The massive crowd of marijuana smokers who normally gather outside the Vancouver Art Gallery for 4/20 will be rolling into a different neighbourhood this year.
The annual April 20 event, which is billed as a celebration of cannabis and protest against prohibition, attracted an estimated 25,000 people in 2015, and organizers told CTV News space is becoming a concern.
Jodie Emery of Cannabis Culture said that’s one of the reasons they’ve decided to move the upcoming 4/20 to Sunset Beach.
“We’ve been looking at different locations throughout the city that would be large enough to accommodate the crowd that shows up, and after deliberations with the city and meetings with the city we’ve settled on Sunset Beach,” Emery said.
Over-indulging, mainly on edible marijuana products, put 64 people in hospital last year with symptoms such as nausea and heart palpitations, and some West End residents told CTV News they’re concerned things could get more out-of-hand at the beach.
Others supported moving 4/20 out of the downtown core, however, where businesses have complained for years about traffic disruptions and wafting marijuana smoke.
The Vancouver Park Board is aware of organizers’ new plans, and said it recognizes the right to protest but will not be issuing any permits for the event.
“We do not extend permits for activities that are illegal or do not meet the park regulations,” chair Sarah Kirby-Yung said.
“For one thing, we have a non-smoking bylaw in our parks.”
Police noted that wherever the event takes place, it will not be officially sanctioned. Officers haven’t tried to put a stop to it in the past, but do attend and monitor the event.
As in previous years, organizers plan to provide some of the same services as permitted gatherings.
“It’s incumbent upon us as always to provide the security, first aid, the cleanup, and every year we pay for toilets and ambulance services and fire and police coordination,” Emery said.
“We’re confident we can move forward and have a successful event without official sanction of the city, but with their cooperation.”
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson
