Trading trash for pot: Dispensary owner in Maine offers free weed for garbage clean-up

Would you pick up garbage in exchange for some free cannabis?

In an effort to encourage locals to take better care of their city, a dispensary owner in Gardiner, Maine told residents on Saturday that he'd trade them one gram of marijuana for every bag of trash collected in the area.

Owner of Summit Medical Marijuana Dennis Meehan told local news stations that he'd heard of similar initiatives in Colorado.

"They had a great response to it, so I was hoping to do the same thing in Maine," he said.

Beyond simply encouraging people to take better care of streets and parks in Gardiner, Meehan also wanted to create an opportunity for locals who might be curious to learn more about the "life-changing" substance.

"It's profund, and the research, there's a whole world of science out there. It doesn't just affect that patient, it affects the whole family."

Recreational marijuana was legalized in Maine in January, but the state has some interesting rules: Users 21 and over can possess up to 2.5 ounces, but they cannot use it in public. It's also not available for purchase, but you are permitted to grow your own. Gifting marijuana, however, is legal.