"Once you have your purple mountains in, we're going to add the blue ones," Puff, Pass & Paint founder Heidi Keyes tells a group of 20 students. Each is armed with his or her own canvass, paint brush, acrylic paints, and—it goes without saying—cannabis. They drag on joints as their canvasses fill with color, a riff on the tipsy paint-and-wine classes that became wildly popular in recent years.

Three years ago, a friend suggested Keyes teach these alternative painting classes. She laughed, but then posted a Facebook status to gauge interest. To her surprise, the idea immediately attracted support, and she began hosting weekly sessions for six students at a time. Now, every Thursday and Saturday night, Keyes leads cannabis-friendly paint classes in her Denver studio. She has been doing so since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana in January 2014.

"People come from all over and are so excited, and they leave the dispensary with all their cannabis products and they ask, 'Where do I go to use these?'" Keyes says. "There are only a few spots! People use our services for a safe space to consume, according to the laws."

"They leave the dispensary with all their cannabis products and they ask, 'Where do I go to use these?'"

Keyes quickly merged her business with Colorado Cannabis Tours to offer activities specifically for cannabis tourists. With business partner Michael Eymer, she leads art classes and bus tours to area dispensaries for tourists wanting the full, legal experience. They also organize 420-friendly classes in cooking, glass blowing, pottery, needlework, and writing.

"Most have been smoking cannabis all their lives illegally, because it's not legal in their state, so they want to consume legally," Keyes added. "We have older folks over 60 that come here and say they've never had this kind of experience before."

As new states prepare to legalize cannabis this year, cannabis travelers have more destinations for legal toking. Puff, Pass & Paint has grown to cities including Washington, D.C., Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Oakland. Keyes also plans to expand to Boston and Portland, Maine, within the next few months.

But marijuana legality is confusing to navigate, especially for an out-of-towner. Here's a breakdown of the general rules.

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How Much You Can Buy

Currently, 28 states have some type of pro-cannabis law. Last November, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada voted to legalize recreational marijuana. These states will join Alaska, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Oregon, and Washington at the forefront of legal weed.

In areas with recreational policies, anyone 21 and older can purchase cannabis with a valid ID. Every state has restrictions on how much cannabis you can purchase and possess—typically, individuals can possess up to one ounce of cannabis at a time. Maine will be an exception, allowing individuals to have up to 2.5 ounces, according to the Portland Press Herald. But using cannabis in public is prohibited in all states, which limits where exactly someone can consume cannabis.

Where You Can Stay and Smoke

Every state also have its own Clean Air Act, which prohibit smoking indoors—including restaurants, stores, and lodging—with the exception of a limited number of hotel rooms. However, locals reap the benefits of the lack of regulation on private, non-commercial residences—unless they have to abide by a building's specific non-smoking policy.

In any case, check with an individual hotel's policy, because not all are cannabis-friendly. Making things trickier, hotels don't usually advertise if they are. To bridge the gap, Cannabis Tours, which grew out of Colorado Cannabis Tours, partners with local hotels to offer accommodations.

"[Our website is like] booking through Priceline, where you know what you're getting but don't know the exact name and address of the hotel until you place your order," Keyes explains. "The reason why we do that is because these hotels—they're larger chains, too—and they don't want to be known as cannabis hotels for conservative customers."

How to Safely Leave Your Hotel Room

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Compared to smoking or vaping, edibles are far more inconspicuous and socially acceptable because they're non-combustible. There aren't any specific rules against edibles: You're fine as long as you eat discreetly.

What about being high in public? In Colorado, public intoxication isn't punishable by criminal or civil penalties. Laws vary by state, and often echo offenses for being drunk in public. Keyes recommends approaching weed just like you would alcohol: Don't be an asshole about it.

"If you want to smoke a joint and go to the art museum, as long as you're not being obnoxious, you're totally fine," Keyes says. "I do know a lot of people that use cannabis regularly before they go out as well, whether it's for anxiety or medical issues or recreationally."

And despite doomsday predictions, Colorado's crime rates have dropped since legalization. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, violent crimes, property crimes, and traffic fatalities all decreased. (Other studies are dubious about how cannabis affects drivers.)

Meanwhile, Colorado has hosted more travelers than ever. The Denver Post reports the state's tourism generated $19.1 billion in 2015, increasing 7 percent over the year before. Newly legalized states expect an increase in visitors as well.

Keyes recommends approaching weed just like you would alcohol: Don't be an asshole about it.

You Should Be Cautious About Driving and Flying

If you plan to drive, understand the risks. In many places, driving while high is a criminal offense as a DUI. Oregon Live reports a first-time offense for driving high in Oregon could mean a year in jail, at least $1,000 in fines, and other driving restrictions. (Although a first-time drunk driving offense might not mean jail, charges vary based upon blood-alcohol levels.)

However, there isn't yet adequate research to prove whether driving while high is dangerous. The Cannabist reports the Colorado Health Department announced plans to offer over $2 million in cannabis research grants, half of which will be used to examine how cannabis impacts driving.

And if you are thinking about going home with some goodies, reconsider. Federally, cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substance Act. Airports remain under federal jurisdiction to prosecute those possessing cannabis, even if you're a medical marijuana patient. Those thinking about packing their stash in checked luggage should also beware of additional screenings.

And Prepare for 420 Crowds

Unsurprisingly, April 20 is the busiest holiday in the industry anywhere cannabis is legal. It's an entire week-long event, too, with travelers coming from all over the country to celebrate. Cannabis Tours alone offers several events per day.Hotel rates may rise during that week because of increased demand.

"Colorado has always been a cool place for outdoor sports," Keyes says. "All of those activities are better when you have legal cannabis."

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