GARDINER — Several dozen people took part in a litter cleanup project Saturday in which they could earn a free gram of marijuana for every bag of trash they collected from city streets.

Dennis Meehan, who runs Summit Medical Marijuana in downtown Gardiner with other members of his family, said participants filled more than 100 trash bags – every bag they had available.

Meehan said he isn’t sure how much marijuana he gave away.

He said some people collected trash but didn’t accept the free marijuana, and most people took part more out of caring for their community and less out of a desire to get free pot.

“It’s really people coming together, it was a special thing to see people being selfless and giving their time on a really hot and sunny day,” Meehan said. “A gram is a really small amount. People were doing it because they are caring individuals.”

Meehan said he informed city officials and the police chief the event was taking place, and he talked to participants ahead of time to remind them not to use cannabis while they were in public collecting trash. Public use of recreational marijuana is still illegal.

While Meehan and his wife Tracy are both medical marijuana caregivers, participants in the cleanup didn’t have to be licensed medical marijuana patients to receive the free gram of pot.  They only had to be 21 or older.

Meehan said he’d like to see the cleanup expanded statewide.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @kedwardskj