Cannabis Day, July 1st, the First in Canadian History As We March Towards Full Legalization in 2018.

Cannabis Day, on the first of July?

I'm the first to admit that this may seem confusing to most, who (and rightly so, I might add) hold April 20th out to be the holy grail and main sacred day dedicated to celebrating all things cannabis.

Alas, things are changing and rapidly so in Canada.

Today, July 1st, is Canada's 150th birthday. It marks a day in history, on July 1st, 1867 that 3 independent colonies joined and became one country. Canada remained under British rule in one iteration or another of international law, until it gained complete independence in 1982.

Canadians are survivors of adversity. I think this is because we have learned to adapt to living in a harsh climate and if you can survive what Mother Nature throws at you from one year to the next, you instantly have a bond with your neighbours or other fellow citizens. This strong drive to overcome adversity also fuels very strong patriotic emotions within the country about its survival and the survival of its people. Most of which, are direct descendants of immigrants or immigrants themselves who start here with next to nothing. A small portion of peoples are actually indigenous to the continent and for them, this day can be a reminder of what was taken from them and the rules that they have been forced to follow. I try to be sensitive to this.

At the very least, this pending celebration has been a big deal for the better part of a year. It's perceived as a special birthday because it's been 150 years since the first documents were signed.

Folks have been displaying multiple Canadian flags around their homes for months. Many have planted their flower gardens in red and white tulips, which bloomed in the Spring and now those same beds are planted in red and white annuals. Red and white are the official colours in our country's flag, and they patriotically support the entire country's desire to celebrate making it to another anniversary. Tonight, there are firework shows planned to entertain the citizens of Canada in every urban centre and larger town.

Ironically, July 1st is also the date that our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau announced that cannabis would be legal, across the country. That is, recreationally-speaking, in 2018 under the watch-full eye of safe government regulation and let's not forget taxation.

People currently operating cannabis businesses and people who are writing and talking about the cannabis culture in Canada, have been affectionately starting to refer to July 1st, as Cannabis Day. They've started weaving this correlation into everyday polite conversation, and they have been doing so for months. 

This has ruffled a few anti-cannabis, conservative feathers who belong to the folks who strongly believe that the only holiday that should be recognized on this date is Canada's birthday, known as Canada Day...not the day that cannabis is scheduled to became legal.

Yeah, it's funny. It makes me want to repeat over and over again in a taunting chant-like fashion: Happy Cannabis Day! Happy Cannabis Day! Happy Cannabis Day! Really, I do try not to be so juvenile but sometimes I just can't help it.

Personally, I don't see what the big deal is, we will all still wear red and white clothes and light off a tonne of fireworks. Some of us will just have 7 foot tall bushes growing in our gardens right next to our red and white annuals...that just happen to smell like skunk.

Crisis averted. I think that all the politicians and corporate lobbyists who have kept this medicinal herb from the people and animals of this planet just need to take a good long toke. With any luck, that will loosen some anal rings and let us get on with what's really important like, I don't know...saving lives maybe?

So it is here that I find myself, Steemians, in a pickle of sorts. How and where do I, recognize and celebrate Canada Day?

(photo credit: @knarly327)

Naturally, I accepted an invitation from my friend Tim Barnhart to come and help him celebrate his grand-opening of a new 7,500 square foot medical cannabis facility and dispensary. Tim's new facility is located at 346 York Road, Tyendinaga, Mohawk Territory, Ontario Canada. As the Canadian government has no interest in trying to strip the Six Nations people of their indigenous rights to grow, use and sell plant medicine, they are working with Tim in a cooperative manner. So far, this is a much different manner than the government has chosen to employ with other dispensary owners who are not indigenous. Tim and his businesses are currently not being persecuted because they are protected by being located on recognized Mohawk territory.

This is Tim's secure facility (Legacy 420) from the road. I took this photo form a distance to show perspective so that you'd be able to get a sense for how large Tim's new facility is.

Here's a video that was uploaded to YouTube on Jan. 1, 2017 by Tom Keefer on his channel:

(It takes you on a tour of the facility as it was being built.)

This photo is of Tim and I. I have just wished him every success with his business expansion on Cannabis Day.

Next year, when we celebrate Cannabis Day in Canada on July 1st, Tim and his ever-growing team (literally and figuratively) will be ready to take on whatever "full" legalization is going to mean. Today it's meant hundreds of visits from good friends and well-wishers, just like @knarly327 and I.

We shopped in Legacy420's dispensary which was spacious and well equipped with gorgeous glassware, accessories of every description, edibles and various forms of plant medicine from flower to hash to oil concentrates and tinctures.

There was live music and free food.

I bought a t-shirt and a gram of King Kush in oil concentration form. It was $70 Canadian dollars for a gram of concentrate and I thought this price was competitive for the quality.

This is Cory LLoyd and I. (Notice my change from my red shirt for Canada Day to an orange shirt emblazoned with Legacy 420 for Cannabis Day. Photo credit: @knarly327.)

Cory smoked a 40 lb turkey for 8 hours in a custom made smoker that he fabricated. He then injected the bird as it was smoking with an infusion that contained many herbs, including cannabis. It was the first medicated poultry that I have every eaten and I have to say it was delicious! Cory is working on developing a line of "rubs" and marinades that will incorporate the cannabis herbs directly in them. He is also custom building smokers and is selling them, starting at approximately $1000 Canadian dollars. He told me that he is currently taking orders.

This is what a long, slow smoking session gets you...perfectly baked. LOL! What? I couldn't help it!!!

    

                                   

Corey is explaining some of the finer details of his culinary smoking process to me. Slow and patient are the operative words used to describe this cooking style.

Did I mention that this was delicious?

And....so is this:

It's King Kush, an indica dominant hybrid, in oil concentrate form, along with my Puff Co. pen which is designed to heat oil concentrates. I find this vapourizer to be less harsh than using a bong or smoking a fattie.

(I'll be writing a review on this concentrate separately so stay tuned and follow along.)

I welcome your comments and I invite you to follow me on my journey.

I am currently listening to a myriad of fireworks going off all around me and I am happy to be able to celebrate both Canada Day and Cannabis Day. Happiness to all!

~ Rebecca Ryan