Marijuana enthusiasts say legalization will light up 4/20 celebrations

Thousands gathered Thursday at Yonge-Dundas Square for the occasion they dub “better than Christmas.”

Thestar.com
April 20, 2017
By Sammy Hudes

The future of 4/20 celebrations might be hazy, but tokers celebrating at Yonge-Dundas Square on Thursday said they doubted this would be the final gathering of its kind, despite the legalization of marijuana looming on the horizon.

“We came here because it’s like Christmas Day,” said Brady Nisbet. “It’s better than Christmas.”

Nisbet and his friend Brad Haglund, camped out in lawn chairs, said 4/20 was a time to “chill.”

“We’re all here to have a good time. Everyone can just be themselves, so it’s a good feeling,” Nisbet said.

Below a cloudy haze above the square, thousands of green-clad pot enthusiasts braved the rain to revel in what some called their favourite day of the year.

Some weren’t too high on the Liberal government’s bill.

“It’s horrible,” said Paul Embro. “Horrible. There should be no jail for pot. Period.”

Under the proposed legislation revealed last week, which would see marijuana legalized by Canada Day 2018, penalties could be as steep as five years in jail for illegal possession of amounts above the 30-gram limit.

Illegally supplying pot to minors could even mean up to 14 years in jail.

“Kids are getting a hold of alcohol a lot easier than they are cannabis. It’s a lot worse also. Cannabis has never hurt anyone,” said Embro.

“We’re better off the way we are now than when it’s legal, just with the penalties and shit,” added Jessica Malandruccolo.

The annual event, featuring a lineup of marijuana activists, live musical performances and no shortage of vendors selling everything from edibles to Justin Trudeau-themed shirts, was this year billed as the final 4/20 celebration at Yonge-Dundas Square.

That’s not because organizers plan to shut down once weed becomes legal, but, rather, because there are plans to expand the event, possibly to a larger venue such as Nathan Phillips Square.

“As soon as it gets legalized, it will be a bigger thing,” said Haglund. “They’ll celebrate it harder.”

That is the plan, said prominent marijuana activist Marc Emery, one of the day’s most anticipated speakers.

“They’ll always be necessary because this is a culture,” said Emery, dressed in a customized Toronto Maple Leafs jersey with the number 420 on the back.

“Marijuana’s not just a commodity. We’re not just ordinary people. We’re a special culture that’s one of the most creative and useful people on earth, so we’re always going to be meeting like this to celebrate our culture,” he said. “We have a lot, in a way, to defend and protect at gatherings like this.”

Emery, known as the Prince of Pot, was arrested last month and released on bail along with his wife Jodie Emery following a police raid of the Cannabis Culture dispensary which they formerly owned.

He faces 15 charges, including conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime.

Emery, who said he planned to be at India’s first 4/20 festival this year, but couldn’t travel after his passport got revoked, said the federal government’s bill carries too many punishments and regulations.

“Don’t trust the government!” he said bluntly. “We’re going to have to work for every inch of freedom that we’re gonna get. Marijuana’s the safest substance on earth. We’ve had an industry for 50 years and we’ve never killed anybody.”

Embro said the beauty of 4/20 goes beyond protest.

“Weed brings people together,” he said. “It’s peaceful.”