Vancouver pot protest ‘necessary’ despite legalization promise, activist
VANCOUVER — Optimism mixed with thick clouds of pot smoke in downtown Vancouver last year as tens of thousands of people gathered for the annual “4-20″ marijuana legalization rally under a massive banner featuring Justin Trudeau’s face on a rolling paper.
But this year, the event’s chief organizer, Jodie Emery, says “inaction” by the newly elected federal Liberals makes the protest “more necessary than ever.”
“Last summer I was joking I’m going to be out of work as an activist because we don’t have debates anymore, there’s no one fighting to keep it illegal,” said Emery, who is the wife of “Prince of Pot” Marc Emery. “But fast forward to today and the mood is different.”
Trudeau has pledged to legalize pot and struck a task force to hammer out legislation, but Emery said change could be months or years away.