This is not how we pictured celebrating Muse’s first 4/20. We imagined that there would be more cannabis shaped fireworks and dance troupes (admittedly, we may have gotten carried away there...) and less plexiglass barriers and medical gloves. Social isolation was not in the itinerary.
To even bring up 4/20, a fun, dumb, stoner’s holiday, in the middle of a country-wide lockdown, is awkward. There are much more serious things to be worried about. And yet, the holiday gives the cannabis industry a megaphone for a day. We’d like to use it for some good.
The popular take, that a 4/20 spent stuck indoors with nothing to do but stream movies and smoke weed should be a stoner’s dream, is one which we think misses the mark. Fun, dumb, stoner’s holiday that it is, 4/20 is nevertheless about cannabis being brought out into the public. People are able to smoke weed on days other than April 20th, and they don’t need a holiday to get THC in their systems. 4/20 was instead a way to build public awareness of cannabis, to show that it was a substance which should not be kept on the margins of society, that there was little danger to bringing THC and CBD into a community.
Thanks in part to decades of 4/20 celebrations, cannabis is now a federally legal part of society. We can be part of a community and share a street with flower shops and restaurants and yoga studios. As well, with cannabis being listed as an essential service in BC during COVID-19, we are lucky enough to be able to keep our doors open, to keep our awesome staff employed, and to keep serving our community.
However, some of our neighbours have not been so lucky, and the closure of their businesses has meant a period of stress and uncertainty for them. So, instead of using 4/20 this year to talk about cannabis, we’d like to instead focus attention on other businesses in our community who could probably use the additional attention more than us.
There is no expectation to give, but we have made a list of some of our community members whose business have been impacted by COVID-19 and could probably benefit from some additional (virtual) traffic:
YYoga:
Wild Bunch:
Barneys:
Bin 4:
https://www.bin4burgerlounge.com
Vij Rangoli:
Farmer’s Apprentice:
https://www.exploretock.com/farmersapprenticeca/
Stablehouse:
And though they are not in our neighbourhood, food banks, hospitals, healthcare charities, and Muse’s partner charity, Music Heals, could all use some help right now. Here is their information for anyone willing and able to donate.
Food Banks:
https://www.foodbankscanada.ca/COVID-19.aspx
Hospitals/Healthcare Providers:
https://www.canadahelps.org/en/donate-to-covid-19-hospital-and-healthcare-charities
Music Heals
We have a small suggestion. Instead of making 4/20/20 about cannabis alone, let’s focus on our community this year. Order in a local burger or curry, get some flowers delivered that bring a little bit of BC’s spring indoors, or get moving for a bit with a streamed yoga class. Let’s help out the neighbours of ours who might need a little extra help. And, after doing your good deed for the day, bake up a batch of brownies or break out that bomb a$$ indica to celebrate. It’s still 4/20, after all.
And, a year from now, once we get through this, we are going to go all out for Muse’s second 4/20 as a store. Fireworks and dancing will abound, good times will be had. Start preparing yourselves for 4/20/21. It’s gonna be lit.
The Muse Team