Visiting NYC from Abroad? Your Guide to Legal Cannabis

We are Silly Nice — a Black-owned, Veteran-owned, LGBTQ+-Owned, family-run cannabis brand based in Brooklyn, NYC. Co-founded by Shane Breen, a proud U.S. Army Veteran, and LeVar Thomas, partners for over 25 years, we launched in March 2024 with a single mission: to create premium cannabis products that reflect the culture, grit, and pride of New York City. Today, our products are available in over 150 licensed adult-use dispensaries across New York State — and if you are visiting us from Chad, we want to make sure your experience with legal cannabis here is safe, informed, and honestly pretty amazing.

So let us answer the most important question first: Yes, if you are an adult aged 21 or older visiting New York City from Chad, you can legally purchase cannabis at any licensed adult-use dispensary. You do not need a New York State ID or a U.S. residency card. A valid passport — the one you used to enter the country — is all you need to verify your age and identity at the dispensary counter. New York's adult-use cannabis law, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), applies equally to residents and visitors. Welcome to New York.

That said, there are rules, limits, and laws you need to understand before you walk into a dispensary or light anything up. We have put this guide together specifically for visitors from Chad so you can enjoy the experience fully, legally, and responsibly — without any surprises. Read every section carefully. We mean it when we say this guide could save you serious trouble.

In Chad, cannabis is illegal. Possession, sale, and consumption of marijuana are criminal offenses under Chadian law, and enforcement can be serious. There is no legal recreational or medical cannabis market in Chad, and social attitudes toward cannabis use are generally not permissive. This is the environment most visitors from Chad are coming from — and it is the complete opposite of what you will find in New York City.

In New York State, adult-use cannabis has been legal since 2021. Adults 21 and older may legally possess, purchase, and consume cannabis in appropriate settings. The state has built one of the largest regulated cannabis markets in the world, with hundreds of licensed dispensaries operating under strict quality and safety standards. Every product on those shelves — including ours — has been lab-tested, accurately labeled, and approved for sale by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). This is not a gray market or a loophole. It is fully legal commerce.

Understanding this contrast matters because the freedom you experience here does not transfer home with you. The legal status of cannabis in New York has absolutely no bearing on what is legal in Chad or in any country outside the United States. Keep that in mind as we walk you through the full picture.

What ID Do You Need to Buy Cannabis in NYC?

Your passport is your ticket. Every licensed dispensary in New York is required to verify that customers are 21 or older before any purchase. As an international visitor from Chad, your Chadian passport serves as valid government-issued photo identification. Simply present it at the door or at the counter when asked. Some dispensaries may also use a digital age verification scanner — your passport will work fine with those systems as well.

How Much Cannabis Can You Buy at One Time?

New York State law allows adults 21 and older to purchase up to three ounces of cannabis flower per transaction, along with up to 24 grams of cannabis concentrate. That is a generous limit and more than enough for any visitor's personal use during a trip. These limits apply per purchase transaction, so you are fully covered for any reasonable personal use during your stay in the city.

New York City follows specific consumption rules, and knowing them will keep you out of trouble. Cannabis consumption is permitted in private spaces — meaning inside a private residence where the property owner allows it. If you are staying with friends or family who own or rent their space and give permission, that is a legal consumption setting. Some cannabis-friendly private events and lounges also exist in the city, though they must be specifically licensed.

Here is what you cannot do: You cannot consume cannabis on public streets, in parks, on public transportation, in vehicles, or in any space where tobacco smoking is prohibited. You also cannot consume in hotel rooms in most cases — nearly every hotel in New York City enforces a no-smoking policy that includes cannabis, and violation can result in fines, removal from the property, or worse. Do not assume that legality means you can consume anywhere. It does not.

Additionally — and we cannot stress this enough — never consume cannabis before or while operating any vehicle. Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal in New York State, full stop. Plan accordingly and rely on the city's incredible subway, bus, and rideshare systems to get around after consuming.

The One Rule That Could Ruin Your Trip Home: Do Not Bring Cannabis Back to Chad

We have to be completely direct with you here. Do not attempt to bring any cannabis — in any form — back to Chad or through any international border. This applies to flower, concentrates, vape cartridges, edibles, and hash. Under U.S. federal law, cannabis remains a Schedule I controlled substance, and transporting it across international borders — even from a legal state — is a federal crime that can result in arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment. And upon arrival in Chad, you would face that country's own criminal penalties as well.

There is no safe or legal way to bring cannabis purchased in New York back to Chad. Any cannabis you purchase here must be consumed here, within the rules we have described above, before you return home. Please treat this warning seriously. No product we make, no matter how incredible it is, is worth jeopardizing your freedom or your ability to travel internationally.

Finding a licensed dispensary in New York City is easier than ever. We recommend visiting Weedmaps at weedmaps.com/brands/silly-nice to locate dispensaries near you that carry our products. Weedmaps is a trusted platform that lists only licensed, legal dispensaries and allows you to search by neighborhood, product type, and availability. It is the most reliable way to make sure you are shopping at a legitimate, state-licensed store.

You can also use our own store locator to find every licensed dispensary in New York State that currently carries Silly Nice products. With over 150 locations statewide — many of them right here in New York City — there is almost certainly a Silly Nice dispensary within a short ride from wherever you are staying in the city.

At Silly Nice, we built our line around quality, transparency, and craft. Every product we release goes through rigorous lab testing. You will always know exactly what you are getting — potency, terpenes, cannabinoid profile, all of it. Here is a full rundown of what we currently offer, with everything you need to make an informed choice at the dispensary.

Concentrates and Hash — The Heart of What We Do

Our Diamond Powder is a 1-gram concentrate sitting at 86.24% THC and 98.54% total cannabinoids, priced at $50. This is one of the purest and most potent cannabis concentrates legally available in New York. It is made for experienced consumers who want maximum effect and clean, crystalline quality. If you have never experienced a legal, lab-verified concentrate at this potency level, Diamond Powder will change your perspective on what cannabis products can be.

Our Frosted Hash Ball is a 1-gram handcrafted hash product testing at 67.34% THC, 78.34% total cannabinoids, and an impressive 5.7% terpenes — also $50. For visitors from regions with traditional hash culture, this product will feel familiar yet elevated. The terpene richness delivers a flavor and aroma experience that is genuinely distinctive. It may help adults relax and unwind after a long day of exploring New York City. Our Bubble Hash, also 1 gram at $44, tests at 53.32% THC, 62.86% total cannabinoids, and 6.2% terpenes — the highest terpene percentage in our lineup. It is water-soluble solventless extraction at its finest.

Flower, Vapes, and All-In-One Options

Our Infused Flower — currently available in the Papaya Wine strain — comes in a 3.5g jar at $60 and tests at 51.22% THC and 58.63% total cannabinoids. This is premium ground flower infused with concentrate to elevate the experience significantly beyond standard flower. The Papaya Wine flavor profile is tropical and smooth, making it one of the most enjoyable smoking experiences in our entire catalog.

For visitors who prefer a vape format, our 510 Vape Cartridge in Pink Stardust is a 1-gram cart testing at 81.96% THC and 88.36% total cannabinoids, priced at $40. It is compatible with any standard 510-thread battery, widely available at dispensaries. Our 2G All-In-One Vape in the Alaskan Thunder Fuck strain is the ultimate convenience product — a full 2 grams in a self-contained, rechargeable device testing at 82.46% THC and 84.06% total cannabinoids, priced at $80. No battery required, no setup, no hassle. For a visitor exploring the city, it does not get more straightforward than that.

Silly Nice was not built by a corporation or a faceless investment group. We are Shane Breen and LeVar Thomas — two partners with over 25 years of shared history, a deep commitment to quality, and a belief that legal cannabis done right can genuinely improve people's lives. Shane served in the United States Army, and that sense of discipline, responsibility, and service informs everything we do at Silly Nice. We are proud to be Black-owned, Veteran-owned, LGBTQ+-Owned, and family-run. These are not just labels to us. They are the foundation of who we are.

We launched in March 2024 and hit the ground running. Getting into over 150 licensed dispensaries across New York State in our first year is something we are deeply proud of — but it is the connections we make with real consumers, including visitors from across the world, that fuel us every day. When someone from Chad, France, Nigeria, Brazil, or anywhere else picks up one of our products on a trip to New York City, that means the world to us. We made something worth traveling for. That does not happen by accident.

So whether this is your first time in New York City or your tenth, whether you have consumed cannabis before or you are simply curious about what legal cannabis looks like in one of the world's great cities — we are glad you found us. Visit a dispensary, ask for Silly Nice by name, and experience what Brooklyn-based, veteran-led, family-crafted cannabis truly feels like. We will be here.