Pubdate: Thu, 23 Apr 2009
Source: City on a Hill Press (UC Santa Cruz, CA, Edu)
Copyright: 2009 City on a Hill Press
Contact:  http://www.cityonahillpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4753
Author: Cynthia Armour
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?420 (Cannabis - Popular)

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER 4/20 SMOKEFEST

On what was possibly the hottest day of the year thus far, an 
ever-growing crowd gathered at the Porter Meadow for one of UC Santa 
Cruz's most infamous traditions -- 4/20.

A quick look at 4/20 shows a huge gathering of people celebrating 
marijuana. Yet there are many different ways this yearly occurrence 
affects the city of Santa Cruz. People from all over the country 
came, and there was not an empty parking spot to be found near 
campus, with the license plates ranging from New Mexico to Nebraska.

A 2004 Rolling Stone magazine article by Vanessa Grigoriadis entitled 
"The Most Stoned Students on the Most Stoned Day on the Most Stoned 
Campus on Earth," earned Santa Cruz a reputation as the place to be 
on April 20.

Estimates of the 4/20 crowd varied from several hundred to the 
several thousands. Vladimir Kozyrev, a second-year, said he felt the 
numbers had diminished since last year. Bella Ferro, a first-year who 
was walking back from the meadow, had a different estimate.

There were 5,000 people last year, so you know there must have been 
more this year," she said. "It gets bigger every year."

The influx of people and their appetite-stimulating activities had a 
unique, but perhaps expected, affect on some close-to-campus food services.

Kent Bailey, the assistant director for UCSC dining, was on his way 
to the College Eight dining hall as the clock struck 4:20.

Last year, we experienced a huge upsurge at College Eight," Bailey 
said. "It was overpacked and students were shoulder-to-shoulder in 
the dining hall."

To make matters worse, this year both Cowell and Porter dining halls 
are closed due to construction.

Our principle concern is the number of people on campus. We're trying 
to provide a safe environment," Bailey said. "So we're going to be 
careful in not allowing too many people into the dining hall."

Despite how careful they were, the College Eight dining hall was 
indeed hectic all afternoon.

Candace Hoppe, a fourth-year literature major, cashed in on the 
increased snack demand on 4/20 by selling munchies to hungry smokers 
in Porter Meadow.

We're raising money for the teen center downtown, which is having 
financial difficulties at the moment," said Hoppe, while exchanging 
two Fruit Loops for a buck with a tie-dyed stoner. "We've made over 
$200 so far."

The way Hoppe sees it, the idea is to take advantage of this 
extremely popular event to bring money into the community.

Just off campus, at the Cardiff Street 7-11, assistant manager Ron 
Rabdeau was swamped.

I probably ended up with a thousand more people than on a normal 
day," Rabdeau said. "I used to work at the 7-11 on Ocean and 
Broadway, and it gets a lot more business than this one. But today, I 
can guarantee you that we made six times what they make. And most of 
it was Swishers."

Overall, Rabdeau said the clientele was cordial, with no outstanding 
"idiots or assholes" -- just a lot of people "high as kites."

At least they were all smart enough to keep hydrated. Lots of water, 
Gatorade and Slurpees. Oh my God, the poor Slurpee machine nearly had 
a breakdown."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom