Citing the relative mainstream status of cannabis, the organizers of the long-running 4/20 event in Vancouver have picked a new focus for this year, and it’s going to be, well, a pretty trippy time. Turns out, the legalization of weed in Canada really hurt the whole ‘counterculture’ vibe, and a new vision was needed. So, say hello to the inaugural year of “Soma in the Springtime”.
The plan, which is set to be released in full sometime next week, recognizes that a cannabis celebration is “no longer in the best interests of the legalization movement.” Instead, the focus has shifted to the use of psychedelics, which are now in the same ‘grey area’ that cannabis was up until national legalization back in 2018.
Denver votes to become first U.S. city to decriminalize ‘magic mushrooms’ https://t.co/yeKFNC12VH pic.twitter.com/7wSMKr83Kk
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 9, 2019
Of course, the switch up in direction comes with more than a few functional changes as well. Rather than trying to get Snoop Dogg or a similar artist to Vancouver, organizers have instead picked a jam band out of Nelson as the headliner. That band’s name? “The Appreciative Deceased”.
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Recent studies have shown the benefits of psilocybin therapy, prompting the push for legalization in Colorado.
https://t.co/Rtj8ZuO0VA— 9NEWS Denver (@9NEWS) March 10, 2022
You can kiss goodbye to the pot brownies, too. For this year, there’s a dual focus on two different types of cuisine. On the one hand, roving vendors will be passing out truffles (we heard raspberry and salted caramel are on the menu). On the other, multiple ‘tea stations’, complete with those roll-out straw mats and optional kimonos to rent, will be available to check out. As with previous years, the potency of each will vary from vendor to vendor.
“There’s a high need for this therapy…”said Jeff Toth, a registered nurse and advocate for #psilocybin treatment.
“…not having therapists who are trained in this modality, it’s limiting [patient] access.”
CC: @CFeleshia, @CBCNS, @jyduclos https://t.co/hrtnf42Ouf
— TheraPsil (@TheraPsil) March 22, 2022
As for other activities, organizers are hoping to host various workshops and speakers at the forefront of the legal psychedelics movement. What’s more, a list of ‘at-home’ experiences is being prepared for those who might be overwhelmed by the public nature of the event. These includes movie recommendations ranging from Ratatouille to Tarkovsky, as well as curated playlists and even accessories to acquire before the day.
We can’t help but wonder if the change in direction for the 4/20 event in Vancouver is the result of things getting “too big” with weed. Now, we can’t see more than a few hundred people willing to show up to the event, which is obviously more in line with the early days of the cannabis-focused version. After all, what’s the fun of 4/20 if you’re going to bump into your old high school teacher or that librarian at your local branch? Not that you might not this year, but it would be in a much, much funnier setting.
And on that note… Happy April Fools’ Day, Vancouver!
