By Guy Ovadia, news correspondent

This year marks the first Boston Freedom Rally since Massachusetts voters chose to legalize marijuana in 2016 , and it continued to be the largest gathering of pro-marijuana supporters on the East Coast and second largest in the world.

State policy makers are still discussing tax rates and dispensary regulations with the goal of finalizing policies and putting the new law into effect by July 2018. Despite this delay, Bostonians flocked to Boston Common Sept. 15-17 to take part in the event, officially called Boston Freedom Rally, which has been dubbed “Hempfest.”

“It’s a good way to come together as people because I smoke weed, and I think that there aren’t that many people that smoke weed,” said Julia Rosengarden, a first-year beauty school student. “Everyone is here and everyone is having a good time.”

Boston Freedom Rally is organized by the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, a  pro-marijuana advocacy group which is part of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Two stages hosted music from rap and R&B to rock and reggae in addition to pro-marijuana advocates, industry specialists and medical experts who spoke to shine a positive light on marijuana use.

Dr. Uma Dhanabalan, a cannabis therapeutics specialist at Uplifting Health and Wellness, an alternative health care organization, shared her experience with marijuana and why she believes it should be used as a first-resort medicine instead of a last resort. She said marijuana is safer than harmful opioids, which have created an addiction epidemic in the United States. Dhanabalan has not prescribed an opioid in over eight years, and said she sees better results and lower rates of addiction in her patients than in those who receive opioid treatment.

Vendors made up the majority of Hempfest — among them was a wide selection of food, clothing, tapestries, toys, handcrafted decorations and drug paraphernalia. Attendees of all ages came out over the three-day weekend to show support for the event.