If you go
What: 4/20 Teach-In
When: 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Kittredge Central Multipurpose room, University of Colorado
Schedule of events:
5 p.m. speaker: Chancellor Phil DiStefano
Topic: History of 4/20 at CU, perspectives on campus closure to non-affiliates, impact of cannabis legalization on university policy
5:30 p.m. speaker: Brigitte Mars, herbalist, author, lecturer
Topic: Marijuana properties and history of medicinal applications, recreational uses and potentials for addiction
6 p.m. speaker: Carol Conzelman, anthropologist
Topic: Legal history of cannabis prohibition and its consequences in the U.S., and recent legalization in Colorado
6:30 p.m. speakers: Brooke and Russel Wise, The Growing Kitchen
Topic: Reform initiatives in other countries (Portugal, Uruguay, etc.), and impacts of marijuana’s medical vs. recreational status on communities and local businesses in Boulder
Every year, Carol Conzelman has watched April 20 and its pot smokeout come and go without any public education about cannabis and drug policy.
This year, Conzelman, a University of Colorado anthropology instructor and associate director of the Global Studies Academic Program, decided to organize a “teach-in” around the hash holiday.
For the third year, the university administration is closing the campus in an attempt to extinguish the annual tokefest, but Conzelman said it’s a good time to educate the campus and the public about cannabis. The teach-in will be Thursday.
“What I’ve seen year after year when 4/20 comes around is that there’s a big sort of rebellious demonstration or celebration of the counter-culture, but no public education,” she said. “And it just seems like a colossal waste of an opportunity to actually educate the public on what’s a serious issue, not just, ‘Oh yeah, man, let’s go smoke a joint and get high on campus, ha ha ha.'”
CU Chancellor Phil DiStefano, who has been a vocal opponent of the large weed-centered gathering that at its peak drew 10,000 people to Norlin Quad, will deliver the opening talk of the teach-in. He’ll cover the history of 4/20 on the Boulder campus, the impact of recreational marijuana’s legalization and his reasons for closing the campus to the public April 20.
Through a campus spokesman, DiStefano’s administration has been supportive of academic events around cannabis, including a CU Student Government pot symposium earlier this month.
“Basically, what I said was, ‘I would like you to come and explain in person the administration’s perspective,'” Conzelman said. “I’m trying to present multiple perspectives, and I want to honor multiple views. Teaching is not about advocating for or against cannabis or any substance. It’s also not advocating for or against participating in any event on 4/20. What it’s meant to do is educate students so that on 4/20, they’re armed with information and can educate their peers.”
In her class this semester, “Culture and Power: The War on Drugs,” Conzelman’s students are exploring drug use, abuse and addiction, drug policies and reform, the cultural history of drugs and their components, the criminal justice system and other topics.
Her students, who helped organize the teach-in, will introduce each topic and speaker.
Conzelman, who’s been at the university for the past 17 years, said students are always surprised when they learn about drug policy and drug history.
“This generation has been raised with D.A.R.E and M.A.D.D. and all these programs that just tell them, ‘Drugs are bad; Don’t do them; Just say no,’ to be afraid and not to be empowered at all … to make choices for themselves as responsible adults,” she said.
Other speakers at the teach-in include Boulder herbalist and author Brigitte Mars, who will discuss the history of medicinal uses for cannabis and the potential for addiction.
Brooke and Russel Wise of Lafayette-based edibles company The Growing Kitchen will discuss drug reform movements in other countries, as well as the affect of marijuana’s status, medical or recreational, on the community.
Contact Camera Staff Writer Sarah Kuta at 303-473-1106 or kutas@dailycamera.com.
