Canadians honour not one but two cannabis holidays each year. Since 1977, Canadians have been celebrating Cannabis Day on July 1st at various locations across the country.
I know what you’re thinking, we already celebrate 4/20, why do we need another weed day? Well, thanks to the legislation, enthusiasts can celebrate legal cannabis 365 days a year. Cannabis Day aligns with another holiday, originally Dominion Day but since 1982, has been known as Canada Day. One day, two celebrations. What a treat.
History
Cannabis Day dates back to July 1st, 1977. It originated in our neighbouring province to the east and was introduced by two parties, the Alberta Legalization of Cannabis Committee and the Canadian Association to Liberate Marijuana. The two groups worked hard as advocates for the legalization of marijuana, which came full circle in October 2018.
A big part of Cannabis Day in Vancouver is Neil Magnuson, a local cannabis activist who is known as the official “Oh Cannabis” singer. Click here to view CLN’s live stream of 4/20 in Vancouver; ironically enough Neil belts out the song in the 4th hour and 20th minute of CLN’s broadcast.
Last year, Vancouverites celebrated the day at Thorton Park on the corner of Main and Terminal. This location allows for a certain number of first-come, first-serve vendor spots, and areas for live music to be enjoyed by all.
Cannabis Day 2020
This year, Cannabis Day will be a little different from the event restrictions put in place due to COVID 19. There will be no official location for the celebration but this doesn’t mean enthusiasts can’t have their own celebrations for this glorious day. At CLN we urge whoever wants to celebrate Cannabis Day to light up peacefully.
If you’re looking for more information on the history of Cannabis Day in Canada, click this link to see the official website.
Happy Cannabis Day!