Flore Dispensary Castro

• 258 Noe Street
• (415) 236-2663
• https://floredispensary.com/

CAFE FLORE CULTURAL LANDMARK + COMPASSION MURAL MONUMENT

Flore Dispensary is a Cultural Cannabis Landmark and home to the Compassion Monument along The Cannabis Trail. The Compassion Monument is a 37 ft by 17 ft art mural installation that honors the shared cannabis history between San Francisco patients and Humboldt County pot farmers during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s.

Just across the street from Flore Dispensary is where the infamous Cafe Flore once was. Back in the day, Cafe Flore was THE community gathering place for the LGBTQ+ community. It was where the queer community came together for cultural moments, like the White Night riots, and to trade information during the early days of the HIV / AIDS epidemic.

Cannabis was on the front lines of the epidemic. In a time of need, cannabis had the ability to stimulate appetite, extend patients’ lives, and ease suffering. It made people feel better when there was nothing else. Cannabis was THE first effective medicine on the frontlines of the HIV / AIDS epidemic, which led to the legal cannabis landscape of today.

Brownie Mary first met Dennis Peron on the patio of Cafe Flore over a shared joint. That moment sparked a partnership that would change the course of cannabis history. Brownie Mary’s infamous sparkling cannabis brownies provided relief to countless AIDS patients, earning her the nickname Angel of Mercy. Dennis Peron is known as the Father of Medical Marijuana. 

Dennis was a gifted community organizer and was close friends and political allies with Harvey Milk and George Moscone. After her third bust in 1992, Brownie Mary became the face of the compassionate cannabis movement for the media, advocating for legal cannabis access for patients in need.  Dennis and Brownie Mary led the charge for Proposition 215 - The Compassionate Use Act that re-legalized cannabis in California.

Badge:  Dennis Peron

Tips from the community

Flore Dispensary Castro Guides

• The Cannabis Trail Landmarks

  thecannabistrail (The Cannabis Trail )
  <p>Travel the Cannabis Trail by visiting these cultural landmarks - modern cannabis travel experiences in Northern California that allow you to experience cannabis culture and learn about pioneers and stories in the fight for legal access to the plant.</p>

• The Pioneers of Pot Check-in Challenge - SF Hash Week

  thecannabistrail (The Cannabis Trail )
  <p>The SF Hash Week Pioneers of Pot check-in challenge is a gamified self-guided cultural travel adventure that celebrates the cannabis legalization movement and the pioneers that paved the way.</p><p>Advocating for safe cannabis medicine access for patients in San Francisco back in the 1980s and 1990s is what led to the recreational 21+ cannabis access that we enjoy today.</p><p>Enjoy the Pioneers of Pot walking tour adventure, brought to you by The Cannabis Trail in partnership with SF Hash Week!&nbsp;</p><p>Get elevated and take an immersive cultural cannabis walkabout. Learn about Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary and the community of inspiring activists and outlaws who re-legalized medical cannabis for suffering patients in need.</p><p></p><p>The SF Hash Week Pioneers of Pot Check-in Challenge:</p><p>1. Prior to embarking on your adventure, watch The Secret Story, a 15-min short doc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YRxfa_b2Sk</p><p>2. Visit cannabis landmarks and points of interest</p><p>3. Check-in at three places and collect a Pioneer badge at each place on the map.</p><p>4. Collect three Pioneer badges and win…</p><p>…a 2024 SF Hash Week Patch, limited edition, while supplies last!</p><p>If you complete the challenge, your commemorative SF Hash Week 2024 Patch must be picked up inside Flore Dispensary by 8pm on 7/30/24.</p>

• A Pride Themed Journey Along the California Cannabis Trail

  thecannabistrail (The Cannabis Trail )
  <p>In the lush, scenic landscapes of Northern California lies a trail less trodden but rich in both cannabis culture and LGBTQ+ history. From the vibrant streets of the Bay Area to the tranquil beauty of Humboldt County, we invite you to embark on a journey that honors the intertwined narratives of cannabis, queer liberation and the Back to the Land movement. For LGBTQ+ travelers seeking an adventure off the beaten path, The Cannabis Trail offers not only the opportunity to explore the wonders of California’s cannabis culture but also to immerse oneself in the rich queer history of cannabis along the way.</p>