April 20^th saw what is to be the last 4/20 celebration in Canada before legalization takes place this summer.

4/20 has long been an annual celebration of cannabis culture around the world, typically associated with sticking it to the man and defying the laws that have hindered people from using the plant. This year however, with legalization planned in a few months, the celebration took a different tone.  

Protesters have shifted their concern away from legalizing marijuana to protesting how the government plans to implement legalization.

Toronto saw one of its biggest 4/20 celebrations to date. Until this year, the celebration has taken place at Young and Dundas Square. This year, the event moved to Nathan Phillips Square as more people joined the typical crowd to celebrate this year’s pending legalization

Cannabis users joined together in the square, smoking freely with thousands of other like-minded individuals. 

Similar events took place across the country. Some of the biggest events took place in Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver.

With legalization planned in Canada for this summer, many users are excited that they will be able to use cannabis with less of a stigma attached to it and without worry about being allowed to use it. That said, not everyone is thrilled with the government’s plans.

Many people believe that the government should have less of a monopoly on the sale of marijuana and should be a little more lenient with its rules. The federal government is allowing the individual provinces and Territories to decide on they will implement legalization.

Canada “will be the first western country to legalize cannabis at that level. I’m excited for that even though I have reservations about how strict they’ve regulated this product. They’re treating it like plutonium. Legalization is long past due and I’m glad it’s coming,” said Chris Goodwin, an organizer for the Toronto 420 Celebration.

Ontario for example, plans to sell marijuana to people aged 19 and older in up to 150 stores run by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.

Other provinces like British Columbia have also set the legal age of consumption at 19 but are allowing sales through both public and private stores. Retailers in B.C. will still have to get their supply of cannabis through the government’s wholesale distribution system that’s also used for alcohol sales.

Even with legalization around the corner, it’s likely that 4/20 celebrations will continue annually. It will be interesting to see how the celebration transforms itself in the coming years. Perhaps we’ll see cannabis festivals taking place across the country, very similar to the craft beer festivals that have become popular in recent years.