Annual 4/20 pot celebration marked on Parliament Hill

Thousands of pro-marijuana demonstrators gathered on Parliament Hill with bongs, pipes and joints to mark 4/20, the annual pot celebration marked around the world on April 20.

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The crowdcounted down from 10 as the seconds ticked toward4:20 p.m., chanting "Happy 420" in unisonas puffs of smoke wafted up over Parliament Hill.

Prior to the countdown, speeches on the steps leading up toCentre Block focused on the Liberal government's promise to legalize marijuana with a call to stop marijuana-related arrests and prosecutions until that time.

It was a sentiment shared in the crowd, especially as Health Minister JanePhilpottput a timeline for the law earlier in the day.

"We will introduce legislation in spring 2017 that ensures we keep marijuana out of the hands of children and profits out of the hands of criminals,"Philpottsaid duringa speech to delegates at United Nations drug treaty talks in New York.

Many dressed up to celebratewhile others handed out free supplies.

It seemed like everyone was smoking something, though some joints were larger than others.

After a sunny day on Parliament Hill, with some drumming to cap off the event, the crowd thinned at around 5 p.m.