Pompo

Toking it to the streets
20,000 pot smokers predicted in today's Queen's Park march
5/3/08|Toronto Sun| by Tamara Cherry and Antonella Artuso - Sun Media

More than 20,000 weed walkers are expected to take -- and toke -- to the legislature today for the 10th annual Global Marijuana March.

Queen's Park will be transformed at "high" noon into a what organizers are calling Yongesterdam Village.

Pot smokers will have several vaporizers and Canadian-made "Herbal Aires" on site to enjoy the "healthiest method of marijuana inhalation" alongside like-minded individuals pushing for the legalization of marijuana, organizers say.

The gathering, which is expected to end at 8 p.m., will include a parade along Queen's Park Cres. W. and Bloor, Yonge and Wellesley Sts. from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

APPROPRIATE POLICING

Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci said he hopes it will be a peaceful demonstration but he believes police will have the appropriate personnel to deal with it if that doesn't turn out to be the case.

"I have every confidence that the Toronto Police Service will be able to handle the situation," Bartolucci said.

The promised pot parade drew little to no reaction at Queen's Park, where every provincial party leader has admitted to trying marijuana in his youth.

One MPP even famously announced he'd never exhaled.

"We rarely have any problems," Toronto Police Const. Wendy Drummond said.

"As long as things and people remain in order, they do their thing and we're there in the event that something should happen," Drummond said.

"We will patrol and enforce the protest in an appropriate manner."

The only advice city councillor Kyle Rae had for the event, which he won't be able to make, was: "I think an umbrella would be useful."

Thundershowers are in the forecast.