Judah Izsraael hands out colorful lollipops on the NYC streets, but this is no typical candyman. His treats come in flavors like White Widow, O.G. Kush and Blueberry Dream, and are laced with THC—the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that gets you stoned. The 43-year-old activist and co-owner of Weed World Candies has traveled across the US in his marijuana leaf-adorned van—from South Beach, Florida to New Orleans—and landed in the Big Apple in April, where he’s been seen hawking his goods in the West Village and around Union Square. At $5 a pop, or 4 for $20, they’re not cheap. But Iszraael insists Weed World Candies is more than just a business endeavor—they have a higher mission. “We’re all about educating the people,” he says. “Marijuana has had a bad rap for too many years, man…Its time is now.” Izsraael says he’s no drug dealer—his candies contain only trace amounts of THC, so they’re legal, and won’t necessarily get you buzzed. “We can’t guarantee that everyone is going to get high,” he says. “We’re not giving out blunts.” Regardless, most of his prospective buyers seem to be seeking more than just a sugar rush. “Marijuana is the best thing ever,” says 26-year-old Reynilda Fernandez, who purchased a Sour Diesel candy. “But it’s going to take me like 20 of these things to get high.”
