Pubdate: Tue, 21 Apr 2015
Source: Peterborough Examiner, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 Peterborough Examiner
Contact: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/letters
Website: http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2616
Author: Jessica Nyznik
Page: 5

420 PROTEST TURNS INTO EVENT

Information booths set up in Victoria Park to promote legalization of
marijuana, medical marijuana awareness

Peterborough's annual 420 Cannabis Awareness Event has come quite a
ways since it started six years ago.

"It was more of a full protest in the beginning, but now it's more
like an event," said organizer Wayne Matheson at Victoria Park on Monday.

Since Matheson and his fiancee started the event in 2010, they now
have 13 volunteers, get insurance and permission to use the property
and also rent a few portable toilets.

Though it rained for the duration of the affair, from 11 a.m. to 5
pm., Matheson said he still thinks about 250 people showed up.

Taking place in cities across the country, the event promotes the
legalization of marijuana and raises awareness for its medical,
industrial and recreational uses.

Under a series of tarps, people gathered to purchase hemp products,
listen to live music, take part in raffles and games, and of course,
smoke weed.

Clarence Campbell drove up from Belleville to help out with his
friend's information booth, People Advocating Cannabis Education (PACE).

"We're trying to educate people about the true meaning of cannabis
that the government isn't telling," said Campbell, speaking of its
therapeutic benefits.

Campbell has suffered strokes, an aneurism and kidney
failure.

As a result, he experiences four is in extreme migraines and nausea
and is often unable to eat.

"Just a few puffs of a vapourizer takes that nausea away," he
said.

While some event-goers were eager to smoke on site, Sarah Lalande said
that's something she'd prefer to do at home.

Though she's attended a 420 event in Vancouver before, it's her first
time at this one and she said she had to come out, despite the rain,
to show her friend who was visiting from South Africa.

"She's never seen anything like this. They don't celebrate 420 in Cape
Town, so it's really exciting," said Lalande.

Lalande said she found the event quite small in comparison to the one
she attended in Vancouver, and doesn't think it's only because of the
population difference.

"It's much more acceptable to smoke weed in B.C than Ontario," she
said, adding that she saw many business types in Vancouver, but you'd
never see that in this province.

Dustin Jones reasons for attending the affair were
twofold.

He came out to support the cause and its organizer, Matheson, who is a
friend of his.

Jones said he'd like to see cannabis decriminalized, at the very
least.

"And I wouldn't mind seeing it on the shelves," he
added.

Colorado and Washington state legalized recreational pot in 2012 by
voter initiative, and last year became the first U.S. states to make
marijuana available for retail purchase in state-licensed stores.

Smoking, growing and owning small amounts of cannabis became legal in
Alaska in February under a measure passed by voters in 2014, but
retail pot businesses are not expected to open there before next year.

Oregon similarly voted last fall to legalize recreational marijuana,
but that measure does not take effect until July.
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MAP posted-by: Matt