Weed-Themed Magic Show Headed to Las Vegas

Ben Zabin dropped out of college in his freshman year to pursue his dream of becoming a magician. When that didn’t work out, he became a weed dealer instead. Now, he’s figured out how to combine his two greatest loves.

Zabin, 24, hosts “Smokus Pocus,” a cannabis-themed magic show headed for a two-week residency inside Las Vegas’ AREA15. It runs at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. from April 15 through June 15.

And if you understand why tickets for 4/20 are going faster than the other dates, then you’re definitely in the target demo for this show.

Zabin hit upon the gimmick in May 2021, honing the show during gigs in Portland, Ore., before passing it around the US for 14 months.

“Millions of people like to have their minds blown by watching magic and millions like to expand their minds by getting high, so I figured why not combine the two?” Zabin said in a press release. “This show is really interactive, and the audiences are always so receptive, it’s just a great experience for everyone.”

Smoke and Mirrors

As the world’s first weed-first magician, Zabin — a resident of upscale Greenwich, Conn., where cannabis is fully legal for recreational use — performs tricks that include making objects vanish and then reappear inside bags of his favorite plant.

“While many arrive baked and leave bewildered, the show is equally entertaining for both the stoned and sober,” Zabin said in the press release, which may be the first in history to feel the need to include the following warning: “Cannabis products will not be sold and consuming is not permitted inside.”

Parting Gifts

For the record, Zabin uses real marijuana in his act and lots of it. Lucky audience members will even get to go home with some. That’s why tickets, $30-$45, are only available to those aged 21 and up.