasts. Many celebrations include a Thanksgiving cousin walk to prepare for the infused meal ahead. Make sure you shop on Green Wednesday and stock up for your Danskgiving!
Are dispensaries open on Thanksgiving? While we can’t speak for every legal dispensary across the United States, Stage One Dispensary will be closed on Thanksgiving so the bud-tenders can enjoy time with their families and loved one.
Do dispensaries have Black Friday deals? While Stage One will definitely have Green Wednesday sales continue though Black Friday, the savy cannabis consumers are going to be there for Green Wednesday since many of the specials are “while supplies last.”
Celebrate Green Wednesday!
Green Wednesday is a great time to stock up on amazing cannabis products and take advantage of once-a-year deals. Ask your bud-tender about our Green Wednesday specials, and treat yourself to something high-mazing for the holidays! Whether you need some flower, pre-rolls you can share with your favorite family member, vapes, gummies, and topicals for granny, Stage One has a Green Wednesday special for you!
The best way to celebrate Green Wednesday is to plan ahead. Make sure you follow our tips for staying on top of deals to ensure you don’t miss out on any sales happening during the holiday week. We highly recommend signing up for Stage One emails and loyalty rewards, shop earlier in the week, and order online to avoid long lines. Traveling for Thanksgiving? No problem. Stage One Dispensary offer free delivery, so you can get your Green Wednesday deals without needing a car.
Sources:
1. “Celebrate Green Wednesday, the Cannabis Black Friday,” Verilife Chronicle. (2025). https://www.verilife.com/learn/green-wednesday
2. “Green Wednesday Returns Another Trove of Sales in 2023,” Green Market Report, (December 1, 2023). https://www.greenmarketreport.com/green-wednesday-returns-another-trove-of-sales-in-2023/
3. “How to celebrate Green Wednesday, the cannabis industry’s Black Friday,” Weedmaps, https://weedmaps.com/learn/cannabis-and-its-evolution/green-wednesday
4. “Green Wednesday was second biggest day of year for cannabis sales,” Retail Brew. (December 6, 2024). https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2024/12/06/green-wednesday-was-second-biggest-day-of-year-for-cannabis-sales
5. “Why replacing alcohol with weed is a growing trend in the US,” CNN. (May 31, 2024). https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/30/health/marijuana-versus-alcohol-wellness
6. “Danksgiving: Why marijuana is on the menu for many this Thanksgiving,” Yahoo Life, November 22, 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/danksgiving-thanksgiving-green-wednesday-163402290.html
7. “What is a “Thanksgiving walk?” The Weedmaps guide to taking one,” Weedmaps.com, https://weedmaps.com/learn/cannabis-and-its-evolution/what-is-a-thanksgiving-weed-walk
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