SAO PAULO - Bubbling with euphoria as thick as the haze in the air, marijuana enthusiasts flocked this weekend to Brazil's first "ExpoCannabis," amid a national debate over decriminalizing the drug for personal use.
Launched in Uruguay a decade ago, the huge marijuana fair opened its first international edition in Sao Paulo, complete with DJs, guest speakers, myriad pot products and a large outdoor space packed with hundreds of visitors, nearly all of them smoking up.
Organisers said they expected 20,000 people to attend the three-day event, which aims to showcase cannabis in its many uses, and not just recreational and medicinal.
"We want to show the public all the plant's capabilities. We're not just talking about the pharmaceutical industry. The plant can also work in the food and beverage industry, the construction industry, the textile industry and biofuels," organizer Larissa Uchida told AFP.
"It's a plant that has been demonized for many years, so there needs to be a whole deconstruction of this idea."
Uchida said the event respected Brazilian legislation, with vendors selling cannabis accessories, extracts and derivatives -- but not the actual drug.
Those smoking it at the fair likely purchased it illegally, but authorities appeared willing to turn a blind eye.
Brazil’s 2006 drug law imposes prison terms for drug trafficking, and lighter penalties such as community service for possession, but has faced criticism for a lack of clarity over the line between the two.