Legalise Cannabis Victoria has announced it will reduce the scale of its 4/20 events this year, shifting to smaller, community-based gatherings after criticising what it called a "wasteful and heavy-handed" police response at prior celebrations.
At the 2024 gathering, approximately 60 officers attended a crowd of around 300 people, resulting in close to 40 arrests for possession offences — a deployment that Legalise Cannabis MPs deemed excessive.
With April 20 approaching — an informal global day tied to cannabis use and culture observed each year — the party said it could no longer "in good conscience" expose its supporters to that level of police attention.
"We tried to do the right thing, by registering our 420 events with the authorities and they responded by sending a laughable amount of officers, sniffer dogs and vans," party manager Mira Fraser said in an email.
In place of a large central event, the party will hold a number of smaller gatherings, among them a "420 High Tea" in Melbourne's west, designed to bring back the "community and celebration" that the day is meant to reflect.
People attending have been advised to carry any prescribed medicinal cannabis in its original packaging alongside relevant documentation to reduce the risk of complications with police.
Those attending without a prescription were told to "exercise caution."
"Please be aware that we cannot provide legal support," Fraser said. "Our team will have information on hand about your rights, but we advise you to exercise caution."
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