cannabisnews.com: 4-20 Day Draws Quite a Crowd At Muskoseepi Park





4-20 Day Draws Quite a Crowd At Muskoseepi Park
Posted by FoM on April 25, 2000 at 11:13:06 PT
By Scott Seymour, Herald-Tribune Staff
Source: Daily Herald-Tribune
The long weekend started off with a bong for many area teenagers Thursday.A crowd numbering somewhere between 150 and 200 gathered in front of the Muskoseepi Park amphitheatre after school to take part in 4-20 Day, an informal rally held in several North American cities to protest marijuana laws.
The rally was made up mostly of older teens with some young adults and junior-high students mixed in. Most were from the city, although kids from Fairview, Beaverlodge and Calgary were said to be there.Some smoked marijuana joints and took hits from bongs - long tubes used to inhale the smoke - passed around the impromptu party.Others hung out in front of the outdoor stage, played hackey-sack, listened to a pair of bongo drummers ply their trade and generally enjoyed themselves."It's a just a big party for people to hang out at," said a 17-year-old. "You meet lots of new people. It's a sociable thing."Another man, an 18-year-old who moved here from Vancouver Island recently, said the day is well known in big cities like Vancouver."It's better than hanging out at the mall," he said. "Word travels fast with something like this."It's not known where 4-20 Day got started, but, aside from being 20th day of the fourth month, 4-20 is the police code for a drug bust in Los Angeles.It's believed to be the third or fourth year that 4-20 Day has been "recognized" here. Roughly the same number attended last year."This is our official protest for the legalization of marijuana and you can tell everybody that," said one defiant youth who offered his pipe to passersby. "Everybody here wants it legal."But not everyone was enthused about the weed."I just came here with friends and tried it for the first time," said a Beaverlodge lad. "I don't see what the big stink is about."Another 19-year-old said he was disappointed he didn't see more adults there."I thought the crowd was pretty young," he said. "I know so many people who are 50 years old and still smokin' but none of the old school was here. Where's the dedication?"The get-together lasted about for about 90 minutes until RCMP and officers from Grande Prairie Enforcement Services arrived around 5:30 p.m. The youths were asked to leave because they didn't have a permit to use the amphitheatre and its grounds."It's just a group of people trying to protest the government, and they have the right to do that," said RCMP Const. Ann Morrison. "They moved along peacefully."Published: April 24, 2000Copyright 2000 Daily Herald-Tribune Related Articles & Web Sites:420times.comhttp://www.420times.com/420.comhttp://www.420.com/Pot Smokers Celebrate High Holiday http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread5469.shtmlStoner Chic Traces Origin To San Rafaelhttp://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread5460.shtmlA Teacher Asks, and Asks Again, "What's 420?'http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread1642.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by Symmetric on April 25, 2000 at 23:21:46 PT:
smoke ins
Canada seems to have a pretty good record the last number of years in not arresting people at protests against marijuana prohibition lately.. anyone planning to go to Cannabis day in Halifax on July 1?
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