Heat Twice Bakes Attendants of Annual 4/20 Pot Fest

Source: www.mercurynews.com 

SANTA CRUZ - The phrase "getting baked" took on a dual meaning Monday for several thousand marijuana enthusiasts who braved record-breaking heat to smoke up at the annual 4/20 party in Porter Meadow at UC Santa Cruz.

Toting colorful umbrellas and bottles of water to guard against sun and dehydration, students from campuses throughout Northern California and cannabis users from far and wide migrated to the annual unsanctioned festival. Participants light up at 4:20 p.m. on April 20, though hundreds arrive hours early for the nationally known gathering.

For the first time in recent memory, protesters waving religious signs saying "Highway to Hell" joined the hazy fray. Scantily-clad smokers engaged the demonstrators in loud debates about the morality of pot - some blowing smoke in the men's faces.

Despite the 96-degree heat, which shattered a 110-year-old record of 88 degrees for the day, there were no medical incidents reported. However, campus police rescued a dog trapped inside a locked vehicle with its windows rolled up. Police cited the driver when she returned and gave the dog water.

The only person arrest was a man who became combative with after reportedly harassing students several hours before the event, a campus spokesperson. Police also issued 200 parking citations, or about 50 more than on an typical day.

Keely, a 22-year-old Cabrillo College student, sought refuge from the rays by plopping down in a patch of shade on the meadow's edge. Most in attendance would only give their first names, citing fear of retaliation from their schools or employers who may not agree that pot should be decriminalized.

"I was out there, but it was really hot," Keely said, adding that most participants aren't seeking to make a political statement. "It's like a holiday here."

But others said government spending on marijuana enforcement, as well as the increasingly violent drug trade in Mexico, should make opponents think twice about supporting legalization efforts.

"It's cool to see everyone get together for the same cause," said Vincent, a 19-year-old CSU-Monterey Bay student.

After UCSC closed its west entrance for several hours, Vincent and 20-year-old friend Tim from UC Davis walked two miles from a parking spot on High Street. They said they were glad authorities are cool-headed about the event and don't make arrests for smoking.

"They're letting kids do their thing," Tim said. "It's safe. We're not causing any trouble."

"The measures we took today were intended to preserve mobility and safety," spokesperson Barry Shiller said. "It is troubling that, in such tough economic times, campus personnel and resources had to be diverted to deal with 4/20 fallout."

But it wasn't just kids doing their thing. George, 67, invited his neighbor Rick, a 56-year-old UCSC graduate, to check out the event for the first time.

Standing in the shade with a joint, Rick mused, "We came here for a geezer afternoon."

George said he was impressed by the mellowness of the crowd and campus administrators ringing the meadow.

"The atmosphere is changing about legalizing pot," George said. "It's the time for it to change."