Pubdate: Tue, 22 Apr 2014
Source: Expositor, The (CN ON)
Column: For What It's Worth
Page: A3
Copyright: 2014 Brantford Expositor
Contact: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/letters
Website: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1130
Author: Vincent Ball

WHEN IT COMES TO POT, TIMES ARE A CHANGING

There were a few things missing from the city's first Freedom 420
rally on the weekend in support of legalizing marijuana.

Surprisingly, no entrepreneurs set up in Victoria Park to sell bags of
potato chips or other munchies.

Imagine, a crowd of at least 200 people all smoking up and not a bag
of Doritos or any other kind of snack available for at least a couple
of blocks. Talk about a missed opportunity.

It was also somewhat surprising that there wasn't any visible police
presence in the park during the rally.

In London, uniformed officers took a "zero-tolerance approach" to the
rally in that city's Victoria Park. But in Brantford there wasn't even
a - dare I say it - token police presence.

There was no loud music during the rally.

And, if it wasn't for the odour of marijuana wafting through the park,
a passerby wouldn't really know or even care about what was happening.

But there was something else missing from Sunday's
rally.

There were no municipal, provincial or federal politicians there
during the time I was at the park from 3: 30 p. m. to 5: 30 p. m..

This is, after all, a municipal election year and many believe
Ontarians will be going to the polls soon, possibly within the next
month or so.

But I saw no politicians courting votes Sunday.

That, I think, is something that will change.

Sometime, within the next 10 years, marijuana use will be either
decriminalized or legalized and politicians of all stripes will want
to be seen at pot smoking rallies.

Then, sometime after that, we will have politicians with campaign
material declaring themselves to be the first "openly pot-smoking
MPP," followed by the first "openly pot-smoking cabinet minister" and
then, wait for it, the first "openly potsmoking premier."

Remember, you read it here first.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D