CROWD ESTIMATES HAZY AT MARIJUANA RALLY

Art Gallery Gathering the First Without Imprisoned Prince of Pot, Marc
Emery

Vancouver's annual 4/20 rally appears to be growing up. Both the size
and setup of Wednesday's marijuana event were bigger than in years
past.

Jodie Emery, wife of imprisoned pot activist Marc Emery, said the
rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery was the most elaborate it's ever
been.

"This year, we went very professional with a full stage, proper sound
equipment and enormous banners," Emery said.

On both sides of the main banner, emblazoned with the image of her
husband, hung two smaller banners that read, "Stop Stephen Harper: Vote
May 2."

Live bands played throughout the day on both the main stage at the art
gallery, and on a smaller second stage, at the intersection of Howe
and Robson streets.

Crowd estimates were hazy: Vancouver police Const. Lindsey Houghton
guessed there were about 5,000 people in attendance, while media
reports and crowd estimates had the number up past 10,000.

It was Vancouver's first 4/20 rally without "Prince of Pot" Marc
Emery, who was recently transferred to a medium-security prison in
Yazoo City, Miss., after stays in both Oklahoma and Georgia facilities
for selling marijuana seeds to Americans through his Vancouver-based
company. He will remain in prison for at least three more years.

As in years past, vendors lined the street, hawking everything from
T-shirts and pipes to pot-infused baked goods and hash by the baggie.
Vancouver police were on hand to keep the peace.

"On a day like this, everyone understands what's happening down
there," Houghton said. "Our role is public safety, and I think
everyone recognizes it's not in anyone's interest -or safe -to try to
arrest 6,000 people."

Kelsey Woll, 25, who moved last year to Vancouver from Vancouver,
Wash., said she attended the rally to buy some pot brownies and have a
good time.

"It seems really awesome. Everyone seems so happy," Woll said. "There
are so many people here. We have a cannabis day in Seattle, but I hear
it's not as big. People aren't as cool. The police don't shut down the
street and things like that."

Quillane Boyes, 24, was also attending for the first time, having
recently moved from Ontario.

"It's awesome that something like this exists in Canada," Boyes said.
"There are not many places like this in Canada."

Meghan Campbell, 18, said it was her fourth time attending the rally
and noted it was much bigger, and more politically driven, than in
past years.

Jodie Emery said the rally was part of a conscious effort to get
people out to the polling stations on May 2.

"Every person here -Harper would like to see us in prison," she said.
"He is definitely going to make the war on cannabis much, much more
harsh. We need to get people out, and this is a good year for that."

Libby Davies, New Democrat MP for Vancouver East, made a brief
appearance to express her support for the B.C. Compassion Club
Society, which helps people suffering from various illnesses gain
access to medical marijuana.

"There are hundreds of thousands of Canadians who use medical
marijuana very legitimately and the federal program has been so
thoroughly shot down," she said. "It's not accessible; it's very
bureaucratic. ... This government has failed miserably in allowing
people legitimate access to medical marijuana."

Davies was also a vocal opponent of Marc Emery's extradition.