Much bigger and sort of more diverse, the 420 event continues to be part party, part protest, part display of teen-type defiance and part make-a-buck market.
But what is most striking is the growing size and professionalism of the biggest component — the trade show. Check out my pix.
The vendors number into several hundreds, by my unscientific on-the-spot estimate. They’re the small guys; the independents — and only a few, if any, will make the cut into the regulated industry coming to Canada later this year.
And this is the only legit relic of protest available to the 420 organizers, who seem to feel that everyone, regardless of their chops, talent and cash, should automatically become a player in the upcoming regulated cannabis industry.
As usual, click on any photo to see a large-size slideshow of them all.
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- About 20% of the event
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- A gimmick – snatch up the “Bud Bucks” and get a discount on product
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- Critter and babe
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- Booth babes — a sad parallel to old-fashioned trade shows
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- Oddly coy way of signifying dope-free product
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- A possible graduate into the regulated side of the biz; note the cities and “medical” slant
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- Critter
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- Logos, catch phrases
Why is it this event is allowed to flout the city laws regarding paying for policing, yet the Pride Festival has to cancel events due to the cost? If Molson-Coors decided to hold a Beerfest at Sunset Beach could they get away with that?
Pot is big business, let’s not pretend it is some artsy folk event!
Pierre Elliot Trudeau gave us the Charter of Rights. He got government out of the bedrooms of Canadians.
When his own son was charged with having marijuana, he fought to keep him from having a criminal record. He pulled strings to make the charge disappear.
Meanwhile, half a million Canadians have had their lives ruined with criminal records thanks to marijuana convictions.
Alcohol and tobacco users arresting and jailing marijuana users. That is horrific hypocritical bullying.
There is talk of amnesty for those who were persecuted. That’s not enough. There should be truth and reconciliation.
The judiciary, police, prison guards, lawyers, made careers with pensions off people who were harming no one. That’s shameful.
Looks like the Marijuana Trade Show will once again cost Vancouver taxpayers big time, as the park will have to be closed for up to ten weeks for repair. And leftover edibles found on the grass where kids could find them. Time to bring down the curtain on this “protest’.
Gone to pot …