POTHEADS READY TO ROLL ON DAY THEY CALL 4:20

Day marks occasion of celebration and protest among marijuana users in North
America

It may seem like just another Tuesday, but today -- called 4:20 by those in
the know -- is a high holy day for North America's dedicated pot smokers.

To some, April 20 is a good day to light up a joint and celebrate marijuana
with friends. To others, its a time to protest against the fact that,
despite moves toward decriminalization, the drug is still illegal in both
Canada and the United States.

"It's Pothead New Year's. That's what I like to call it, anyway," said Abi
Roach of Roach-O-Rama, a store in Toronto's Kensington Market area that
caters to marijuana users.

It's also a time for political activism. The spirit of the annual
commemoration is "everybody unite and show your true colours, come out of
your grow closets and let everybody know that you smoke and not to be
embarrassed of it," said Ms. Roach, a pseudonym she has adopted to protect
herself and her family from harassment.

She expects an "all-day celebration" at her store.

Rallies and parties will take place across Canada today, particularly in the
bigger cities where the marijuana culture maintains a more visible presence.
Young people will skip class to smoke up with their friends. Movie cinemas
will hold special 4:20 showings. And a marijuana boat cruise will set sail
in Vancouver.

But the most dramatic event may be the "smoke-out" on Highway 420 in Niagara
Falls, Ont., that is being planned by a group called Cannabis in Canada.
Supporters of legalization will gather beside the highway where it meets the
Rainbow Bridge leading into the United States and light their joints.

Marco Renda, an advocate for medicinal marijuana, is on the list of
speakers.

"We're going to be out there doing a peaceful protest, basically making the
public aware of marijuana being for medical and other uses," Mr. Renda said.

The federal government is considering a bill that would decriminalize the
possession of 15 grams or less -- about 15 to 20 joints - making the offence
punishable by a fine of $150 for an adult or $100 for a youth.

But, unlike last summer when the laws were in limbo and the drug was smoked
freely on the streets, police are aggressively laying marijuana charges. So,
those who take part in public 4:20 events will be risking a brush with the
law.

Robin Ellins of the Friendly Stranger Cannabis Culture Shop in Toronto said
4:20 celebrations have existed for about six years in Canada and the United
States.

"This has been flying under the radar of parents for a long time," he said.
"I find that kind of interesting because it's huge within the culture,
everybody knows about it."

The origins of the 4:20 tradition are part mystery and part urban myth. Some
say it is the number of a police call used in California during the 1960s.

But "the most believable [explanation] that I've heard is that three guys
that went to university in California would meet up at 4:20 for a joint
between classes and that started a trend," Ms. Roach said.

Regular users say 4:20 p.m. -- or a.m. -- is traditionally the perfect time
of day for lighting up. Doing it on April 20 compounds the experience.

"All of the different cannabis-related businesses usually do something on
this day," Mr. Ellins said. "It's definitely a North American phenomenon.
It's gone so far that there's rolling papers [with 4:20 on them] and it's
embroidered on T-shirts."

Scott Hearty, the manager of Blunt Brothers, a marijuana cafe in Vancouver,
said he expects an extraordinary number of customers today.

April 20 is special to marijuana users, Mr. Hearty said. "Everyone has their
own strains to sample and they get together and generally have a smoke-out."
As to whether it's a social or a political event, he said it's both.

Some people "look forward to spending the day smoking spliffs and enjoying
life. Truly, it should be more political," Mr. Hearty said.

But "there's different ways to acknowledge the day. It doesn't matter if you
are sitting at home, as long as you're thinking, frame-of-mind-wise, about
what's going on and how you can help."