On Saturday night, about 100 people showed up to Mint Tea for “New Moon Mystic Eve,” a 21-and-older spiritual celebration of the new moon and the zodiac sign Leo. It was the first public “cannabis friendly” event in Vancouver since the city’s first pot shop, Main Street Marijuana, opened about two blocks away earlier this month. Guests paid a $10 cover charge and came dressed in colorful costumes, and dancers put on a show accompanied by two men on drums and another with a wooden flute. Marijuana smoke drifted through the air from pipes and blunts, and Eckert said the night went smoothly with no confrontations with police. Eckert knew she was testing the limits by billing the event as “cannabis friendly” on fliers, but that was the point. She hopes her example will help spur a loosening of the laws on where marijuana can be consumed. “I think the more we can talk about it, it’s only a good thing,” she said. – The Columbian – Sunshine Weinnmann pictured right
