The 20th of April has rolled around again (pardon the pun) this week, and pot supporters around the globe marked the (unofficial) International Marijuana Day in various ways, all of which included indulging in their favourite pastime.
The stalwarts say though, that if you want to do things properly, then you’re not only supposed to celebrate your love of weed on the 20th day of the 4th month, but that you’re supposed to so it at precisely 4.20pm.
Because it is still illegal to use marijuana for recreational enjoyment in many parts of the world, the origins of this weird celebration are hard to pin point.
But the Sydney Morning Herald reported this week that sources trace its beginnings to a high school in California in 1971. According to reports, a group of San Rafael High School students met every afternoon at 4.20pm to smoke cannabis by a statue of Louis Pasteur. Eventually, the story goes, the term ‘420’ became code-speak for teens talking about smoking weed in front of their parents or other disapproving ‘grown ups’.
A lot of people also believe that ‘Dead Heads’ (the name given to fans of hippy band the Grateful Dead) were instrumental in taking the concept of 420 to the world. Regardless of when, or how it began, the day is now celebrated around the globe.
Despite the day gaining a reasonable amount of media attention – especially on social media – there were no public rallies in Sydney, with marijuana reform advocates preferring to remain low-key.
In Melbourne however, almost 2000 people showed up at Flagstaff Gardens to get high, as reported by the Legalise Cannabis Support Crew Victoria Facebook page.
Police were present, but stayed in their cars, and there were no reported arrests.
420 in the US and Canada
In America, 420 draws huge attention and crowds, particularly in places where marijuana possession is illegal. As support for the legalisation of recreational marijuana use grows – with several states having it on the agenda this year – festivities are becoming more and more mainstream.
On April 20 this year in Canada, in an unprecedented move, the Canadian Health Minister said the Government intends to introduce legislation next year that would make the sale of marijuana legal. If this becomes a reality, Canada would become one of the largest Western countries to allow widespread use of the drug.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed for full legalisation during his election campaign, and firmly believes in the regulation of marijuana – when it is sold, who it is sold to and when it is used – in much the same way that alcohol is regulated.
By drafting and enforcing appropriate legislation, the Canadian Government believes that it can keep the drug away from children and young people, stop major drug cartels from profiting, as well as take some pressure off the criminal justice system.
Medicinal Marijuana
In recent years, many countries have legalised marijuana for medical purposes, recognising the benefits of the drug as treatment for various conditions, including epilepsy and chronic pain. Actress Whoopi Goldberg recently launched a range of cannabis-based products designed to help women get through monthly menstrual cramps.
Medical marijuana is also used to treat muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, nausea caused by chemotherapy, poor appetite and weight loss caused by illnesses such as HIV, nerve pain, some seizure disorders and Crohn’s Disease.
The Australian Government is following the lead international lead by working on a framework for legislation to cultivate and supply the drug for medicinal purposes.
Victoria recently became the first state to legalise medicinal cannabis, and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce officially opened Australia’s first medicinal cannabis farm, in an undisclosed location near Tamworth in New South Wales.
However, with the exception of highly controlled circumstances, the cultivation, use and supply of marijuana remains illegal in Australia and the penalties can include a criminal record and even lengthy terms of imprisonment.
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