Brad McIntosh made the trip from Minnesota to Kelowna this week to celebrate pot history in Canada.
And he had the added bonus of meeting his comedic hero Tommy Chong, who visited Kelowna on Friday to attend a meet and greet public reception hosted by Quick Grow and Diablo Nutrients.
sa国际传媒淚 am 64 years old and I never thought I would see the day when this would happen,sa国际传媒� said McIntosh, referring to Canada being the second country to legalize marijuana, following in the footsteps of Uruguay.
sa国际传媒淧eople I know back home in St. Cloud who smoke marijuana think it is really cool to see what Canada has done.
sa国际传媒淪ome of the old negative stigmas about pot still exist here I noticed since I arrived in Canada on Monday, but pot will put a smile on anyonesa国际传媒檚 face no matter who you are.sa国际传媒�
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As for Chong, he also had a big smile on his face, wanting to join in the celebration of cannabis legalization in Canada.
sa国际传媒淚t makes me feel good about my country, proud to be a Canadian,sa国际传媒� Chong said. sa国际传媒淲e are the first among the western countries to come to our senses.sa国际传媒�
Chong, who rose to fame in the 1970s and sa国际传媒�80s with his comedy partner Cheech Marin writing hit albums and movies about the marijuana culture, jokingly said he is responsible for cannabis being legalized here.
| Fans of Tommy Chong toke up prior to the start of his public appearance in Kelowna on Friday. Photo: Barry Gerding/Black Press |
He is fond of Kelowna as well, having first visited the Okanagan back in the 1950s. sa国际传媒淚t looks different today than when I first came here, but then again everything looks different now that weed is legalized.sa国际传媒�
Chong said the medicinal values of cannabis can now be better researched with legalization, something he understands the value of from his own personal bouts with cancer and how he feels that aided his recovery.
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sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 not saying that marijuana cured my cancer, but it did affect my state of mind. Your mind controls your body. When you mind is full of stress, that affects your body. When marijuana relieves that stress, it allows the body to do its work and it helps you heel.sa国际传媒�
Chong maintains there is no downside to cannabis use, citing the smiles he sees on the faces of people he meets in marijuana dispensaries to drug addicts who often find marijuana an alleviating agent for heroin and opiate addictions.
He does not feel pot use is a gateway to harder drugs, saying you cansa国际传媒檛 die from an overdosesa国际传媒攕a国际传媒渂elieve me I have tried enough timessa国际传媒漵a国际传媒攁nd just puts people in a better mindset in life.
sa国际传媒淲hen I was in jail, I had to take a drug education course and I loved it. I learned all about drugs. I learned that alcohol addiction kills more people than anything else and itsa国际传媒檚 legal. Now that dope is legal, maybe it will replace the need for many people to drink alcohol and the world can become a more peaceful place.sa国际传媒�
Chong added his Kelowna appearance is a reflection if a renewed interest in him since cannabis became legal in Canada, being asked to appear on television shows to articulate his views on marijuana.
sa国际传媒淚 am in big-time demand again all over, and it is fun. There is nothing comedians live more than an audience. We would do our act in front of a dog if no one else was around. But I love meeting people and to be among those here in Canada to see the intelligence behind this beautiful plant,sa国际传媒� he said.
barry.gerding@blackpress.ca
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