39 replies to this topic

[Caramia]

Today I was surprised when I went down to City Hall for a meeting only to be greeted by literally hundreds of happy Victorias smoking pot in Centenial Square. It took me awhile to realise I'd arrived just in time for Victoria's annual 4:20 festival... where people gather to spark up on the 20th day of the fourth month at 4:20pm.

I have to say I was impressed with the good humour and discretion displayed by police, security and participants. It was a peaceful event, and I've never seen the square so vibrant!

One complaint that both the DVBA staff and one City Councillor shared was that they had somehow overlooked the opportunity to sell cookies and chips.

In case anyone wonders about the significance of 4:20... Here are some of the stories I've dug up.

I'd always heard it was a police code.. but apparently that is a myth:

The number 420 is not police radio code for anything, anywhere. Checks of criminal codes suggest that the origin is neither Californian nor federal. For instance, California Penal Code 420 defines as a misdemeanor the hindrance of use of public lands.

http://www.concept42...#420policecodes

The origin of the term stems from a story about a group of teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, California, United States in 1971.[1][2] The teens would meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke marijuana at the Louis Pasteur statue. The exact time was chosen because that was the time that afternoon detention was dismissed.

http://en.wikipedia....annabis_culture)

or...

according to Steven Hager, creative director of New York-based High Times magazine, the term originated in Northern California with a group of friends at San Rafael High School in 1971. The friends got a tip about an abandoned marijuana patch and began meeting at 4:20 p.m. to go foraging. The patch proved elusive; the term stuck.

http://www.mercuryne...?nclick_check=1

[VicHockeyFan]

I saw zero police, and forget to look and see if Ken Kelly was at his desk. But it sure was busy...

[VicDuck]

They need to legalize weed in this country.

[Mike K.]

One complaint that both the DVBA staff and one City Councillor shared was that they had somehow overlooked the opportunity to sell cookies and chips.

Hash cookies and ganja chips?

[martini]

hhhmmmm
I'm guessing this is the least violent and troublesome event known to man.

[victorian fan]

Far out, man.

[Jacques Cadé]

Nice front-page photo in the TC this morning:



One more person who won't be running for the NDP any time soon.

[VicHockeyFan]

BTW, it seems to me there were more females than males at this event.

[Mike K.]

You sure it wasn't a large concentration of long haired dudes, too?

[VicHockeyFan]

You sure it wasn't a large concentration of long haired dudes, too?

Could'a been, I was stoned 3 minutes into the square.

[B.Bridge]

It's all fun and snicker snicker? Pot is way stronger than it was 20 yrs ago, and more and more kids are risking their lives smoking it every day and doing risky things. Lung cancer, permanent brain damage... sure a bit of weed ain't a big deal, but it is important to understand the culture with today's youth and to realize they really may not be getting a fair message about the dangers and the implications of today's bongland. Yes it should be legalized, and that means catagorized and regulated. It does not mean anytime, anyone, any place. I was in Amsterdam recently and the only people I saw smoking pot were tourists. There is much less of a problem there with pot and youth than here.

Anyone notice a drug bust in the news yesterday, up island? Another day, another grow op, stashes of cash, weapons, hydro meters bypassed. Drug wars in the lower mainland almost always list pot as one of the substances involved in deals. Where is some of this stuff going? Centennial Square yesterday is a fine example. There is a front sheen of fun and harmless counter culture, But anyone who really thinks that it starts and ends there is really not paying attention. It is not harmless, and it is hardly a counterculture, it is more and more of an epidemic. It is tragic to witness youth involved in it first hand, and it is the responsibility of all of us to get educated and see the whole picture.

[VicHockeyFan]

It is not harmless, and it is hardly a counterculture, it is more and more of an epidemic. It is tragic to witness youth involved in it first hand, and it is the responsibility of all of us to get educated and see the whole picture.

Teens use less booze, drugs and tobacco, new health survey shows
By Pamela Fayerman , Vancouver Sun April 14, 2009

http://www.vancouver...6181/story.html

[Rex250]

legalising pot would be one of the smartest moves our government could make. they could control the sale and distribution and make money off of it like they do with alcohol, there would be significantly less muders and voters would be happy all the time.

[yodsaker]

legalising pot would be one of the smartest moves our government could make. they could control the sale and distribution and make money off of it like they do with alcohol, there would be significantly less muders and voters would be happy all the time.

Just as long as they leave the growing to professionals unlike the boobs they contracted to grow it in a mine shaft in Flin Flon.

[VicDuck]

Nice front-page photo in the TC this morning:



One more person who won't be running for the NDP any time soon.

Her parents must be proud.

[davek]

Pot is way stronger than it was 20 yrs ago, and more and more kids are risking their lives smoking it every day and doing risky things. Lung cancer, permanent brain damage...
... it is the responsibility of all of us to get educated and see the whole picture.

In the spirit of education;

When today's youth use marijuana, they are using the same drug used by youth in the 1960s and 1970s. A small number of low-THC samples seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration are used to calculate a dramatic increase in potency. However, these samples were not representative of the marijuana generally available to users during this era. Potency data from the early 1980s to the present are more reliable, and they show no increase in the average THC content of marijuana. Even if marijuana potency were to increase, it would not necessarily make the drug more dangerous. Marijuana that varies quite substantially in potency produces similar psychoactive effects.

More marijuana myths busted here.

[VicDuck]

Thanks for the info Davek.

[Pyroteknik]

It's all fun and snicker snicker? Pot is way stronger than it was 20 yrs ago, and more and more kids are risking their lives smoking it every day and doing risky things. Lung cancer, permanent brain damage...

Anyone notice a drug bust in the news yesterday, up island? Another day, another grow op, stashes of cash, weapons, hydro meters bypassed. Drug wars in the lower mainland almost always list pot as one of the substances involved in deals. Where is some of this stuff going? Centennial Square yesterday is a fine example...

The risk of permanent brain damage from marijuana use is quite low, if at all. You would have to use it morning, noon and night. Alcohol would kill you rather quickly if you used it this way in comparison. For the 15 years I've enjoyed pot, It hasn't been getting stronger.. the crappy pressed Mexi-weed just isn't around any more. The grow-ops and guns and violence can be reduced greatly if the government would take control and distribute pot legally. Sure, there is no such thing as a safe drug, but Cannabis does not deserve to be treated any different than alcohol or tobacco.

[groundlevel]

It's funny isn't it -- British Columbia is world renowned for the quality and variety of it's strains of marijuana, and I understand the estimated $6 billion sales makes it the most valuable agricultural crop in the province, and yet the alcohol industry in the form of vineyards and wineries get the kudos and attention.

We welcome German and California wine experts to our province while local homies who have developed our made-in-B.C. marijuana industry are disparaged.

I like to drink good quality wine and I like to smoke good quality marijuana. My hats are off to the local boys who make my evenings and weekends that much more pleasurable.

[martini]

The risk of permanent brain damage from marijuana use is quite low, if at all. You would have to use it morning, noon and night. Alcohol would kill you rather quickly if you used it this way in comparison. For the 15 years I've enjoyed pot, It hasn't been getting stronger.. the crappy pressed Mexi-weed just isn't around any more. The grow-ops and guns and violence can be reduced greatly if the government would take control and distribute pot legally. Sure, there is no such thing as a safe drug, but Cannabis does not deserve to be treated any different than alcohol or tobacco.

Completely agree. I've seen far more hardship and health issues related to alcohol and tobacco use. I'd be far more concerned over teenagers drinking than smoking weed.
If you understood the origins of why marijuana was criminalized you'd see how ridiculous it is.