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."