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| Thousands Fill CU's Norlin Quad with Smoke for 420 |
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Posted by CN Staff on April 20, 2009 at 17:03:11 PT By Brittany Anas and Lance Vaillancourt Source: Daily Camera 
Boulder, Colo. -- A sudden roar of loud cheering — and quite a bit of coughing — erupted across the University of Colorado's smoke-filled Norlin Quad at exactly 4:20 p.m. today as thousands of students and pot enthusiasts celebrated what's become known as International Cannabis Day.Although CU officials have not yet released an estimate of the crowd's size, observers said it appeared today's 4/20 gathering was larger than last year's, which drew more than 10,000 people. “I think it’s awesome — especially when that cloud rises up over the crowd and you know that everyone is doing the same thing at the same time.” said Ryan Van Loo, who traveled with a group of friends to attend the event from Arapahoe Community College in Littleton. “Usually people are so low key about smoking, but this is the one day of the year that everyone can come out in the open and do it together.” This year’s infamous “cloud” lingered above the sea of participants gathered on Norlin for several minutes and was accompanied by the traditional hand-drumming, clapping and yelling out of cheers from thousands of enthusiastic participants. “It got a little crowded,” freshman Kara Salankey said, “but it’s a lot of fun because you get to see so many different kinds of people, and people that you know.” Jordan Martinez, 18, celebrated with a puff of pot. He said marijuana should be legal. "You can do everything with it," he said. "Like build houses, save rain forests and make food." Aaron Rael, who said he has a head injury, said marijuana is a natural painkiller and better than prescription drugs. CU spokesman Bronson Hilliard said the smoke-out is difficult to squelch because there are so many non-students who flood the campus. The event becomes like a concert, spectacle and drug-law protest, he said. "It's an event we don't like. We don't sponsor it or support it. We inherit it," Hilliard said. Participants began gathering on Norlin's law hours before the official smoke-out. “We’ve just been sitting out in the sun, enjoying the weather and watching people,” said Kate Francisco, who traveled with a friend to CU from Rochester, N.Y., to attend CU's 4/20 celebration. “My brother goes to school here and we came out to Boulder to visit him while we’re on spring break -- and we decided to come out for 4/20, too,” said Kyndle Caligris, Francisco’s friend. With the Norlin grounds still damp from recent snowfall, attendees congregated on blankets to sit and watch the festivities around them, which ranged from throwing Frisbees and blowing bubbles to group dancing and, of course, generating the occasional puff of smoke. In keeping with the countercultural spirit of the holiday, many students and attendees dressed to the nines for the occasion, adorning themselves in everything from weed-beaded Mardi Gras necklaces to tie-dye and other traditional hippie garb. “There was some guy dressed up like a dinosaur,” said freshman Rachael Pudlo. “But there are a lot of hippie skirts, headbands, crazy sunglasses and a lot of green.” And, of course, there's money to be made for entrepreneurs. With a variety of vendors peddling their wares around campus, attendees are showing up to the quad donning T-shirts bearing slogans such as “Colorado Puffs,” “4:20” and “I (Bong) CO.” Source: Daily Camera (Boulder, CO) CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help
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| Comment #6 posted by FoM on April 21, 2009 at 06:40:35 PT |
| No Possession Tickets Issued During CU's 4/20 Smokeout April 20, 2009 URL: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2009/apr/20/420-cu-colorado-boulder-marijuana-pot-smoke-out/ [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by The GCW on April 21, 2009 at 05:29:50 PT |
| US CO: Thousands attend Denver, Boulder marijuana events Webpage: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090420/NEWS/904209945/1078&ParentProfile=1055 Pubdate: 20 Apr. 2009 Source: Summit Daily News (CO) BOULDER — Authorities say no tickets were issued for marijuana possession at Monday’s 4/20 rally at the University of Colorado. CU Police Cmdr. Tim McGraw says roughly 8,000 to 10,000 people came together in the school’s Norlin Quad for the annual counterculture holiday, which has become known as International Cannabis Day. Participants let out a loud cheer, and a large cloud of smoke, at 4:20 p.m. Another 3,000 or more people gathered for a similar event at Civic Center Park in Denver. Attendees chanted “freedom,” shared joints, tossed Frisbees and took in live music and speeches from activist groups seeking reformed marijuana laws. About 80 officers were stationed around the park, though their main concern was public safety. Police spokesman Sonny Jackson says no drug arrests were made. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by FoM on April 21, 2009 at 04:31:23 PT |
| April 21, 2009 URL: http://www.wgal.com/health/19236923/detail.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by FoM on April 20, 2009 at 18:41:45 PT |
| Thank you for the video! I don't think I've ever seen so much smoke! [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #2 posted by ChristenMitchell on April 20, 2009 at 18:38:11 PT:
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| 17,000 came out for 420 - The National Holiday for Stoners - Here's the moment - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KgfpLmHVdo [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by The GCW on April 20, 2009 at 17:30:12 PT |
| Have you ever smoked marijuana? YES NO [ Post Comment ] |
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