The annual 420 Rally & Community Picnic at Flagstaff Gardens in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ended in disaster on April 20, when law enforcement sabotaged the event and hauled peaceful patients off while ignoring the medical cannabis law.

The Australian parliament amended the Narcotics Drug Act in 2016 to allow medical cannabis. In Victoria, doctors and nurse practitioners can prescribe medical cannabis, but certain products need approval from the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

The 420 events there today are a mix of celebration and a call to action. Jason, aka “Ancient Jay” organizes the 420 Rally & Community Picnic each year. Ancient Jay says this didn’t deter police from arresting people smoking peacefully at the rally.

“A pre-planned assault on some of Victoria’s most vulnerable members of the community, the police intimidated and illegally searched just about everyone passing through the park including a cancer patient recovering from recent brain surgery,” Ancient Jay told High Times.

“I was approached by one elderly gentleman who had been strip searched in plain view of everyone despite not having any cannabis or illicit substances, the humiliation he felt was visible in the tear rolling from the corner of his eye.”

Ancient Jay is a drug reform advocate, host of Ancient Jay’s Argo Nights, and has used cannabis for medical purposes for over 30 years.

British tabloid Daily Mail profiled one particular incident in which several officers dragged a man and ignored his pleas that he held a prescription for medical cannabis. The man was handcuffed and dragged away. He also said he obtained his cannabis legally from a pharmacy. The man told reporters that he assumed he’d have a good time for what was his first time at the event with legal medical cannabis.

A Victoria Police spokesman said police were on-site at Flagstaff Gardens on Wednesday for the protest, and that the man was released later—but after first being arrested, handcuffed, and hauled away. It’s not the kind of freedom advocates envisioned with legalized medical cannabis in the state.

A blogger from Platform 2 Melbourne was at the rally, and decided to record and post it on YouTube, considering the nature of the event, despite a DJ playing music in the background.

Police aggression can be plainly seen on the video, and commenters called the police “uniformed thugs,” “cowards,” and other names.

Part of the problem is accessibility for medical patients. “Despite the legality and availability of prescription cannabis the present laws create a situation that allows patients rights to be ignored,” Ancient Jay said.

The actions of police signal that they are not observing the state’s recently implemented medical cannabis law.

“The aggressive approach by police towards the 420 Rally indicates a total lack of understanding or empathy towards these vulnerable members of the community and an intimidation focused approach towards law reform campaigners.”

Psychedelic artist TROG is based in Victoria, and has many connections with the cannabis community there. He was also impacted by the course of events at the rally.

“It’s 2022, every human knows cannabis isn’t harmful, incidents like this shouldn’t happen, it’s incorrect,” TROG told High Times.

Around half of Australians say that cannabis should be legalized. According to a survey in 2019, 41.1% of Australians believe cannabis should be legalized in the country—a significant jump in approval ratings compared to 2013 when they were asked the same question. In an online survey, conducted by polling company Essential Research between March 30 and April 2 of 2022, 50% of respondents said that they were in favor of full cannabis reform.

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Former Detroit Red Wing and NHL star Darren McCarty is getting involved with NFTs, which are sweeping the cannabis community. Perhaps out of curiosity, the former enforcer recently bought an NFT from Australian artist TROG, “your favorite cannabis culture artist,” who is launching NFTrogs with McCarty as an early buyer.

The initial NFT release was launched publicly January 10 on the Ethereum ERC-20 platform, with intentions to expand to other chains such as Binance Chain and others in the near future. Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) blockchain and its token Ether—the second most valuable cryptocurrency—trails behind only Bitcoin in value.

The team is currently minting and offering NFTrogs on OpenSea. So, for novices who don’t have an OpenSea account, it would be a good time to go sign up, and they also need to choose a wallet.

TROG‘s characters are reminiscent of his extensive work drawing posters for cannabis events. You may recognize his trippy characters from his Killer Weed Coloring Book or Deadlines, a collectible book featuring his endless portfolio of cannabis event posters. He is proud to announce one of four NFT drops that make up the first 100 characters. The first round went public and on sale on January 10. The characters are individual NFTs of TROG, but he is building digital contracts so each NFT has its own added bonus.

Meanwhile, McCarty has been busy in the cannabis industry—launching cannabis flower and hemp products under The Darren McCarty Brand in collaboration with Pincanna about two years ago, and he also recently unveiled its collection of THC, CBD + CBN gummies.

McCarty bought NFT TROG #25, one of the earliest characters available on an NFT. “Four-time Stanley Cup Champion Darren McCarty here,” the former enforcer told High Times in a video message. “Now, NFTs and all this stuff—I’m just starting to learn about it. But all I heard was […] ‘TROG.’ The eyeballs, man! I’m in! TROG NFTs. You should be too.”

If you don’t understand NFTs—you’re not alone. NFTs—or non-fungible tokens—are commonly part of the Ethereum blockchain. Ethereum is a cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or Dogecoin, but its blockchain also supports these NFTs. “Non-fungible” more or less means that it’s unique and can’t be replaced with something else. They only exist online, sometimes as a JPEG, but have real value.

How NFTs Work

People getting into NFTs hope to see their money grow. “Let’s say you get NFT TROG #26,” TROG told High Times. “You buy that NFT,  it sits in your digital wallet, then in three days you get a message from us with a QR code. You scan that QR code to get your reveal.”

The system allows money to grow. “Or a seed drops out of your NFT, that seed appears in your digital wallet,” TROG said. “In five days it sprouts… in five more days it turns into a little plant, then in two weeks the plant turns into a bigger plant. Then in 30 days bags of buds start appearing in your digital wallet. These bags of buds are actual new NFTs that have contracts attached to them—you can sell these buds as a NFT sale if you choose, or you can hang onto them.”

Each NFTrogs is also the key to unlocking a canvas series of 10 artworks—if you own the NFT it gives that holder the chance to purchase the number one canvas in that series. 

“You may get a QR code—and when scanned, it may send you a pic of your character with a broken bong and a code to redeem. You contact us directly and we redeem your code and send that person a new TROG GLASS bong. Or you may get a message saying your grinder broke,  and code to redeem to get a new grinder, etc.”

TROG GLASS features beautiful glass pieces—beakers, bongs and more—featuring the cartoon characters of TROG.

TROG said that he may airdrop collector artworks that include free tickets to cannabis events or festivals he’s involved with, for holders of NFTrogs.  

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Over the years, glass artists and vendors alike risked their own freedom to bring glass pipes to the market. You might be bombarded with the classic tongue-in-cheek line, “For Tobacco Use Only” if you enter a headshop, but restrictions are being relaxed or ignored for the most part in recent years.

Glass pipes grew in popularity for decades as smokers turned to pipe materials with less thermal conductivity to save fingers from burns—namely glass. Today, glass pipes are approaching the finest art you will ever encounter. Often, glass pipes will be auctioned as fine art, and likewise displayed in a gallery.

Generally speaking—here are the different types of glass pipes: chillums, spoons, Sherlocks, hammers, bubblers, water pipes (bongs) and steamrollers. For concentrates, you’ll find dab rigs, elbows, nails, diffusers, percs and so on. Each category has different arguable advantages and disadvantages. For instance, some prefer ice pinches, while others prefer diffusion. High Times breaks down the glass smoking utensils you need to know about this holiday season.

GEAR Premium® Sidekick 12” Beaker Tube

The most popular GEAR Premium® water pipe just got a lot cooler (or maybe hotter?) because now it comes with a beautifully designed, patent pending built-in lighter holster, so you’ll always know where to find your fire!

This premium package also comes with a bunch of extras including a Sidekick T-Shirt, a GEAR Premium® Lighter, and more. Use promo code HIGHSIDEKICK and receive 10 percent off your next order. See the full list of available GEAR Premium® products at gearpremiumsidekick.com.

Price: $139

gearpremiumsidekick.com

Red Eye Tek® 8.5” Aorta Concentrate Recycler

This meticulously designed contraption from Red Eye Tek® features a matrix perc for optimal filtration and beautiful curves reminiscent of your cardiovascular system.

Each piece is made of 100 percent borosilicate glass and includes a quartz banger with your choice of several iridescent recycler colors. Use promo code HIGHTIMES and receive 10 percent off your next order. See the full list of available Red Eye Tek® products at redeyetekterminator.com.

Price: $141

redeyetekterminator.com

Rock Legends Jimi Rainbow Haze Sherlock Pipe Black

Honor the pioneers of rock. Rock Legends’ Jimi Rainbow Haze bong—featuring a stunning psychedelic design—quickly sold out at Famous Brandz, but you can still get your hands on the Sherlock hammer-style pipe with a similar design. The Jimi Rainbow Haze pipe is made from thick, hand-blown borosilicate glass. Measuring 6” /15.24cm in length, this pipe is perfect for sessions at home. Rainbow Haze features a massive bowl that fits a substantial amount of herb. The built-in screen helps prevent ash and debris from falling through the hole while smoking.

Price: $35.99

famousbrandz.com

Tentacle Pipe by SWRV Glass

Release the Kraken! The Tentacle Pipe was created by SWRV Glass, and available from the online retailer Badass Glass, the “Number One Online Headshop.” High Times confirmed that the 5” pipe truly is badass. The pipe comes in a variety of high quality glass colors with realistic suction cups. This design works great as a spoon pipe with the mouth hole located at the bottom. This curled end makes this one incredibly unique pipe, and the suction cups actually provide some good grip. It provides a bit of wow factor without breaking your bank.

Price: $31.15 (on sale)

badassglass.com

Last Prisoner Project x Higher Standards Heavy Duty Spoon Pipe

Made in the U.S., the heavy duty Spoon Pipe is made from 100 percent ultra-durable premium borosilicate glass. Higher Standards teamed up with Last Prisoner Project. One-hundred percent of net profits will go towards supporting the non-profit. Last Prisoner Project is committed to helping release and rebuild the lives of those who have suffered from cannabis criminalization. The Higher Standards x Last Prisoner Project collaboration is available online and in-store. Sales will go towards legal intervention of inmates, public education and legislative advocacy that works to redress the past and continuing harms of the country’s unfair and prejudiciary approach to drug policy. 

Price: $60

higherstandards.com

Corporate Beaker by Trog Glass

This water pipe is covered top to bottom with the trippy character and lettering designs of Australian artist Trog. The Corporate Beaker bong is 30cm (11.8″) tall, featuring ice pinches, 5mm thick glass, Chop Chop Monster featured on the Base. It includes a 14mm downstem and 14mm pull out Cone Piece. Trog carved a name for himself by designing psychedelic posters for cannabis events ranging from Seattle Hempfest to Hash Bash, Champs Tradeshow, Kush Cup and more. He also produces cannabis-themed comic books, art collections and merchandise.

Price: $115 USD

trogglass.com

Rocket Bong

Are you ready to blast off into the stratosphere with a bong that you’ll never forget? Fat Buddha Glass says that this Rocket Bong will get you “sky high”—and with the included features, we believe it. With a height of 10″ the bong is rocket-shaped and guaranteed to spark a conversation. It comes with a 14mm female bowl and a diffused downstem, meaning it’s also functional as a bong. It is built with high quality borosilicate glass. Act fast, because this novelty bong is flying off the shelves currently.

Price: $79.99

fatbuddhaglass.com

10″ Bent Neck Matrix Diffuser by Thick Ass Glass (TAG)

Skip all the hype and stick to what really lasts in the long run—Thick Ass Glass. You ought to check out TAG’s amazing selection of beakers and diffusers that boast amazingly thick glass. They are bound to withstand a few falls without shattering, with quality you can feel in the weight. TAG’s 10” Bent Neck Matrix Diffuser measures 65x5mm (14mm Female). You can also choose between sandblasted or the TAG Slime Logo. Payment options are available.

Price: $119.99

thickassglass.com

GRAV® Small Wide Base Water Pipe in Amber

Check out GRAV®’s new amber-colored designs, which won’t show resin build-up. The distinctive disc-shaped base makes this water pipe sturdy and easy to hold. At 8.5” x 5.5”, it sits relatively low compared to other water pipes. It also has a large capacity chamber for a relatively low-profile piece. The conical fission perc leads to superb filtration and helps keep water from splashing up into the tube. When you take a hit, you’ll notice its comfortable mouthpiece with a rounded edge, made on thick 32mm tubing. This limited edition amber and black color combo is available exclusively at GRAV.com.

Price: $134

GRAV.com

Gandalf Pipes by Chameleon Glass

Smoke like you’re sitting on top of the Misty Mountains on Middle Earth, surrounded by Hobbits, orcs and elves. Chameleon Glass’ Gandalf pipes come in multiple colors including pink, color change, green, light green, blue and light blue. Also, check out the company’s other models “made by the Elder Elves” including the company’s Aragorn, Aragorn Ash Catcher, Stryder, Gandalf Woodie and Gandalf Ash Catcher.

Price: $46 – $53.99

chameleonglass.com

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