REEFER MADNESS

Potheads Celebrate Stoners' New Year

Puff the magic dragon landed on the front lawn of the Manitoba
Legislature yesterday.

More than 1,000 stoners converged onto the government lawn on
Broadway to smoke a doobie and salute the high times of 4-20 (April
20), or Stoner's New Year, as it's known in "greener" circles.

"The folklore behind 4-20 is that it became a secret signal between
rock stars," said Manitoba Marijuana Party president Chris Buors,
adding if you hear someone say it's 4:20, that means it's time to light up.

"If you look at the album Boston, the song Smokin' is exactly four
minutes and twenty seconds long," he added.

Police looked on

Buors said the 4-20 event is a 15-year tradition and celebrated
around the world.

The avid pot smoker wasn't worried about getting busted and it didn't
appear as though anyone else was.

The crowd, many from the teenage set, openly took pulls on bongs,
pipes and marijuana cigarettes while police and government security
officials looked on.

"Let's celebrate the great cannabis god," yelled one anonymous
pothead before putting a lighted joint between his lips.

There were about four officers assigned to the task of ensuring the
1,000-plus demonstration remained peaceful. The size of the crowd
prevented them from being able to stop people from smoking the
illegal substance in public.

It appears no arrests were made as a result of the demonstration.

"Traditionally the police have never bothered the political rally,"
said Buors. "The police are standing on the stairs of the Legislature
having an eyeball on everything and obviously the air's thick with cannabis."

Buors, clad in a Beatles T-shirt and jeans, said he loves to smoke
pot for "ceremonial enrichment purposes."

Travis Desbines also had good things to say about the substance and
was happy to be a part of the event.

"I'm a stoner and this is what I love to do," said Desbines.

Unlike last year, an appeal to legalize marijuana was not at the
forefront of yesterday's demonstration.