CANNABIS CULTURE - The 2012 Global Marijuana March is May 5! Join the world's largest simultaneous pot protest in 153 confirmed cities around the world, or add your city to the list.

Every year, on the first Saturday in May – just after the other global stoner gathering, 4/20 – potheads and drug law reformers gather in cities around the world for the Global Marijuana March (GMM).

Meeting at strategic gathering locations, activists and weed-smokers hit the pavement and march through the city streets, leaving stunned passer-bys and, in many cities, a large cloud of aromatic marijuana smoke.

This year, there are at least 153 confirmed cities (as the time of publication of this article) on the website WeedWiki.

There may be many more unconfirmed cities who will also have protests - to see a larger (and somewhat out-of-date) collection of cities and info, view the Big List at GlobalCannabisMarch.com.

Started in New York in 1999 by legendary pot activist Dana Beal, the March has grown to include 738 cities from 64 different nations over the years, according to to WeedWiki. Beal has had a tough last year, fighting both legal and health issues.

Over the years, Beal and other activists like Marc Emery sent thousands of GMM posters around the world (the same ones published them in the pages of Cannabis Culture).

See coverage of GMM 2011 (and more) from Cannabis Culture.

In some locations, the March is held on days other than May 5, and is known by a number of other names including the Worldwide Marijuana March, Million Marijuana March, World Cannabis Day, Cannabis Liberation Day, Global Space Odyssey, Ganja Day, J Day, Million Blunts March and others.

Read more about the history of the Global Marijuana March.

The scope of the GMM is truly global, with participating cities in Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

See the list of cities in video form:

Vancouver and other Canadian cities including Montreal, London, and Victoria are on the list (and others – see list below).

Toronto's Global Marijuana March has become the largest marijuana protest in the city, and has for the last five years been held simultaneously with the Toronto Freedom Festival (TFF). The TFF will not be held this year due to construction at its former location, Queen's Park. (More information about Toronto and Vancouver GMM's coming soon on CC)

Click here to go to the GMM 2012 Facebook page for links to more information and flyers, posters, and banners.

View the list of confirmed cities from WeedWiki below:

Global Marijuana March 2012 Confirmed Cities

AFRICA

South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa

ASIA

Indonesia

Jakarta, Indonesia

EUROPE

Austria

Salzburg, Austria
Vienna, Austria

Belgium

Antwerp, Belgium

Czech Republic

Prague, Czech Republic

Denmark

Aarhus, Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark

France

Bordeaux, France
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Lille, France
Lyon, France
Marseille, France
Paris, France
Reunion, France
Toulouse, France
Tours, France

Germany

Berlin, Germany
Frankfurt, Germany
Hanover, Germany
Potsdam, Germany

Greece

Athens, Greece

Ireland

Cork, Ireland
Dublin, Ireland

Italy

Rome, Italy

Malta

Valletta, Malta

Norway

Bergen, Norway
Oslo, Norway
Stavanger, Norway
Trondheim, Norway

Poland

Poznan, Poland
Warsaw, Poland

Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal
Porto, Portugal

Spain

Madrid, Spain

Switzerland

Bern, Switzerland

United Kingdom

Cardiff, Wales, UK

OCEANIA

Australia

Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Nimbin, New South Wales, Australia

New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand
Christchurch, New Zealand
Dunedin, New Zealand
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hastings, New Zealand
Wellington, New Zealand
New Plymouth, New Zealand

LATIN AMERICA

Argentina

Bahia Blanca, Argentina
Bariloche, Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina
Cordoba, Argentina
El Bolson, Argentina
Formosa, Argentina
La Plata, Argentina
La Rioja, Argentina
Mar del Plata, Argentina
Mendoza, Argentina
Neuquen, Argentina
Posadas, Argentina
Resistencia, Argentina
Rio Grande, Argentina
Rosario, Argentina
Salta, Argentina
San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, Argentina
San Juan, Argentina
San Luis, Argentina
San Miguel, Tucuman, Argentina
San Pedro, Misiones, Argentina
San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina
Ushuaia, Argentina
Venado Tuerto, Argentina

Brazil

Aracaju, Brazil
Atibaia, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Blumenau, Brazil
Brasilia, Brazil
Curitiba, Brazil
Diadema, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Fortaleza, Brazil
Guarulhos, Brazil
Joao Pessoa, Brazil
Joinville, Brazil
Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Jundiai, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Manaus, Brazil
Natal, Brazil
Niteroi, Brazil
Patos, Brazil
Petropolis, Brazil
Presidente Prudente, Brazil
Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Uberlandia, Brazil
Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil

Chile

Antofagasta, Chile
Calama, Chile
Concepcion, Chile
Iquique, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Valdivia, Chile
Valparaiso, Chile

Colombia

Bogota, Colombia
Cali, Colombia
Medellin, Colombia

Ecuador

Guayaquil, Ecuador

Peru

Lima, Peru
Uruguay
Florida, Uruguay
Fray Bentos, Uruguay
Montevideo, Uruguay
Nearby islands

NORTH AMERICA

Canada

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
London, Ontario, Canada
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Vancouver, British Columbia,Canada
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

United States

Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Los Angeles, California, USA
Oakland, California, USA
Sacramento, California, USA

Boulder, Colorado, USA

Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Key West, Florida, USA

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Boise, Idaho, USA

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Topeka, Kansas, USA
Wichita, Kansas, USA

Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA