On April 20, 1995, a few dozen individuals gathered in Victory Square Park at Hastings and Cambie to exchange and celebrate cannabis, kicking off Vancouver’s 4/20 movement. Since then, 4/20 has grown into a massive cannabis protest festival, attracting over 150,000 people who come to enjoy a free concert with well-known performers from all over the world, as well as to buy, share, and celebrate cannabis at an unparalleled farmer’s market.
The 4/20 celebration in Vancouver is a massive act of civil disobedience that provides cannabis users with a safe place to obtain cannabis in the community while also allowing them to celebrate without feeling humiliated or ostracized.
The non-profit organization that organizes the 4/20 demonstration covers all civic and park board expenses voluntarily, with the exception of enforcement. Every year, organizers work closely with all municipal and park departments on issues such as public safety, traffic management, cleanliness, health, and emergency services.
The oldest annual April 20 cannabis protest in the world takes place in Vancouver, but 4/20 is now observed in cities around Canada and the world.
The End of the Drug War
Despite its festive atmosphere, 4/20 mainly protests the criminalization and stigmatization of cannabis farmers, users, and vendors in Canada.
Some people find cannabis reduces or replaces their use of more harmful drugs, like alcohol and painkillers. Other currently banned drugs should become safe and legal, with policies focusing on human rights and health, not punishment.
Instead of a drug war, we require drug peace.
The vast majority of overdose deaths, gang violence, and money laundering are directly linked to prohibition. The drug war and prohibition, often enforced with racial bias, drive mass incarceration and disproportionate policing.
Cannabis flowers are central to 4/20, but other illegal medical plants, like opium poppies and peyote, remain banned. We should recognize these plants’ benefits and safely reintroduce them after millennia of social, medicinal, cultural, and spiritual use.
What Does 4/20 Mean?
In the 1970s, a group of Californian high school friends came up with the name “420” to refer to cannabis. They met every day after school at 4:20 p.m. to consume cannabis and dubbed themselves “The Waldos.”
Danna Rozek and Cindy Lassu, who worked at Marc Emery’s groundbreaking Hemp BC business, organized the first protest on April 20, 1995, in Vancouver.
When the 4/20 demonstration was moved to the Art Gallery grounds downtown in 1997, over a thousand people attended. For years, activist David Malmo-Levine grew the yearly event by organizing cannabis raffles and a large joint handout at 4:20.
On April 20, 2007, the Art Gallery’s entrance was jammed with about 7000 visitors. The event grew to include public speakers, live music all day, and multiple tables openly selling cannabis products. Other 4/20 demonstrations began to take place in Canadian cities, inspired by Vancouver.
The magnitude and breadth of the 4/20 protest grew at an exponential rate. By 2014, over 30,000 people crowded the Art Gallery and nearby streets, forcing Hornby, Howe, Robson, and Georgia streets closed.
After consulting with local authorities, the 4/20 organizers decided to move the demonstration to Sunset Beach in 2016. This larger site allows for increased public safety, less disturbance, and a better event for everyone. Despite the Park Board denying a 4/20 permit by one vote, participants continue the demonstration as civil disobedience.
We welcome you to celebrate 4/20, indulge in some of the best cannabis products available worldwide, and speak out against the stigma and persecution that cannabis users continue to face in Canada and elsewhere.
