[420 Girl]

Pot festival protests changes to law

Ryan Vander Hoek hopes lighting a joint will fire up Edmonton's cannabis community.

The 22-year-old and his so-called Sunshine and Grass crew were at Louise McKinney Park yesterday, getting high and having fun.

The eight-hour cannabis festival, which was expected to draw up to 150 pot smokers, featured live music, free munchies and pot-related competitions - such as creative bong-making and fastest joint-smoking.

But of course, there was a purpose to the festivities.

"It's to raise awareness to the changes to Canadian legislation as we speak, which are completely against the wishes of the Canadian population," said Vander Hoek. "So we're trying to stir up awareness, but we also want to have fun in the sun."

The federal government is considering mandatory sentences of one to two years aimed at mid- and high-level drug dealers. The new legislation would also automatically jail those in possession of a single marijuana plant.

"There's a crackdown coming despite the fact that even government studies show it's the wrong way to be going," he said.

On a lesser political note, the Edmonton native wants to unite this city's pot smokers.

"There's way too many of us hiding in basements and hanging out in back alleys. We should be in sunny parks every day of the week," said the self-described Joint Commander. "We're not causing trouble and we do what we do because we love life, not because we're depressed, broken or insane."

Although marijuana possession is illegal across the nation, Vander Hoek was not too worried about any law enforcement.

"We have done everything in our power to work with the city. They know we are here and we've spoken to some residents in the neighbourhood and they know what's going on," he said.

Any concern would have been short-lived because police said yesterday they were too busy.

"At this point I don't believe we've been down at the event," said acting EPS Staff Sgt. Mark Hilton. "We're so tied up with other things I don't think we can get down there."

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