Ottawa ON – There was a buzz on Capitol Hill Tuesday April 20th at approximately 4:20 PM. If Stephen Harper was around he probably had an urge to nibble on a really good brownie with walnuts, and drink some cream soda as the cloud a wafting through the hallowed halls of political thoughts and force were detoured for a brief period of time.
You see 4:20 has a significant meaning if you’re an advocate, fan, or simply knowledgeable about Marijuana. It’s essentially the national day for pot smokers, tokers, and pancake eaters world wide.
a group of five San Rafael High School friends known as the Waldos – by virtue of their chosen hang-out spot, a wall outside the school – coined the term in 1971.
The code often creeps into popular culture and mainstream settings. All of the clocks in Pulp Fiction, for instance, are set to 4:20. In 2003, when the California legislature codified the medical marijuana law voters had approved, the bill was named SB420.
The origins of 4:20 have been debated, but this much is true. It’s probably time for Canada to lead instead of mimic the US and legalize Marijuana; and for many good and conservative reasons.
Quality. Our people are in danger. Today’s Mary Jane isn’t the sixties or seventies. Hydroponics and whacked out freaky growers have bred stronger weed. If the back of your head feels like it’s swelling and hot you probably are smoking some of this killer ganja.
As well, due to the cat and mouse game with the law, a crop can sometimes not be properly processed. Fertilizers need to be stopped well before harvest or there can be residue in the plants.
Taxes. Good gosh when we’re closing hospital beds here in Cornwall Ontario and talking about sending hundreds of patients and their families scurrying to Ottawa for treatment that should be done locally a few billion dollars per year would come in handy just about now.
The War on Drugs. The War on Drugs is simply about bumping up budgets for law enforcement and feeding the legal machine. The amounts of money chasing bad guys, arresting bad guys, processing bad guys, housing bad guys, and then having bad guys eventually get released and start the problem again just isn’t good for business unless you’re part of the system of dealing with bad guys.
The rest of us end up with pointlessly large bills to pay when those dollars could be much better spent on education, housing, Medicare, and infrastructure.
Government’s around the world have tackled vices. The Government, which allegedly is us; rakes in billions on alcohol and tobacco taxes. Billions more come in via gambling. None of the arguments that I’ve heard against the legalization, standardization, and taxation of Marijuana stand especially if you look at other substances.
In Canada now there’s only one Federal Party that supports the legalization of Marijuana and that’s the Green Party of Canada. The NDP support Decriminalization, but that’s only going half way and while eliminating some of the cost; doesn’t resolve many of the more important issues relevant to the Marijuana Industry. Kudos for them at least having the cojones to actually discuss the subject without getting their undergarments twisted.
What do you think Canada? Is it time to end the hypocrisy and move forward? You can post your comments below.
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Ooooh it’s time! It has been time for a long time..
I just want to add to this report that there were no incidents that happened at the Parliament Hill 420 rally. Not like the idiot with the gun in Toronto. But again, case in point, though the pot smoker was blamed for having a gun and it painted other pot smokers in a bad light, this really was yet again, the fault of the government with their highly regressive laws.
Since the government makes pot illegal, it turns it into a commodity that these “Gateway Dealers” (pot is not a gateway drug, its the dealer) can use to come up with cash for the harder stuff really quickly. If all 3 countries being Canada, the USA, and Mexico, were to legalize and regulate it, then it would remove that as a commodity, and that situation most likely would have never happened. The cartels in Mexico would be dealt a huge blow to their operation base. And in the meantime, busts would be streamlined to the harder stuff, such as Cocaine (Jaffer’s favorite), weapons, etc. Even pot is being used to raise quick cash to purchase smokes for cheap. (Which is also unfortunately used as a commodity for the harder stuff).
Our governments are in a great position to actually do something about this, but secretly its the oil and pharmaceutical industries that push our government into keeping it illegal, so they can peddle their wares on the unsuspecting public instead, at far greater profit to themselves.
Its about high time some actual logical decisions were made regarding this taboo commodity at the moment. And its all in the hands of the people and the government that is supposed to work for the people. Its funny, but there were thousands upon thousands of protesters on Parliament Hill that day, its too bad the rest of the people of Canada cannot rally when they see so much going wrong around them every day. People as a whole could learn off this movement.
And take a moment to think about Marc Emery. He has risked all to bring this to the awareness of the Canadian population. And now with a question of our sovereignty as well hanging in the loom, the Harper Government is actually considering caving to the demands of the USA to hand him over on trumped up charges. When California, and Massachusetts are both about to legalize or decriminalize Marijuana. And surely there will be more states to follow. See, the States have woken up and realized their 30+ year war on drugs (started by Nixon – look what happened to him), is a complete failure and now they are seeking out other options.
Too bad Canada cannot spearhead the way like the progressive country it should be!
Big tobacco and Big Alcohol lobby against the legalization of any product that would entice their consumer base. Cannabis is a safer alternative to a few beers or a stiff drink after work and a safer alternative to habitual smoking. Many of today’s negative effects on society can be alleviated by reducing the inebriating effects of alcohol and reducing the carcinogens inhaled through smoking. By reducing the ability to use alcohol consumption as an excuse to be absolved of responsibility for crimes, and by providing alternatives to smoking tobacco, crimes and healthcare costs will drastically be reduced. Legalize and regulate cannabis or, implement 2-drink maximum at all venues that serve alcohol and ration tobacco purchases — limit the amount of cigarettes a person can purchase per week/month. If healthcare and public safety are really a pressing issue, why do people compromise and accept an acceptable amount of drunk driving/assault/accidents and lung cancers?
Why would anyone want to celebrate the anniversary of Hitler’s birthday?
Very well said grimalot. When people can’t find pot, some will search out cocaine, heroin, exstacy, etc. in place of. Imagine the revenue our governments can take in. I don’t know too many people who haven’t at least tied it. One side effect is the munchies, laughter and laid back happy people. Alcohol on the other hand, causes many people to let go their anger creating issues within health care as well as family and friends.
Cornwall Harry – what an idiotic statement. Sorry but I didn’t see one person even mention Hitler’s name. No banners. Nothing. Yet again, a statement made to try to discredit a movement that is just trying to fight for change towards the regressive laws we have in place. I believe Hitler was the other way around in trying to control the masses – and same with our current governments. I can draw many more direct correlations between Hitler and our different governments we have in place than to associate the celebration of Hitler’s birthday as having anything to do with 420!
Yes cyrusyounger, I have heard that as well. At one point, I was advised of a rumor that Budweiser/Snapple, put a part of the proceeds of their sales towards the burning of pot fields. Though I have not found any evidence or articles to support this rumor online.
We can get everything from this highly renewable source, ethanol for fuel, clothing, stationary, all sorts of medical benefits that so far almost no drug from the pharmaceutical industry has been able to touch, except for the harder opiates, which require growing opium, which creates an industry for it, and then we wonder whats going on with all the rumors of the opium trade fueling funds for the CIA and other foreign entities (Pharmaceutical Companies!!!!) as they are in Afghanistan. One has to wonder what is really going on over there at times? They just really want to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes on that one when these different entities are probably more complacent in illegal activities then any pot smoker has ever been!
Did I mention it is highly renewable? Yes I did. We get more from and acre of 3 month old crops of the stuff, than we do from an acre of 50 year old grown trees. Do the math. It in some forms is also highly nutritious as a food substance, very high in fiber too.
There are a lot of industries, with their excessive profit margins soaked off the backs of civilization, that would suffer in their bottom line if it were legalized, and that is why these regressive laws are lobbied constantly to be kept in place. And who knows what other kind of knowledge we could obtain from the plant if it were legalized and more research could be put into it?
willie191 – thanks dude. And to extend on the alcohol part, alcohol is much more dangerous, but they treated the situation correctly when they ended prohibition and regulated it instead. Mind you we pay a pretty high price compared to in some other countries, but at least it put the whole smuggling business on its knees at the time, it also in turn helped remove a massive commodity that the Mafia’s (organized crime), were using to fund their ways. Which brings me back to my point about dealing a true and heavy blow to the organized cartels we have today. Those same cartels that are taking US and Canadian citizens as hostages and even killing some of them over this useless drug war we have going on to this day, which was all originally started and fueled by the Governments at the time to begin with!
I was on Parliament Hill too from noon to 5 pm. I did a head count every hour. By four pm there were over 3,500 adults mainly about 24 years old and they were smoking. Parliamentary workers had to negotiate a path through marijuana smoke and people rolling joints on the steps of Parliament to get to work. There were no provocations or arrests. There were no sleeping bags or pup tents. I interviewed a hundred people, took a hundred photos. It was a peaceful, happy, smiling Be In. It was the biggest indictable crime spree in Canadian History. People didn’t appear to be scared about being surrounded by so many indictable lawless criminals. Shortly after 4:20 everyone left to go eat.
Stephen Colbert the American Comedian was born April 20th as was Edward the Fourth, King of England and that’s the only birthdays people were talking about.
If you are interested in seeing an actual portrait of the event there is this 7 minute video taken by R. Barth. Watching it with the sound off is fine. In the interest of journalistic ethics and professionals who take the time to accurately record events in a trustworthy manner you must keep in mind that the professional media organizations (a.k.a. Dying Dinosaur Media) pretty much ignored the Ottawa event and reported that a few hundred people were there. It’s a full time job to ignore reality and that’s why in fifteen months there probably won’t be a print newspaper or publisher left in the country. Thanks goodness for real actual unaccredited reporters like Russel Barth otherwise we wouldn’t see the truth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k8jGqGkEEM
If this doesn’t come through go to you tube and enter Parliament 420.
grimalot, concerning those “thousands and thousands” of protesters on the Parliament Hill on 4:20, you ask why the rest of Canada didn’t join in and protest. The answer is simple: NOT INTERESTED IN POT.
The spearhead you seek doesn’t exist! The majority are smarter than that!
Sorry that previous link was from 2009. This is the link to the you tube video re: 2010 on Parliament Hill April 20. It’s about three minutes long. Same points applied.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFRk67SUT6Y
Spanner, Id be willing to bet there were a lot more than 3,500 people there. There was a huge influx of people in the last moments. And also, in behind parliament hill was also filled up. I didn’t do a headcount, but went to many huge parties in the past, and Id have to say there were a hell of a lot more than 3500 people there. It was an awesome event though. I like the roar the crowd made as soon as 420 hit and then the cloud rising. And yes, I was even waving at the RCMP and such taking their pictures up on the top of the driveway. They were waving back.
Glad to know I wasn’t the only one there. Keep the fight alive. 🙂
Stan, the spearhead I was talking about, is the fact, that here, we had prorogation of parliament, where were the people? We have the HST coming in? where were the people? a couple hundred or a thousand pot smokers put the rest of these people to shame. And that is what I’m saying. Here all this crap is going on, and it seems like no one cares enough to do anything about it. But those that believe in what they fight for, showed up on 420 in a sign of solidarity. And that is the lesson that much of the rest of population needs to learn. You cannot incite change by doing nothing about anything. And keep in mind, the majority of people were also working. Its not necessarily that they didn’t care.
Grimalot, it turns out you are completely right. I on the other hand was completely wrong. Around the corner at Majors Hill Park was another three or four thousand people with papers being handed out and booths and more guitars and more picnic baskets. So Ottawa had over seven thousand voting adults politely smoking in indictable peace. That’s one of the biggest Be In/Sit In’s in North America. I met so many articulate and intelligent people. People thought pretty hard before showing up. They knew why they were there. We waved at the police and the police waved at us. Everyone wants this law changed. Here’s the link.
Don’t think for a second that King Stephen has most likely silenced the media with threats of lost advertising revenue if the story was published in major newspapers in a positive manner. The Reform party just spent 100 million dollars on advertising to the television networks. CTV, Global etc., need that money.
That’s a problem we have Willie. We don’t get government advertising. It isn’t easy running a small town independent newspaper. It costs money and time; especially to grow and keep up with the competition. Have you noticed that since we came on the scene how the media has changed in Cornwall? As a matter of fact one of our competitors upped their ante with their online edition and added a French version to compensate for the French paper adding English content. Have you noticed how much those big corporately owned media in town are now giving more attention to local news?
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Jamie
Jamie, I enjoy reading The Cornwall Free News daily. Your non-partisan approach is refreshing. You are a credit to our city.