Mr. Joseph, 30, who lives in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn, was teaching at Puff, Pass and Paint, a Bring Your Own Cannabis painting class with locations in multiple cities that draws hundreds of people each month in Brooklyn alone.
New York State legalized recreational marijuana use last March, and the state’s first recreational dispensaries are slated to open by the end of the year.
“Imagine if wine existed and we just didn’t know what we know on a sommelier level,” he said.
A basic level of comfort and confidence with weed is what helped Heidi Keyes, 36, found Puff, Pass and Paint in 2014 in Denver, after Colorado legalized recreational marijuana.
Fernando Terrero, 29, had come to Brooklyn from Jersey City to go on a date with his boyfriend, Mr. Santos.
“Since I met him, I smoke way more now,” Mr. Terrero said.