NYC NORML Award Winners Announced at Westside Bash

The crowd of NYC NORML Award winners on stage at Hudson Terrace includes CelebStoner’s Steve Bloom, Noah Potter, Troy NORML, Michael O’Malley, Saki Fenderson, Steve Phan, Baba Israel and Vlad and Ramon from Happy Munkey. (Photo by Steve Abreu)

NYC NORML, New York's newest NORML chapter, made a big splash with a stoner soiree and awards presentation at Hudson Terrace on October 22. NORML founder Keith Stroup spoke to the revelers, reminding them New York was home to the first marijuana advocacy group. LeMar (for Legalize Marijuana), even before NORML. Eventually NORML merged with LeMar and the movement to legalize marijuana began in earnest in 1970.

After a musical performance by Baba Israel and Grace Galu, NYC NORML directors Ben Leiner and Ryan Lepore and others presented awards to following people and companies:

Steve Bloom’s award for Activist Organization

Artist Activist: Baba Israel (Soul Inscribed)

Activist Organization: NYC Cannabis Parade & Rally (Dana Beal, CelebStoner's Steve Bloom, Noah Potter, Troy Smith)

Cannabis Educator: Saki Fenderson (Tainted Love)

CBD Company: Come Back Daily (Steve Phan)

Champion for Corporate Social Responsibility: Michael O’Malley (Curved Papers)

Doug Greene Award for Activism: Kassandra Frederique and Melissa Moore (Start Smart NY/Drug Policy Alliance)

Green Sustainable Cannabis Company: Hudson Hemp

Consumption Experience: Happy Munkey (Vlad and Ramone)

NORML MVP: Chef Joshua Tepperberg (The Mediblist)

To find out more about NYC NORML, go here.

Steve Bloom

Steve Bloom

Publisher of CelebStoner.com, former editor of High Times and Freedom Leaf and co-author of Pot Culture and Reefer Movie Madness.