Pubdate: Thu, 21 Apr 2016
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Page: A4
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Nick Eagland

POT PROTEST MORPHS INTO BASH AT THE BEACH

'Nothing Too Serious' Healthwise With Numbers Down At St. Paul's
Hospital

Vancouver's annual 4/20 pot rally felt less like a protest and more
like a beach party this year as revellers headed to English Bay to
bake in the sun.

The move to Sunset Beach from its location outside the Vancouver Art
Gallery, where construction is underway, brought some changes as
organizers seem to have taken to heart the many concerns of the city,
park board, police and health officials.

And while the temperature reached 20 C, an ocean breeze from English
Bay kept tens of thousands of attendees cool as they puffed, passed
and dabbed.

Organizer Jodie Emery said she was proud of the work that went into
the event to ensure everything went smooth at its new location.

"We faced opposition and we still do, but I think we're demonstrating
that we can do this very safely and professionally, co-operatively
with city officials, the parks board, police, fire and ambulance,"
Emery said.

She said the event would return to Sunset Beach next
year.

Last year, 100 attendees visited St. Paul's Hospital because of
cannabis intoxication. The vast majority had consumed edibles. This
year, just 16 attendees had visited the emergency room by 7 p.m.,
Providence Health Care spokeswoman Laurie Dawkins said.

She called it something of a "non-event" and said "nothing too
serious" had been observed. All patients would likely be discharged
Wednesday evening.

"They were stoned and eating lollipops," she said.

Dr. Patricia Daly, Vancouver Coastal Health's chief medical officer,
told Postmedia before this year's event that health officials were
concerned about adolescents and youth being sold marijuana.

"We are asking (vendors) to ID people who look like they are under
25," Daly said.

Postmedia observed several instances at this year's event where
cannabis vendors asked minors to provide identification and then
turned them away when they couldn't provide it.

Most vendors posted signs indicating they wouldn't sell to minors, and
many were heard warning people to wait an hour after consuming edibles
before they ate more.

Still, dozens of minors were seen smoking cannabis and ingesting
edibles. When hundreds of joints were tossed into the crowd at 4:15
p.m., teens scrambled for their share.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D