Yeah, it is pretty high. There are only a handful of countries with that age. The rest are 18 or younger.

Could someone please help this confused tourist understand why I was able to buy a joint from a weed truck in Times Square, if this is the first legal rec. weed dispensary?

Edit: I found an article (and the literal store that operates the truck I got my joint from in it!) by the New York Times explaining this if anyone else is curious: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/23/nyregion/illegal-weed-dispensaries-shops-nyc.html

TL;DR of the article: All current weed stores are illegal and are trying to get in the market early. The one highlighted in the article is claiming they’re not selling actual delta 9 weed, but CBD. According to the article most are selling CA kush (which is not the plan, NY wants the weed they sell legally to be grown instate). State lawmakers said they plan to absorb the illegal shops into the regulated industry. Meanwhile some NYPD officers don’t really have a clear understanding of what would make for a lawful arrest, but some arrests and shutdowns are happening. Not too end-of-life for those getting arrested though, cause it’s weed.

Weed, alcohol, and tobacco are for 21 and above in most US states. But yeah I wish it were 18, at least for tobacco and alcohol. Weed I actually get, you need to be good at moderating that shit.