Hundreds Gather To Fire Up Marijuana

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BOULDER, Colo. (AP) As police watched, hundreds of people gathered at the University of Colorado this week to smoke marijuana as part of an annual counterculture event organized by the Grateful Dead.

 

A cloud of smoke wafted over Farrand Field just after 4:20 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20. The band organized the first 4/20 celebration in 1979 in San Jose, Calif., where "420" was the local police code for marijuana smoking.

 

Freshman Adam Stroul said Boulder's 4/20 is "famous."

 

"I probably heard about it four years ago," he said. "My buddy's older brother went here and told us about it."

 

The Princeton Review, which named Colorado the nation's No. 1 party school in 2003, also ranked the institution No. 4 for marijuana use and noted that many students are slackers when it comes to studying.

 

Campus police said no arrests were made and no citations were issued.

 

"Typically, people just show up, smoke a marijuana cigarette and leave," Lt. Tim McGraw said.

 

McGraw said possession of less than 1 ounce of marijuana is punishable by a $100 fine. He said it was impractical to enforce marijuana laws in connection with such a large gathering.

 

"We don't want to create a larger issue than we're presented with," McGraw said.

 

The event is difficult to stop because "it's become almost a tradition," said Ron Stump, vice chancellor for student affairs.

 

"It doesn't help our image obviously, and it's something we're concerned about," he said. "But it's something I think is going to be there for a while."

 

Source: CBS, Denver