“Dude, where are we going already?”
“I dunno, I like totally forgot!”
*Giggles*
This is how I picture it. What’s “it”? Oh, I’m sorry. Maybe you are not familiar with today’s subcultures. I’m referring to the latest hip subversion, smoking pot on April 20th at 4:20 p.m.—“420” is a famous code word for cannabis use. But note that you don’t just smoke pot for your own guilty pleasure or for the sake of smoking. No, ladies and gentlemen, you get high for the cause and to show you truly and fully support the legalization of cannabis.
In Ottawa, the gathering takes place today on Parliament Hill and Major Hill. When the clock on the Peace Tower strikes 4:20, bam, light up your spliff and enjoy—just make sure you don’t burn a passing RCMP Officer with your lit joint (guess what, Parliament Hill is not exactly cop-free).
I totally forgot about the event (no pun intended) until I saw a poster mentioning it this morning. Maybe I was in a bad mood (the gloomy and cold weather never seems to end this year) maybe I was just feeling sarcastic but I couldn’t help picturing a pathetic crowd of stoners gathered under the rain on the Hill, surrounded by cops taking everybody’s picture and address. Is smoking pot in front of the Parliament the smartest thing to do, really?
I know, I’m missing the point. It’s not about being smart, it’s about being legally subversive: the police rarely if ever make arrests on that day provided the crowd behaves. It’s also about looking supremely cool in the pictures curious bystanders and journalists will snap. People seem to enjoy being immortalized doing “cool” stuff. Like those who proudly display pictures of themselves drinking, smoking, stripping or holding weapons on social websites.
When I was a teen, buying marijuana-leaf accessories (I had earrings!) was a great way to rebel and piss off our parents. Or so we thought before we realized that our parents had been young rebels as well and were teens in the 1960s and the 1970s. Most weren’t exactly strangers to pot. Rebellion factor? Gone.
I saw more drugs when I was in high school than I did travelling in Latin America. For most, it was just an experiment. They did inhale all right but eventually outgrew it because let’s face it, you don’t get any smarter when you are high, although Pink Floyd songs strangely make a lot of sense.
I don’t mind people who smoke pot—to each his own. But I can’t help thinking that those who embrace cannabis culture and make legalization a lifelong project are a bit disconnected from real life. Seriously, isn’t there anything more important to change in the world right now?
Note that I don’t want to send pot smokers to jail. Most, like my teen neighbours (yes kids, I know that it’s not a cigarette you’re smoking!) are not criminals. Offenders maybe, but I don’t see why getting high would be worse than getting hammered.
Anyway, if you make it to the Hill at 4:20 today, make sure not to blow the smoke out towards Harper’s office. He needs to chill out a bit I think.
As for me, I’ll “celebrate” by reading Ben Elton’s excellent novel on drugs, High Society.
Share this article!
“although Pink Floyd songs strangely make a lot of sense”
I can’t stop laughing at that one 😀 😀
😆 It’s not just Pink Floyd though… Led Zep too!
I will leave that to the seasoned smokers.
I never smoked the weed… No hard feelings. I never wanted to smoke anything since my teacher showed our class a smoker’s lung( a real one)in 5th grade.That screwed me up forever.
I will just say “To each his own”, and all the power to you if you do.
I can understand! Even though smoking cigarette is my vice I won’t be on the Hill at 4:20 today 😉
I’m surprised people are still worried about it.
My employer has random drug testing and a so called zero tolerance policy so no protesting for me. Besides, I’m totally into about a two beer buzz that I can get perfectly legally without having to crap up my lungs.
I’ve heard a lot of places in North America do mandatory (and random) drug tests. Never heard of that in Europe… but I did hear kids complaining about it here.
I laughed at the title and that Harper needs to chill out a bit, isn’t that the truth!
You know, elections can be stressful…. 😆
Last year I was in California and everyone was asking about what I was going to do on 420, and I had no clue about what it meant! I finally understood when the beach was full of stoners, not really my kind of crowd!
Was it already a year you went to California? I remember your pictures, feels like yesterday!
4:20 started here in San Rafael, California. it was a high school thing. high school is probably too young to use drugs. but kids will be kids…
… and it’s California 😆 Sorry for the stereotype!
ya it’s california. but it’s easy to get used to it.
I was so lookin forward to this gathering – it was just outside my office building, hehe. Unfortunately it was raining and I wasn’t able to get out. boo… Happy 420 to you Zhu!
Same here, I just have a look on the Parliament webcam but I was working and the weather was really bad. Otherwise, I’d have gone to take pictures! Where do they gather in TO?
I agree with you, to a certain extent.
As you say, aren’t there better things to fight for? But on the other hand, aren’t there more important things to repress?
Cannabis is no big deal really, and shouldn’t be on either side…
Yeah, I see your point. I don’t consider it a big deal either, to each his own. Prosecuting smokers doesn’t make sense to me… but taking the issue so seriously doesn’t make much sense either!