Despite recreational marijuana being legal in Canada since October, there will be a 4-20 observance on Saturday at the Mattagami boat launch in Timmins.
Host and organizer Kim Cooper says there’s still a lot of discrimination against medical marijuana users, based on a misunderstanding surrounding an exemption from stricter rules governing recreational use.
And she says especially in Northern Ontario, some towns are outlawing use where smoking cigarettes are legal.
“Under provincial law, that is where we’re supposed to consume cannabis is anywhere that you can smoke a cigarette, you can consume cannabis,” says Cooper. “So effectively, we’ve got communities bylawing away our civil rights.”
Saturday’s event starts at 1:00pm. There will be raffles, artists selling their wares and information sessions on the use of cannabis.
“The word is out that we’re here,” notes Cooper. “ The event was a success last year. So we’re expecting a huge crowd this year.”