4/20 goes up in smoke at Hwy. 420

It seems pot users were held off by the rain this 4/20, as the annual rally down the infamously samenamed highway in Niagara Falls didn’t happen this year.

No home-made picket signs, nobody sparking up in the park — not a soul was hanging around the usual spot on Victoria Avenue at Highway 420 at 4:20 p.m.

Was it because marijuana is going to be legal soon, rendering a rally pointless?

Not according to some of the patrons of the Vapor Trail Lounge, a smoke shop in Niagara Falls, which was involved in the planning of last year’s rally.

According to one patron, Ryan, who asked not to have his last name used, the rally was simply rained out — and, he says, everyone goes to Toronto now.

Asked if the rally would be going on next year if the weather permitted, he said he suspected it would be.

“There’s still hippies that rally from like the ’60s and ’70s,” said Sara, who also asked to have her last name withheld.

Tammy Marshall, who was arrested in a marijuana dispensary raid Wednesday in St. Catharines, said she doesn’t think this is the end of the marijuana rallies.

“I don’t think activists will stop, even with the new legislation, until it’s fair to the people.”

Ryan, who echoed her thoughts, said there wasn’t exactly an air of victory surrounding the new marijuana legislation and legalization.

“It’s all about money. They’re going to control it and jack up the prices. When it’s legal my whole paycheque will have to go to weed,” said Ryan, who then went into extensive detail with his thoughts about how the marijuana industry will play out.

The consensus of the room was that next year (weather permitting) you can expect the rallies to continue.

It was mentioned that the Wednesday raid in St. Catharines wasn’t a factor in them not going out. It was just too wet. As Ryan put it, “Who wants to stand outside in the rain on 420?”