This past Saturday was April 20, also known as “4/20,” the national weed-smokers’ holiday. With the recent legalization of recreational marijuana use in both Colorado and Washington state, marijuana activists around the country had much reason to celebrate. To commemorate 4/20, we’ve put together a round-up of weed-related news from the weekend:
The University of California, Santa Cruz has long been known for a pro-weed stance among its student body. Each year on 4/20, a few thousand people from around the area gather at Porter Meadow on the UC Santa Cruz campus for a mass toke session. The event is not sanctioned by the university and local police officers are stationed nearby to make sure no one is breaking the law (California law allows individuals with prescriptions to possess up to an ounce of marijuana). This year, one man thought he would be the life of the party by lighting up a four-foot long joint stuffed with two and a half pounds of weed. You read that correctly. A Four-Foot Long Joint. With two and a half pounds of weed. When a cop confiscated the baseball-bat-sized joint, the man threatened to sue for harassment. We would love to see this case play out on “Court TV.”
The four-foot Marijuana Joint is taken into custody.
Like Santa Cruz, Denver, Colorado is also home to a large 4/20 gathering, one that’s believed to be the biggest in the nation. Since weed enthusiasts will by the end of this year be able to purchase the drug legally in stores, it was not surprising that nearly 80,000 people showed up for the 2013 iteration of 4/20, which included the Cannabis Cup contest and live music.
The day took a violent turn when three people were shot during a performance by the rapper Lil’ Flip. Thankfully, none of the injuries sustained was fatal. While the shootings have not been linked directly to the marijuana festival itself, some in the pro-weed camp are worried that legislators opposed to legalization will take this opportunity to claim that marijuana and violent crime go hand-in-hand. The Denver Police Department has released an image of one of the suspects and is offering a $2,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
One of the Shooting Victims being attended by paramedics in Denver
Last year, Dope Magazine, a Seattle-based medical marijuana publication, held a 4/20 party for which they sold 300 tickets to people with prescriptions. The success of I-502 spurred the Dope organizers to permit general admission for this year’s event. A crowd of 1,000 showed up at the venue in SoDo to smoke from vaporizers, enjoy various stage shows, and, for those with prescriptions, purchase goods from local weed producers.
One of the many “Smoking Tents” for Seattle’s 4/20 Party.