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Canada: Last 420 rally before cannabis is legalized James Jackson The Record Friday 20 Apr 2018 Those years of advocacy culminated yesterday at the last 420 rally at Kitchener city hall before recreational cannabis is legalized later this year, and while it was a time to celebrate, Orr said more work needs to be done as the federal and provincial governments iron out the details. "It's definitely a significant 420. It's celebratory, but still a protest as well," said Orr during the seventh annual rally organized by the Kitchener Cannabis Club. Orr said 420 rallies will continue in the future, with an eye on educating the public about cannabis culture. Many advocates worry about a government monopoly over the sale of the drug. Tony Millar, a co-organizer of the 420 event and co-founder of the advocacy group Alternative Cannabis Consumption Awareness, fears big producers will push out smaller cannabis suppliers who actually care about the product. "People want craft cannabis, and that's not being heard at the federal or provincial level," Millar said, likening it to the emergence of the craft beer movement. He says a tightly regulated monopoly favours large producers who may emphasize profit over quality. "While the government can understand the pricing and all that, they don't understand the culture and where it's going, and what people want," said Millar. April 20 has been recognized as a day to celebrate cannabis around the world after a group of California teens agreed to meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to search for a crop of cannabis in 1971. About 75 people gathered in front of city hall yesterday to continue the tradition, letting out a loud cheer and blowing marijuana smoke into the air as the clock struck 4:20 p.m. The stigma around cannabis is beginning to relax, Orr added. He talks to his grandparents and other relatives about marijuana more openly than he has in the past, and "legalization is really going to help." Legalization in Canada is a federal decision, and the provinces and municipalities have been given responsibility over matters such as retail locations, public consumption rules, distribution, and more. In Ontario, the sale of cannabis will be controlled by the Ontario Cannabis Store and run by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. The first four locations are set to open in Guelph, Kingston, Toronto and Thunder Bay, with a total of 40 expected to be open by the end of the summer. Personal growth of cannabis will be limited to four plants per residence and you will be permitted a maximum of 30 grams of dried cannabis at any one time. The province will also require you to be 19 to buy, use, possess and grow recreational cannabis, and consumption won't be allowed in any public spaces, workplaces or motorized vehicles. Medical cannabis will continue to be regulated exclusively by the federal government and will be subject to different rules than recreational cannabis. Jeff Morrison, founder of the Kitchener Cannabis Club, uses cannabis to help control pain and cramps related to his Crohn's disease, which causes inflammation in the digestive tract. He hopes the 420 rally can evolve from a protest fighting for legalization to a cultural event similar to local craft beer or music festivals — perhaps something even sanctioned by the city. "I'd like to see licensed tents, something that's more organized," he said. "They do the jazz fest, rib fest, let's have 420 fest." https://www.therecord.com/news-story/8560903-last-420-rally-before-cannabis-is-legalized/
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