15 May 4/20 Hyde Park 2018
It was probably the hottest day of the year in the UK so far, and for those looking to top up their tan with a bit of sun, there was no better way to do that than with a bit of weed. Groups of friends had already started to pick their spots early on, dotted around the huge space that makes up Hyde Park. But it was a space that was to be transformed within the hour into a massive crowd that London is seeing increase year upon year. The turn out at 4/20 was bigger than ever in the UK this year. On April 20th people flooded into hyde park at the tens of thousands to attend the flash gathering for cannabis users. A record number of people showed up to celebrate marijuana use and protest its continued illegality in the UK. This annual event has been taking place in London since 1967.
And the event in London was only one of many, with other events happening across the UK and beyond in Leeds, Manchester, Dublin and worldwide.
It has been said that 420 was formerly the code that Californian police used to categorise marijuana cases. However, this theory has been proven wrong as the numbers are linked to trespassing offences. Many believe that 420 culture first stemmed from the San Rafael High School in California. In 1971, Five students allegedly hatched a plan to meet at 4:20pm, where they went on a mission to find a plot of cannabis plants that were growing nearby. Even though their mission was unsuccessful, rumour has it that 420 continued to be used as a secret code for marijuana. Today, it remains a term used to describe the consumption of weed, especially at around 4:20pm in the afternoon.
There were no policing mishaps like last year but there was still a strong police presence, with officers mostly just standing at the fringes and spectating, the numbers of people breaking the law in the park being too big for them to do anything about.
Certainly, the intensity of the policing strategy was somewhat calmer this year as previous years have started off with quite a strict reaction from the police, several arrests were made in the past which only served to create more tension between the police force and cannabis users who have come to attend a peaceful protest.
As countries around the world start to legalise or decriminalise marijuana use, it remains a class B drug in the UK, its classification having only gone up in recent years. Under current law, the Home Office states that: “It remains illegal for UK residents to possess cannabis in any form.” The maximum punishment for cannabis possession is five years in prison and a hefty fine, while cases of dealing or trafficking drugs can lead to convictions of up to 14 years in prison. Growing, possessing or distributing the Class B drug is against the law, but some councils in the UK don’t pursue those who use cannabis for “personal use”.
As the legalization of medical marijuana becomes more common worldwide too, medical cannabis is being prescribed by doctors and carers to help treat cancer-related side effects either from the cancer itself or from treatments like chemotherapy. Countless scientific studies have shown that medical cannabis offers care benefits, including a better appetite , pain relief and more.
Over 230,000 people signed a petition for cannabis to be legalised in 2015, but a debate in parliament was dismissed out of hand by the government. In the run up to the 2017 General Election, the Liberal Democrats announced plans to legalise the drug for sale on the high street. The policy made them one of the first political parties to fight an election on the ticket of relaxing drug laws. Right wing think £750million to £1bn could be generated in taxes if the drug was regulated like tobacco or alcohol. Celebrities have also added their names for legalisation with Russell Brand, Sir Richard Branson and Professor green all arguing for regulation to be relaxed.
