The 47th annual Ann Arbor Hash Bash will take place at the University of Michigan’s Diag Saturday, April 7 from noon to 4:19 p.m. The event will include speeches and performances from politician’s, entertainers, professional athletes, news anchors, and leading marijuana activists such as Laith Al-Saadi, Gretchen Whitmer, Dana Nessel, Jeff Irwin, Mike James, Darren McCarty, Anqunette Jamison Sarfoh, Rick Thomspon, and more.
“The qualifications and reputations of this year’s speakers are unparalleled by years past and add legitimacy and diversity to the counter-cultural event,” said committee co-chair Nick Zettell. Yet, these educational and entertaining speeches aren’t the only reason people participate in Hash Bash.
Attendees come from not only Michigan but also Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin to promote and consume marijuana. Ryan Stanton of MLive said the University of Michigan allows the rally as a matter of free speech but campus police will not look the other way if they see people smoking marijuana. In fact, they said those caught with drugs on campus will be arrested.
Organizers said this may be the last Hash Bash before marijuana is legalized recreationally. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol has collected over 350,000 signatures supporting recreational marijuana and a proposal is likely to be put on the November 2018 ballot. “This could very well be the last year we focus on state prohibition and next year we could refocus toward the ills of federal policy,” said Hash Bash lead organizer Mark Passerini.
Recent polls by the Glengariff Group said there’s currently about 57% of Michigan voters in support of legalizing recreational marijuana. If the legalization proposal is added to the ballot, Michiganders will have the opportunity to vote on the issue and if the numbers hold up, marijuana will be legalized recreationally in Michigan.
Stanton said several marijuana policy organizations will be participating in this year’s Hash Bash including, Students for Sensible Drug Policy at UM, Green Wolverine at UM’s Ross School of Business, MILegalize, Michigan NORML, Student Advocates for the Medical and Responsible use of Cannabis and the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol.
Following the event, a Hash Bash party will take place at the Blind Pig featuring musical performances from Laith Al-Saadi and the Macpodz. For more information visit hashbash.com.