by A.J. Focht
Contrary to popular belief, April 20th is not just a day where stoners ditch work and class to get high. It is, in fact, one of the last great protests in America.
Every year, tens of thousands of American citizens gather across the country to protest against the legal status of marijuana (or lack thereof). One of the largest of these gatherings takes place at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO. Thousands of marijuana enthusiasts gather at Norlin Quad on the university’s campus. They light up their ganja while keeping a careful eye on the patrolling police as if to say, “Try to stop us!”
It is estimated that some ten-thousand people show up in Boulder each year on 4/20. Roughly another ten-thousand gather only miles away at Denver’s Civic Center Park. Thus, in Colorado alone, some twenty thousand people peacefully assemble to challenge the government’s prohibition of marijuana.
Boulder’s rich history as a hippy haven in the ‘60s has turned the city into something of a Marijuana Mecca. The brave stoners who showed up to this year’s rally first were quickly ticketed by the patrolling officers. As the afternoon drew closer to 4:20pm, the quad filled and the cops were overwhelmed. Unable to continue trying to prevent the rally, the police wandered, breaking up ‘drug’ deals and stopping the medical marijuana dispensaries from handing out samples.
Smoke wafted through the quad as everyone waited in the chilly overcast afternoon for the designated celebratory moment to approach. When 4:20 rolled around, air ceased to occupy the space between everyone as a THC infused smoke cloud obscured everything from view. A rolling thunder of coughing and wheezing accompanied it only moments later.
While the rally was broken up by the police around 5 PM, the fight for marijuana legalization doesn’t end with 4/20. For the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), 4/20 only marks the beginning of their three day conference. Over the proceeding days, NORML will be hosting several events, including a debate between Denver mayoral candidates on the subject.
Until marijuana is legalized on a national level, stoners will continue to show up in Boulder each year and protest. But, let’s be honest, even if it’s legalized, they’ll still make their yearly pilgrimage just to celebrate hippy heritage.
