cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Use Uncertain on 4/20





Marijuana Use Uncertain on 4/20
Posted by CN Staff on April 20, 2004 at 13:56:27 PT
By Harold Lee, Daily Bruin Reporter
Source: Daily Bruin 
Marijuana is illegal in the United States, but that does not stop UCLA students from celebrating 4/20 today, the unofficial marijuana user's holiday. April 20 has fallen on the weekend in the past few years, giving people more of a reason to celebrate at home instead of on campus. This year, because it occurs in the middle of the week, it is uncertain how and where students will celebrate the occasion. Marijuana users are still planning to smoke, in spite of potentially increased scrutiny.
"People who smoke marijuana are going to celebrate their holiday any day of the week," said Allie Butler, a first-year world arts and culture student. "It's like your birthday." But today calls for some people to be more cautious in their marijuana usage. "If I were to (smoke marijuana), I'd do it where I felt safe," Butler said. "I wouldn't want to jeopardize my housing." Keeping marijuana use private defeats the purpose of the holiday for some. "I think the whole point is to be out in public and to show that (marijuana use) is not as bad as politicians make it out to be," said Georgina Wakefield, a third-year English student. April 20 is political; it's taking a stand to legalize marijuana by celebrating the controversial day, said Wakefield. Marijuana became illegal for recreational use in the United States in 1937 under the Marijuana Tax Act. "Other things like alcohol and tobacco are legal, while pot is not," Wakefield said. "It just doesn't make sense." For others, 4/20 allows marijuana users to reflect on their usage in the past. Last year, undeclared student Daniel Zamani gave up marijuana for an extended amount of time after 4/20. "(Marijuana) allows me to look at reality from a different perspective," Zamani said. "I reached a point of diminishing returns, and I was learning less each time I smoked." Some users find that occasional use can turn into abuse. "If you're using the drug as an escape from reality, then that's abuse," Zamani said, adding that he no longer knew why he smoked. "Motivation is usually an indication of psychological addiction." For other marijuana users, it is difficult to abuse the drug. "We're all on student budgets," Butler said. "It's hard to develop an addiction to something when you don't have it." For everybody participating in 4/20, the day gives marijuana users an opportunity to celebrate and appreciate the controversial drug. "This time off has given me a lot of perspective, and I'll respect the drug a lot more," Zamani said. It is not certain how marijuana users will celebrate 4/20 at UCLA. "I have no way of being able to predict what's going to happen," said Berky Nelson, director of the Center for Student Programming. But officials are hopeful that today will not be out of the ordinary. "I'd rather say that it's going to be a normal day," Nelson said. The last time 4/20 fell on a weekday was in 2001. On April 20, 2001, a Friday, large groups of people congregated at Meyerhoff Park, the area in front of Kerckhoff Hall, to smoke marijuana though people had originally gathered for a Libertarian party event, according to the Daily Bruin archives. Instances of on-campus 4/20 marijuana smoking have declined since 2001, Nelson said. "I wasn't here on campus, so nothing was brought to my attention when 4/20 was on weekends," Nelson said. In the residence halls, where many UCLA students live, officials do not expect 4/20 festivities to get out of hand. People tend to go to public events to celebrate 4/20 instead of celebrating at the residence halls, said Christine Coons, judicial affairs coordinator for the Office of Residential Life. In general, marijuana usage is not the highest policy abuse in the residence halls, Coons said.Note: Timing of mid-week 'holiday' has pot users debating how to celebrate.Source: Daily Bruin (CA)Author: Harold Lee, Daily Bruin ReporterPublished: April 20, 2004Copyright: 2004 ASUCLA Student MediaContact: viewpoint media.ucla.eduWebsite: http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/Related Articles:Marijuana Proponents To Protest http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18689.shtmlMarijuana Backers Will Meet in Park http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18688.shtmlPotheads Ready To Roll on Day They Call 4:20http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18682.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by jose melendez on April 20, 2004 at 23:26:06 PT
If they make me wear a suit, I want clown makeup.
I was commenting to a friend yesterday that if I run for office and always appear in various clown and other face paint, at least the notoriety would help leverage some of my more carefully worded and researched catch phrases.Clarification: The requirement to comply with federal law and investige collusion, price fixing and restraint of trade is borne by the New Case Unit of the Antitrust division of the U.S. Justice Department, and not the construction site as suggested below. - grinjose melendez
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Comment #4 posted by jose melendez on April 20, 2004 at 23:17:22 PT
Happy 4:20
I feel obliged to report that 4-20-04 was my best 4:20 ever.In fact, I: - received an updated version of Dr. Robert DuPont's answers to my interview questions - heard good stuff and encouragement from a friend who successfully won twice on appeal in a trespass case nearly identical to mine as described on http://pipepeace.com/z/ - received a reply from the New Case Unit of the Antitrust division of the U.S. Justice Department - was given enough scrap left over metal sheet from a construction site to save lots of money for a kiln project I'm working on at http://pipepeace.com - figured out from their predictably canned response how to require their compliance and investigation into collusion, price fixing and restraint of trade on the part of (at least) drug warriors and manufacturers, especially ONDCP - received a kind reply to my humble query as to one of DuPont's points, by the way, his staff and demeanor seem very professional, courteous and sincere, please do be polite and intellectually honest in your replies when I post this, so as to enable and encourage further and more sincere, informative debate - drove to Orlando to attend a FL NORML fund raiser where I was able to listen to a cool band and then record and photograph a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition - enjoyed immensely the opportunity to smile at an Orlando traffic cop and decline to come down from the roof of my car, as I was doing some time lapse photography of the Firestone night club as part of my contribution to Cannabis News. The tape recorder was on, I'll share the audio soon, great drum circle background stuff . . . - entered into a positive discussion as to the merits of cannabis legalization with a cautiously sympathetic group of fellow citizens in a convenience store as I was waiting for a tuna sandwich, got to say happy 4:20 to them all - handed out a couple of http://leap.cc flyers at the convenience store - placed more flyers under the doors of my neighbor's businesses, including one warehouse where a two ton pot sting was staged and was separated by a regional and federal task force that felt it necessary to import said 4,000 lbs. of weed some weeks after the local County Evidence locker TWICE lost HUNDREDS of pounds of the stuff, about a half ton within a two month period or less. - handed a flyer to a fire department employee - and much, much more . . . - I think I've decided to run for office. Even ten or a hundred votes would encourage more rational and informed public debate. 
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Comment #3 posted by Patrick on April 20, 2004 at 22:00:22 PT
In other breaking 4/20 news, no trouble at all!
The day was spent working with files that get dated as a matter of routine no matter what day it might be. Anyway, satisfaction and a chuckle was present during every 4-20-04 entered. All the while knowing full well that an after work bowl with buds was awaitin! No trouble and no demonstrations just a damn good time. 4/20 should be like Easter or Christmas or the 4th of July with hot dogs and apple pie and your favorite flavor of cannabis! What could be more American?
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Comment #2 posted by Virgil on April 20, 2004 at 18:49:36 PT
Big breakthrough in Senate on drug importation
There is big news from http://www.thehill.com/news/042104/drug.aspximport bill
Bipartisan group agrees on language for Senate measure
By Klaus Marre 
In a move that is expected to apply pressure on GOP leaders to act, a bipartisan group of senators today will unveil a new, unified approach on drug-reimportation legislation.The group, which includes Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), has reached “a breakthrough” on getting a bipartisan reimportation bill through the Senate, according to an aide.
 
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on April 20, 2004 at 17:30:26 PT
News Brief from WCAX - TV
UVM 4-20 Pot Protesters Arrested
 Burlington, Vermont -- April 20, 2004An estimated 600 students turned out Tuesday afternoon at the University of Vermont's Redstone Campus to take part in the annual "4-20" demonstration in support of legalizing marijuana.More than two dozen police were also on hand to videotape and arrest demonstrators who openly smoked marijuana or started trouble.Only a handful of demonstrators actually lit up during the twenty minute demonstration. Two were arrested and cited into court for marijuana possession and one for disorderly conduct, according to University officials. The students may also be subjected to on-campus disciplinary action. Brian Joyce - Channel 3 Newshttp://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=1801189&nav=4QcSMSMU
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