Q: Tell us about the 420 week events coming up this weekend—the Easter egg hunt?
Scott Schmidt: We’ve got a city-wide scavenger hunt Friday through Sunday. Emerald Village works with all the licensees to promote West Hollywood as a cannabis destination. Nug Hunt, which does cannabis-related tours, reached out about a collaboration since Easter and 420 coincide. We focus on West Hollywood’s unique cannabis destinations, dispensaries, lounges. They’ve also partnered with businesses like Earth Bar, Tea Gardens, Junior Cookies. It’s a fun weekend-long event to check out spots around West Hollywood, get special deals, and have a good time.
Q: It seems like the perfect place to have it, with Emerald Village’s high density of shops.
Scott Schmidt: By population, we have more than Amsterdam post-COVID. Per capita, West Hollywood sells about 6.5 times as much cannabis as the rest of California. It’s a weekend-long event because we want people to check out the various lounges without hitting more than one or two a day—that might not end well. Emerald Village provides t-shirts, tote bags, and a bespoke map with a responsible use guide for visitors, explaining how to safely, responsibly consume cannabis here. Don’t smoke in a bar or on the street—we’ve got lounges for that. Start low, go slow to avoid overconsumption. Over 200 people are signed up, and it’s a chance to educate about responsible use.
Q: What’s it like seeing visitors from restrictive areas come to West Hollywood?
Scott Schmidt: When you’re visiting, you need to be respectful of local communities. Just because West Hollywood has liberal access to cannabis doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all. We don’t want you doing it in the streets or in front of houses. That education is key. This afternoon, I’m distributing napkins to bars in the rainbow district—Beaches, Abbey, Mickey’s, Revolver—that say, no joking, we have lounges for that, directing people to legally consume. It’s a three-pronged approach: promoting lounges, educating on local laws, and protecting bars from ABC violations. It benefits everyone.
Q: It’s a delicate balance to let people have a grand experience while protecting residents. Could over-tourism, like in Amsterdam, become a problem here?
Scott Schmidt: We’re expecting lots of folks for 420 and Easter together. We’re investing in public education—consume responsibly, respectfully. Start low, go slow. Cut your usual amount in half. West Hollywood’s merit-based selection process ensures licensees value their licenses. They’re cautious because they want you to have a good time. No one wants you to overconsume and ruin your Sunday. In California, cannabis has 33 to 50 percent higher THC than elsewhere, and edibles can take two hours to kick in. Our map’s responsible use guide reminds people to pay attention, not make assumptions.
Q: What should first-time visitors know about the cannabis experience here?
Scott Schmidt: Start low, go slow. Try an infused beverage, a three or five milligram can, and take your time. Or a low-dose pre-roll pack—take one hit at a time, pass it around with friends. It’s not a race. Talk to lounge staff—they’re experts, they know what first-timers enjoy. Let them know if it’s your first time or you’ve got low tolerance. If Sativa gives you anxiety, they’ll recommend an indica-leaning hybrid. Cannabis hits differently in public with music, conversations, lighting, sirens. Be cautious—we don’t want you to have a bad experience.
Q: What new features or events are the lounges adding for 420 that you’re excited about?
Scott Schmidt: Lounges offer opportunities to try devices you wouldn’t at home, like a $400 herbal vaporizer. For 420, The Woods has four time blocks on Sunday with entertainment, promotions, specials. Artist Tree has performance art, live entertainment. Pleasuremed is doing a pop-up in the parking lot with brands for a celebration—take products inside to consume. It’s about experiences, not just deals.
WHERE:
Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood
Event app will guide you to all participating locations
WHEN:
Friday April 18 – Sunday April 20
WHAT:
This 4/20, Emerald Village and Nug Hunt are partnering to present the 420 Easter Nug Hunt — a one-of-a-kind cannabis-themed scavenger hunt happening in the heart of West Hollywood from April 18 through April 20.
With their ticket, participants will gain access to a custom scavenger hunt app that will guide them to more than 20 participating shops, lounges, and dispensaries along Santa Monica Boulevard. Along the way, they’ll complete fun games and interactive challenges, all while collecting goodies, unlocking exclusive deals, and enjoying everything West Hollywood’s cannabis culture has to offer. Each registered guest will receive a custom event bag loaded with promotional items, including drink tickets, vapes, and access to participating lounges. The experience also includes a limited-edition Emerald Village tee shirt and an exclusive West Hollyweed Fun Map, specially designed for the scavenger hunt journey. To top it all off, participants will have the chance to win the grand prize: $500
Tickets are available now and include app access, the full scavenger hunt experience, and all the perks mentioned above. Join us for a high-spirited adventure through West Hollywood and get ready to puff, pass, and play your way to some seriously elevated Easter fun.
“and promote it as the world’s cannabis capital…” no one in West Hollywood voted for this. The voters voted to allow cannabis and our city council allowed a handful of dispensaries and consumption lounges. Now comes this organization that without input from residents has decided to market West Hollywood as the pot capital of the world. Really outrageous. Anybody with a half a brain in their head knows what that did to Amsterdam. The people of Amsterdam in recent years are trying to undo what was created there and West Hollywood is moving in the direction of a failed experiment.… Read more »