Marijuana fans hold pot parties in Canada, US

Skooter reporting 04/21/12

Marijuana aficionados held huge rallies and pot parties in Canada and the United States, through the weekend with a yearly celebration devoted to the feel-good weed.

A major road in the financial district of Western Canadian metropolis Vancouver was closed for the day-long demonstration, in which devotees are encouraged to light up, while the sweet-smelling smoke also drifted a great deal over California.

Between 10,000 and 15,000 young adults, Vancouver organizers and media said made Vancouver's the biggest of the so-called 4/20 events. Marijuana fanatics spent the day lounging in sunshine listening to bands, many of them smoking weed or crunching snacks sold by street vendors.

At 4:20 pm, came a woman dressed in a green tutu disseminated free joints of marijuana, and the crowd sang the national anthem that began with "Oh, Cannabis," instead of, "Oh, Canada."

In that 4/20 event there were no untoward incidents, police officers said, other than “a few, less than 10” people who got sick after smoking and were taken away by ambulance. In a separate event in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, it was reported that there were 5,000 people attended a rally at Parliament Hill.

Why the event called “420”? It reportedly began decades ago at a California high school, a group of students lit joints at 4:20 pm, when classes end. The event became famous throughout North America and around the world.

While the aim of the event is to decriminalize and legalize the drug for others it’s an excuse to party.