By Holly Hager

Last week saw cannabis legalization changing the New York social scene in real life. On Friday, a diverse, well-heeled crowd of cannabis industry leaders, influencers, and innovators gathered in the Hamptons for a private cannabis soirée sponsored by Flowerhire, House of Puff, and Artet.

With nary a stoner stereotype in sight, the swank evening marked a huge departure from pre-legalization cannabis culture. Kristina Lopez Adduci (CEO, House of Puff) hosted the posh party poolside on the grounds of her Hamptons beach house.

Complete with infused bites and cannabis cocktails, the event reflected the hosts’ communal commitment to an industry that redresses the societal wrongs of the War on Drugs. The evening focused on raising funds for the Cannabis Impact Fund, which aims to make the right thing the easy thing to do for cannabis companies by creating meaningful, vetted pathways for the industry to support nationwide racial justice initiatives.

"What a great night to meet the New York area and connect with cannabis folks from across the country who want to do good!” said Kelly Perez, co-founder of the Cannabis Impact Fund.

Kitted out in Hamptons chic, the exclusive roster of guests enjoyed Stoni Negronis, music by the Beet Boys, and the host’s private stock of post-legalization home grow. As one of the first legal Greater NYC events, the evening modeled mainstream cannabis-friendly entertaining at its best.

Left to right: Kelly Perez of Cannabis Impact Fund; Courtney Mathis, CEO of Cannabis Doing Good; Zach Spoler, co-founder of Artet; David Belsky, founder and CEO of FlowerHire; Kristina Lopez Adduci, founder and CEO of House of Puff. Courtesy of House of Puff / FlowerHire
Caro Confort, host of Sex Ed Rewind podcast. Courtesy of House of Puff / FlowerHire.
Left to right: Dr. Duclas Charles, PharmD, of Curaleaf; Chelsey Yearwood, founder and CEO of FREQUENCHI Collective; Brad Korman; Zach Spoler. Courtesy of House of Puff / FlowerHire.
Michael Tsang, Albert J. William and friends. Courtesy of House of Puff / FlowerHire.
Left to right: Jamie Leo; Sarah Confessore, Director of Packaging at Acreage Holdings; Karen Meshkov, Director of Business Development at FlowerHire. Courtesy of House of Puff / FlowerHire.
Left to right: Emily and Michael Carver; Holly Hager, Principal and COO of House of Puff; Kylie Halperin, co-founder and CEO of DD8. Courtesy of House of Puff / FlowerHire.
(C) Sam C. Long / Honeysuckle Media, Inc.

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To learn more about the Cannabis Impact Fund and how you can help make progress for racial justice in the industry, visit cannabisimpactfund.org or follow @cannabisimpactfund on Instagram.

For more information about House of Puff, visit houseofpuff.com or follow @thehouseofpuff on Instagram. For more about FlowerHire, visit flowerhire.com or follow @flowerhire on Instagram.

Featured image: Left to right, top: Kelly Perez, co-founder of the Cannabis Impact Fund; Courtney Mathis, CEO of Cannabis Doing Good; Ronit Pinto, founder and publisher of Honeysuckle Media, Inc. Left to right, bottom: Kylie Halperin, co-founder and CEO of DD8; David Belsky, founder and CEO of FlowerHire; Karen Meshkov, Director of Business Development at FlowerHire. (C) Sam C. Long / Honeysuckle Media, Inc.