Cypress Hill’s annual Smokeout Festival is coming up this weekend, with one interesting difference. There will be legal use of medicinal marijuana on site. Goldenvoice chief Paul Tollett tells Spinner.com there hasn’t ever been a massive festival that has allowed medicinal marijuana. He notes it’s something Guerilla Union president Chang Weisberg has been talking about for the last couple of years, and adds, quote, “It’s the most significant feature of a music festival in a couple of decades.” Weisberg says that being a diligent promoter with more than ten years staging incident-free events helped move things along. He also believes having a successful medical marijuana expo last year which promoted education, activism, and compassion also played in his favor.
Cypress Hill rapper B-Real is also pleased with the change. He explains, quote, “We see consumption on site at Smokeout as a huge step toward protecting and enabling patient rights. It happens far too often where patients are messed with and arrested for possession of less than an ounce of medicine. Here at Smokeout, our fans can exercise their rights without fear or intimidation.” The rapper adds that by having set a viable precedent that takes place without incident, other music festivals and communities may be able to do the same. Along with Cypress Hill, this year’s Smokeout Festival features Incubus, MGMT, Paul Oakenfold, Deadmau5, Eyrkah Badu, and others. The event is set for Saturday at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, California.
