Daily BrewVancouver police say ‘Hidden Weed’ scavenger hunt technically illegal for both hunters and hiders
An anonymous trickster running an online scavenger hunt for marijuana in Vancouver says he'll keep playing until he gets bored or busted, the latter of which could actually turn out to be his fate.
The Twitter handle "HiddenWeedYVR" has been posting clues to the whereabouts of small vials of marijuana that have been hidden around town, giving his nearly 2,500 followers a chance to seek out and secure free pot.
Until I get bored, get busted, or run out of weed. "@HeidiStebkid: @HiddenWeedYVR how long is this going on??"
— HiddenWeedYVR (@HiddenWeedYVR) June 10, 2014
The game is inspired by a recent spate of "Hidden Cash" scavenger hunts that began in San Francisco, in which anonymous donors hide envelopes of money and send hints to their whereabouts.
Similar games have popped up in Canada, including Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver But unlike cash, the idea of someone gifting out free marijuana does not seem to sit well with local law enforcement.
Vancouver police spokesman Const. Brian Montague told Yahoo Canada News that the person who finds the the marijuana, and the person who gifts it, could face charges.
"For the person who finds it, possession without a licence is illegal and technically the act of delivering it to a place for someone else would be considered trafficking in a controlled substance under the CDSA," Montague said in an email.
"While we use a lot of discretion when it comes to marijuana, the fact that the person could be trafficking to a 12 or 13 year old, if they are the ones who find it, could draw some unwanted police attention. If you take part in illegal activity you run the risk of being arrested."
The Hidden Weed game began on June 4, when the anonymous tipster announced that clues would be forthcoming.
Who wants free cash when you could have free weed? Follow me to find free marijuana in Vancouver. Inspired by @HiddenCash and @HiddenCashYVR — HiddenWeedYVR (@HiddenWeedYVR) June 4, 2014
So far, at least six containers of pot have been hidden, with at least five already found.
When asked on Twitter how long the game will continue, the person noted, "Until I get bored, get busted, or run out of weed."
Notably, Vancouver isn't the only city with a weed hunt going on. In Seattle, a low-tech donor dubbed the Weed Fairy has left small amounts of pot around town, wrapped in pieces of paper that contain inspirational messages.
It is far less exciting than Vancouver's virtual scavenger hunt. But then again, it's also legal. Seattle approved pot in 2012.
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