Another April 20, another 4/20 rally in which recreational pot enthusiasts gather en masse, light up their doobies in defiance of the man, and let the world know they think marijuana should be legal, or at least decriminalized.
It may seem like a juvenile act of insubordination, but the 4/20 rallies have evolved from smoky, alternative gatherings into an establishment-based pro-marijuana legalization campaign. The movement to reform the country's ridiculous pot laws now wears a suit or lab coat, not a Bob Marley T-shirt.
It has become tedious making the intellectual argument year after year that on a legal, public health and safety level our existing laws make no sense. But Stop the Violence B.C., the group of like-minded doctors, academics and law enforcement professionals pushing to legalize the drug, continue to add high-profile names to the list of converts willing to go public with their arguments.
According to recent polls released by STVBC, the vast majority of British Columbians are on-side with a legalization and taxation model for marijuana policy. The rest of Canada is not far behind either.
We've seen a trend of politicians "coming out" as pro-legalization only after they're out of office, or supporting it in name only when they are trying to get elected. It's the ones in power now who need to look at the overwhelming evidence that it's time for reform.
So, go ahead and have the rallies, they look like fun. But if the war is to be won any time soon, it's going to also happen in the halls of power - and they don't let you smoke in there.
