Pubdate: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC) Page: 3 Copyright: 2009 Canoe Inc Contact: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837 Author: Matt Kieltyka, 24 HOURS Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Marijuana - Canada) DOWNTOWN GOES TO POT FOR 4/20 With the amount of green on display, you could have confused a rally outside the Vancouver Art Gallery yesterday for a St. Patrick's Day celebration. But instead of four-leaf clovers, people were making their own luck by smoking marijuana. And the date was different too: 4/20, the greatest day on the calendar for pot enthusiasts and advocates. "I think it's both a party and a political message," one woman said. "Just look around, everyone is relaxed and having a good time. It brings people together." Most people among the crowd were clearly in favour of legalizing marijuana is some way, but this year's rally gave advocates some new arguments. "If the government legalizes it and starts making money, there's the end of the recession," a man said. "It would put a huge dent in organized crime," another woman said, referring to the onslaught of drug-fuelled gang violence. Many in the crowd also came down to smoke weed in public without fear of being arrested or punished. "I'm just here to celebrate and get really high with my friends," another man said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake