The cannabis industry has come a long way over the past decade, with dispensaries now dotting the map like corner stores. And while 420-friendly spaces to gather and consume may seem like a recent trend, they’ve actually been woven into the cultural fabric—albeit in more clandestine settings—of cities like New York since the 1880s. The city is home to some of the earliest mentions of cannabis lounges in the U.S., dating back to 19th century Harper’s News Monthly articles about hashish smoking parlors.
