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Canada: Crowd of 15,000 at pro-pot rally, organizers say

CARYS MILLS

Ottowa Citizen

Sunday 20 Apr 2014

OTTAWA — Thousands of people were on Parliament Hill to smoke a joint or otherwise support legalizing marijuana in Canada on Sunday.

Organizers estimate there was a crowd of at least 15,000 people at the height of the event, when 4:20 p.m. struck and smoke filled the air.

From young to old, people gathered from noon until 5 p.m., when there was music and commentary by Precious Chong, daughter of actor and marijuana activist Tommy Chong.

First-time attendee Larry Boissonneault, 58, had an an iced beverage in hand instead of a joint.

He said he gave up smoking regularly a few years ago, but wanted to show support for legalization.

“I think it should be legalized, it’s as simple as that, there’s nothing wrong with it,“ he said.

Sunday’s was a record-breaking crowd, according to organizers. The estimate in 2013 was 10,000 and 5,000 the year before.

Organizer Claude Galipeau attributed the increase to co-operative weather, a “growing momentum” and the long weekend.

“It seems that everything is just lining up nicely in favour of cannabis reform,“ he said.

He said he disagrees with Conservative changes to medical marijuana policy, which prohibits users growing themselves and requires purchase from licensed facilities. Recent musings about potentially allowing police to write tickets for simple possession instead of lay criminal charges would also make for a “bad system,“ Galipeau said.

“The whole system will not work until prohibition is repealed,“ he said, adding he expects the crowd to be larger next year because it’s an election year. Legalization in Colorado and Washington is encouraging recreational pot use, he said.

But some attendees this year just wanted to have fun on April 20, known as 4/20, a code referring to marijuana.

Emily Howat, 19, came back for her second year. This time she wore bunny ears to mark the Easter weekend and brought a friend along for her first time.

She said the event wasn’t about politics for her. “It’s a cool experience,“ said Howat. “A lot of people (here) probably wouldn’t get along otherwise.”

cmills@ottawacitizen.comtwitter.com/CarysMills

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Crowd+rally+organizers/9757641/story.html

 

 

 

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