Pubdate: Thu, 20 Apr 2006
Source: LSU Reveille (LA Edu)
Copyright: 2006, LSU Reveille
Contact:  http://www.lsureveille.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2879
Author: Caroline Alexander and Zachary Broussard
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

A TOKIN' HOLIDAY

Marijuana Users Nationwide Mark April As A Celebration Of The Illegal Drug

Weed. Pot. Reefer. Ganja. Dope. Mary Jane. Schwag. Cannabis. Chronic.

Artists from Willie Nelson to Dr. Dre have inundated American pop 
culture with these terms.

But even with the abundance of marijuana references in art, 
literature, music and film, many people woke up this morning without 
realizing today's significance.

Pot smokers nationwide acknowledge today ­ April 20 or "4-20" ­ as 
the day to celebrate marijuana use.

But few people ­ marijuana "tokers" or otherwise ­ can legitimately 
say they know how or why 4-20 came to be the marijuana holiday.

The true origin of the phrase "4-20" as a code for marijuana smoking 
is spotty at best.

One rumor asserts "4-20" is the number of active chemicals in 
marijuana. Actually there are far fewer, depending on the strain of 
plant being smoked. Another urban legend suggests that "4-20" is the 
police dispatch code for possession of marijuana ­ also wrong.

The actual origin of the "4-20" reference is much simpler.

Steven Hager, editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, a publication 
devoted to the pot-smoking subculture, discussed the origins of 
"4-20" in an interview on ABC News.

"[4-20] has been a code word for many years," Hager said. "In 1971 
six students at San Rafael High School invented it. And it just sort 
of spread through the Grateful Dead underground for many years, and 
then 'High Times' discovered it. And once we started publicizing it, 
it became global."

The kids at San Rafael, who called themselves the Waldos, met at 4:20 
p.m. every afternoon to get high and used "4-20" as a way to discuss 
their pot smoking without their parents knowing.

Since the term has worked its way into the subculture, April 20 has 
become a day of celebration for marijuana enthusiasts nationwide, and 
University students are no exception.

"I celebrate every year ­ since I started smoking when I was about 
13," said Ricardo Jeffries, mass communication senior and former 
president of the the University's chapter of the Cannabis Action 
Network. "It started when I was a youngster with backyard BBQs and 
bongs. Once I got to college, I realized how many people are into 
this lifestyle and celebrate this day."

The Cannabis Action Network is "a nationwide team of individuals 
working to make cannabis legally available for medicinal, industrial 
and personal uses," according to their Web site.

The University chapter of CAN has used "4-20" to publicize its 
efforts to legalize marijuana.

Jeffries said that in past years the group has set up information 
tables at venues such as Northgate Tavern and The Spanish Moon to 
recruit new members and sign petitions.

"It's hard to get anyone motivated for a cause, let alone stoners, so 
we use the day to get people together," Jeffries said.

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws also uses 
"4-20" as a day to promote their agenda.

This year's NORML national convention starts today in San Francisco 
and continues through the weekend.

Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML, said this year's 
convention will bring between 500 and 700 attendees to discuss 
marijuana and its legalization.

"It's a good PR hood to do something on that particular day," St. 
Pierre said. "We chose that date because it's a celebration of the 
culture itself."

No organized efforts are scheduled on campus this year.

CAN is no longer an official student organization, but Jeffries said 
he is going to keep the party going this year at SoGo Live, where 
Galactic is scheduled to play.

But SoGo is not endorsing the event as a pot-oriented celebration.

"It's '4-20', but we're not having a festival," said John Bell, 
SoGo's talent buyer. "If the kids want to call it that, they can. 
We're just having a show on that date."

Even without an official CAN-sponsored celebration, other "4-20" 
revelers will venture out to SoGo Live and other music venues to 
enjoy music and the camaraderie of like-minded smokers.

"I typically always go to a concert," said Burton Kirk, general 
studies senior. "It's a guaranteed day that a good band will be 
playing. It's a good day to go party."

While "4-20" celebrations bring groups of people together and promote 
a live-easy culture, the day does have its detractors and downsides.

"It's bittersweet," St. Pierre said. "It's an organic event that has 
come about naturally by its own impetus just because people in the 
culture have promoted it. The bitter part is because when some 
individuals have come out to celebrate, they portray a stereotype 
that is less than helpful in trying to change the laws."

St. Pierre cited long hair, facial jewelry and tattoos as being 
"cultural turnoffs" for some people, and the day certainly has that component.

"I wear wire-rim glasses and have never had hair longer than my 
ears," St. Pierre said. "When I go in to talk about the organization, 
they say, 'Well, where's the long hair?' They almost expect a 
stereotype, and that's unfortunate."

On top of unfair expectations, pot smokers must also deal with the 
legal ramifications of their celebrated pastime.

"We're not exactly mainstream," Jeffries said. "Because it's illegal, 
we'll always have problems with credibility and legitimacy."

But by and large, Jeffries agrees the overall positives of the day 
outweigh the negatives.

"It helps more than it haunts," Jeffries said. "It's one day a year 
where I find that even people who would never normally admit that 
they smoke or support the cause will come out and sign a petition or 
donate a little money. And if they don't do that, they might at least 
find a friend's house and blaze one."

In fact a lot of the "stoner" stereotypes are no longer applicable, 
since many activists who enjoy celebrating "4-20" are now ex-hippie 
professionals and grandparents.

St. Pierre said participants at the NORML convention will represent a 
vast cross section of the pot-smoking community.

"There will be lots of gray hair," St. Pierre said. "The median age 
is 50 to 55. It's a lot of professionals and long-time activists. The 
people represent everyone from waiters and students to Nobel prize 
winners and millionaires."

Even with so many participants trying to legalize marijuana, the drug 
is still illegal in Louisiana which means LSUPD will be on high alert 
for pot smokers today.

Major Lawrence Rabalais said LSUPD is aware of the holiday and will 
have plain-clothes officers scattered throughout campus.

Rabalais said arrests usually occur after someone smells burning 
marijuana and notifies LSUPD to investigate.

Chief Ricky Adams said LSUPD can do everything "up to and including" 
meeting with the individuals and searching the suspicious area.

"But there are a lot of hypotheticals," Adams said.

He said the possibility of officers entering a person's home "depends 
on circumstances of the individual case."

Along with criminal records, some detractors of marijuana use believe 
it carries other negative consequences.

Amy Copeland, clinical psychology professor and director of the 
University Psychological Services Center, attributes a condition 
known as amotivational syndrome to marijuana use.

Amotivational syndrome refers to an apathy towards social interaction 
and activity brought on by an external event or substance.

"Marijuana is more sedating than energizing, so people aren't going 
out and getting things done," Copeland said. "When you're smoking 
marijuana, you're just generally apathetic about things. You're not 
thinking about the big picture. You're not as goal-directed."

However, die-hard supporters of marijuana use disagree with this diagnosis.

Jeffries said labeling pot-induced changes in attitude "amotivational 
syndrome" is inaccurate.

"It doesn't take away your motivation," Jeffries said. It just shifts 
it. So what if when you're high you don't feel like writing a 
five-page report. You know what you do feel like doing? Practicing on 
your guitar. So you might not feel like slaving away in a hot 
kitchen. You know what you do want to do? Beat your new computer game."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman