This is what sane marijuana enforcement looks like — in one tweet

This is what sane marijuana enforcement looks like — in one tweet

I'm going to tread a fine line by posting this article, but I have a reason. So before I continue, REMEMBER: personal usage discussion is against the T&C.

So today is April 20th. For anyone in the know (read: just about everyone these days) it is national high day. This holiday is obviously still illegal in most of the country, so you won't hear the MSM talk about it too much or promote it. But in Colorado it is legal and legit. So I made this thread to recognize the tweet from the Denver Police Force on this subject:

We see you rollin, but we ain't hatin’ HAHA… Seriously though, #Denver, please remember to #ConsumeResponsibly this 4/20 weekend.

And I wanted to give much props to them for it. THIS is how you go about treating marijuana users, police from areas NOT in Denver. Take note.

As you may have heard, it is 4/20 -- the unofficial holiday celebrated by marijuana enthusiasts worldwide. The City of Denver marked the occasion as it always does, with a massive, 125,000 person rally in a local park.

And Denver's cops observed the day on social media with a tweet riffing on the lyrics to Chamillionaire's "Dirty," a song about how police go out of their way to pull over and detain young black men, preferably ones with drugs in their pockets.

But rather than discuss the evils of drug use or disparage marijuana users, Denver's police simply remind people to consume their weed responsibly. In doing so, they provide a template for what marijuana law enforcement might look like in an era of widespread legalization.

Keep in mind that Denver is STILL issuing citations for public use:

That doesn't mean lax enforcement -- indeed, Denver PD also tweeted out that it had issued about 100 citations for public marijuana consumption on Sunday.

ALERT: #DPD has issued approximately 100 citations at today's 4/20 event. #Denver #ConsumeResponsibly

Let's contrast that with what is going on in Kansas:

That represents a sharp contrast from a few hours east in Kansas, where an 11-year-old was recently taken away from his mother after speaking up during an anti-drug presentation at his school. The mom, Shona Banda, now faces a $2,500 fine, up to a year in jail, and permanent loss of custody over an activity that's perfectly legal just across the border in Colorado.

In one final irony, as Colorado smokers enjoy their legal marijuana today, Banda is scheduled to attend a court hearing that may determine whether or not she gets to retain custody of her son.

All I can say to that is "Double U Tee Eff!"

Wow, first of all I didn't know there was a national high day. Wonder if hallmark makes a card for this?
I'm all for nationwide legalization and I'm certain it's in our immediate future.
Unfortunatly right now it's not and Kansas mom knew that. Sucks that her kid ratted her out. Hope her lawyer is competent. She shouldn't loose her kid.

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

Ya 4/20 is the holy day for those that partake in the cannabis.


Some kids wanted to find an abandoned crop and decided to meet at 4:20 PM, and it took off from there.

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: AutumnWitch657

Ya 4/20 is the holy day for those that partake in the cannabis.


Some kids wanted to find an abandoned crop and decided to meet at 4:20 PM, and it took off from there.

The meetings were intended to plan how to find the crop; eventually they just started smoking at that time instead after being unable to locate it.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

4/20 has been around since my highschool days of the mid/late 90s. I didn't realize you couldn't use marijuana publically in Denver. Heck, in Portland, OR I saw people smoking it in public there, in broad day light, where it's not even decriminalized. I also saw a topless female protester of "penis foreskins".

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Ya, and apparently the whole time they tried looking for it too.
No wonder they never found it
www.huffingtonpost.com...

Not a bad little read here about the back story.

For reference...

Oh wait...damn, wrong video. Looks like he's definitely trying to smuggle "something" across the border.

As for the Denver police, pretty slick move. I wonder how serious people take them or even how serious they take their jobs? But hey, there once existed this outlandish concept...respect begets respect. Yeah, that's my guess.

a reply to: Sremmos80

Cool article. I read a similar one a few weeks back. That's why I knew the story, but I'm enjoying reading this one.

HA! Classic!

Today the code often creeps into popular culture and mainstream settings. Some of the clocks in "Pulp Fiction," for instance, are set to 4:20. A "Price Is Right" contestant won YouTube celebrity by bidding either $420 or $1,420 for everything. In 2003, when the California Legislature codified the medical marijuana law that voters had approved, the bill was named SB 420.

It's also Hitler's birthday.
He would be 126 today, If my math is correct.

originally posted by: skunkape23
It's also Hitler's birthday.

He would be 126 today, If my math is correct.

Too bad he did Nazi his 60th birthday

Hmmm, by 1973 the term had hit in Kentucky. At the time it was said that 4:20 was when the last daytime class dismissed at Berkley, meaning that it was time to have a bit of fun. Since then I've heard all sorts of things in relation to the term but at the time it just meant the end of classes for the day and time to relax.

Here in Washington, where it is also legal, cops were actually handing out bags of Doritos at Hempfest and 420 to all the festival attendees reminding people to be responsible and what the laws are (No under 21s are allowed to use, no smoking and driving, ect).

I'm surprised people forget that we legalized Marijuana the same time Colorado did. Today, Seattle smells like Woodstock.

420 is also the San Francisco police code for a "juvenile disturbance".

a reply to: Krazysh0t

And last I heard, the event in Glasgow (George Square), but there was 2 arrests, people enjoying their smoke & peacefully going about their day.

An observation for the police of any country, a group of high people is easier to manage than a group of drunk people.

glasgow.stv.tv...

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
420 is also the San Francisco police code for a "juvenile disturbance".

Weed could save a lot of veterans lives, but instead no one cares.

a reply to: Sremmos80

I looked it up and the origins aren't very clear but several sources put it at a California high school in 1971. Yeah those were the days.

a reply to: bobbypurify

Clever clever

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
420 is also the San Francisco police code for a "juvenile disturbance".

No it isn't. The article posted earlier in the thread talking about the origin of the term debunked that myth.