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4/20 in the Trump era: Marijuana celebration or political rally?

Published: Apr 19, 2017, 6:29 am • Updated: Apr 19, 2017, 7:41 am

By John Ingold and Alicia Wallace, The Denver Post

There was a time — before the vendor booths, before the concerts with famous headliners, before the documentary crews and before the cannabis tour groups — when 4/20 in Denver meant a simple protest rally.

Eleven years ago, only a couple thousand people gathered in Civic Center park for the annual marijuana smokeout in defiance of state and federal laws. The rally planned for Thursday could hardly look different — 250 vendor booths, tens of thousands expected to attend and the rapper 2 Chainz scheduled to perform.

But organizers also hope that this year, especially, will bring a renewed commitment to activism.

“The rally is by definition a coming together for the common good,” said Miguel Lopez, who holds the permit for the rally and has been its most vocal advocate for years. “But we can’t be that effective if we’re not engaging a little more.”

Even by the standards of marijuana festivals, these are strange days.

On one side of the law, Colorado’s marijuana industry is booming, more states and countries are legalizing, and public support has never been stronger. On the other side, the new administration in the White House has signaled a hostility toward legal marijuana and a desire to do something to blunt its rise, meaning that legalization supporters could soon face their greatest challenge yet.

And that leaves Lopez and others in the marijuana movement with something of a problem this time around. Should they view the pot-smoker’s holiday as a chance to show strength? Or should they lie relatively low in the hopes of not attracting unwanted attention that could spur a crackdown?

“I think both sides are going to get something out of the 4/20 rallies,” said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and an expert on marijuana policy.

For the cannabis movement, Hudak said rallygoers may decide to emphasize the event’s political roots and tap into the broader protests against President Donald Trump.

“This resistance movement that has really taken off … is something that’s really going to motivate a lot of people to come out and make this a pretty significantly sized rally,” Hudak said.

For anti-marijuana groups, the 4/20 rallies will probably provide an opportunity to criticize the excesses of marijuana legalization.

“It’s something that the (U.S.) attorney general can point to and say, ‘Look at this, the state can’t even control public use,’” Hudak said.

Both approaches could have their drawbacks. Talk of a crackdown could be confronted by the sheer number of people at the rally, demonstrating just how much money and energy the federal government would have to spend to push back against legalization. Meanwhile, a raucous rally could undermine the mainstream credibility that marijuana supporters have tried to build over the past several years.

This is a tightrope that the cannabis industry is particularly familiar with. While individual stores and product companies have embraced the glamour of 4/20, the National Cannabis Industry Association, one of the industry’s lobbying groups, has traditionally shied away from the events, even as it has expressed support for marijuana consumers. Taylor West, the NCIA’s deputy director, spoke of the 4/20 events as similar to the Great American Beer Festival in producing both positive and negative images.

“In the larger context of 4/20, it’s always been a little bit of a mix, and I think it will be the same this year,” West said. “There will be some things that come out that maybe aren’t as good for the image of responsible use. But there will also be a tremendous amount of political activism.”

West said the NCIA prefers to save its own major activism push until May, when it holds annual lobbying events in Washington, D.C.

Lopez, too, said Denver 4/20 rally might not be the best place for marijuana supporters to fight the feds. For those who wish to battle Washington, Lopez had another suggestion: an annual Fourth of July “smoke-in” at the White House that he helps organize.

This year’s 4/20 rally in Denver, meanwhile, will mark the launch of a new group he is calling 420 Revolution. The group will be focused on local issues and on trying to strip away social stigma around cannabis use by encouraging one-on-one conversations in the community, Lopez said.

“I don’t see us particularly focusing on Trump,” he said. “We would be focusing more on a self-pride issue and on self-preservation as a group.”

This story was first published on DenverPost.com

10 Best 420 Celebrations Around The World

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420 is almost here. And for the cannabis community, it’s the best day of the year. If you are curious as to what’s going on this year, then you should know that a lot of fun is in the works. In fact, this year 420 is falling on a Thursday, which means you have the entire weekend to celebrate. From Denver’s free 420 rally to San Fransico’s 420 in the Park, here are the top ten events you’ll want to attend around the world on National Weed Day.

1. National Cannabis Festival

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If you reside in Washington D.C. or plan on traveling there for the weekend, then make sure you stop by the National Cannabis Festival. Not only will there be great music, but also education sessions.

The event takes place on 4/22, and if you want to learn more about it, then check out their website here.

2. Tokeactivity Social: Flower Power

Ladies, it’s time to put on your best dancing shoes and head over to Portland’s Tokeativity Social: Flower Power. The event begins on 4/22, and there will be lots of music, a 420 pipe exchange, and even a live flower crown making craft table. Learn more about it

The event begins on 4/22, and there will be lots of music, a 420 pipe exchange, and even a live flower crown making craft table. Learn more about it here.

3. Cloud City

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In case you’ll be in Portland on 420, Cloud City is presenting the largest 420 celebrations in the Northwest. If you love rap, then you’ll be pleased to hear that Lupe Fiasco will be performing. Also, Ty Dolla $ign, Rick Ross, and Big K.R.I.T will be making an appearance as well.

Go to the event’s site to find out more details here.

4. The 420 Rally

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Something very special is going on in Denver on 420. As it turns out, this year’s 420 rally is free to the public, meaning all you have to do is show up. Mind you, 2-Chainz will be the headlining act. And yes, the concert is also free.

For info on parking and what not, click here.

5. 420 in the Park

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Notably, San Francisco’s 420 in the Park is a city-permitted event this year. In other words, you’re welcome to light up as much as you please without repercussions.

It’s still technically illegal to smoke at Golden Gate Park. But it seems as though this year the city is breaking its own laws. Read more about San Fran’s 420 in the Park here.

6. London 420 Rally

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Although it is still illegal to publically consume the herb in the UK, that’s not stopping the annual London 420 Rally. Each year, the event takes place at Hyde Park to protest the country’s criminalization of cannabis.

Check out the event’s Facebook page here for more details.

7. Elite Cup 420 Festival

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Beginning on April 18 is Amsterdam’s Elite Cup Festival. Not only will the event feature live music and infused lunches, but also coffee shop tours and more.

To hear more about the festival and to purchase tickets, head on over to the event’s Facebook page here.

8. Hempstock 2017

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Glasgow will be celebrating its 6th annual Hempstock on 420 starting at 10 AM. In addition to the event’s live music, there will also be plenty of paraphernalia for sale.

For more information, have a look at the event’s Facebook page here.

9. Free Cannabis Community 420 Picnic

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If you live in Sydney, Australia, then you’ll want to check out the Free Cannabis Community 420 Picnic. There will be food provided by D’Munchies, joint rolling competitions, and prize giveaways.

To hear more about this free festival, click here for the event’s Facebook page.

10. 420 Toronto

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4/20 is coming early for folks in Toronto! During 420 Toronto on 4/19, Marc Emery and other speakers will be present. Not to mention, there will be a ton of vendors, including Crop King Seeds and Women Grow.

For more information, click here.

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Brittney Sanger

I am a free spirit located in a small college town. Most of the time I am busy working towards my degree in Healthcare Management. During my spare time, I enjoy writing, reading, shopping, music and board games. Most of all, I like Cannabis. I am a firm believer in Cannabis and the good it does for people. Marijuana is my motivator, my medicine for when I’m sick, and my most favored pick-me-up. Meeting and connecting with other Cannabis lovers is a passion of mine. It’s a nice feeling to know that so many people feel the same way I do on the subject.
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A Raid on a Pot Shop Draws the Ire of the Public Stationed on the Sidewalk

As police and city officials raid another weed dispensary operating outside the law, prospective customers have just one question: “Why?”

“Another one?”

A steady stream of exasperated, would-be customers standing on the sunlit sidewalk outside the Toronto Leaf Dispensary on Queen St. E. and Jarvis St. on Friday afternoon share a common refrain.

Just after 1 p.m., uniformed police officers and the city’s by-law enforcement officers walked up to the frosted glass door of the as-yet-illegal weed dispensary for a second go at raiding it.

– Read the entire article at The Star.

Cannabis Culture Stores Remain Open Across Canada Despite Toronto Closures

CANNABIS CULTURE – They arrest our staff and leaders. They raid our stores and lounges to steal and destroy our property. They try to kill what our company represents and erase our existence – but no army, politician or police force can stop an idea whose time has come.

I am sad to announce that all of our Cannabis Culture locations in Toronto and Hamilton have been forced to close their doors. Unfortunately, repeated raids, arrests, and threats to our landlords by authorities in Ontario have made it impossible for us to remain there until the laws have changed.

However, all of our Cannabis Culture stores outside of Toronto and Hamilton remain open for business! See the complete list of Cannabis Culture locations for more info.

The arrest of Jodie Emery – Cannabis Culture’s Chief Executive Officer – and the rest of the CC Five has been a hard hit for us. Jodie and Marc have been forced to remove themselves from the company due to restrictive bail conditions set by the Toronto police.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, despite his promise to reform our cannabis laws, continues to destroy the lives of our citizens by waging an unscientific and disastrous drug war. Alarmingly, the government has promised to increase criminal enforcement of marijuana restrictions even after “legalization” .

Cannabis Culture lives on and will maintain our quest for real marijuana legalization.

We will continue to stand up and fight for the decriminalization of our cannabis community at home and abroad – a peaceful community that has existed internationally for decades, flourishing in business and culture despite the risk of stigmatization and imprisonment.

We will likewise continue to speak out against increasing attempts to hijack and monopolize the budding legal cannabis industry and lobbying efforts by stock market marijuana companies to criminalize their competitors.

Activists and medical patients have fought for years to reform draconian drug laws, and have made major gains by winning cases and overturning bad laws in the Canadian courts. Canada’s Licensed Marijuana Producers now profit heavily thanks to the work activists have done for years in opening the doors to reform. Sadly, many of these companies seek to close the door behind them now that they have made it through the regulatory crack.

Started by Prince of Pot Marc Emery over 20 years ago, Cannabis Culture has engaged in civil disobedience by breaking unjust laws and setting an example of what real, all-inclusive cannabis legalization should look like at our head shops, lounges and dispensaries – and we won’t stop until peaceful pot-lovers are truly free.

The staff of Cannabis Culture and Pot TV appreciate your continued support of our activist-run businesses.

See you at CC!

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