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Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:35:32 -0700
Subject:NV: Editorial: The Buzz In Nevada Up TOC

Newshawk: Plylar - State Congress - http://www.plylar.org
Pubdate: Mon, 12 Aug 2002
Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)
Copyright: 2002 Chicago Tribune Company
Contact: ctc-TribLetter@Tribune.com
Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82

THE BUZZ IN NEVADA

If, in November, Nevada residents vote to become the first state to
legalize the recreational use of marijuana, life there will never be the
same. The Tempo Department Overseeing the Sagebrush State anticipates these
developments:

- - Several Las Vegas casinos report huge revenue losses, blaming $6.95
all-you-can-eat buffets.

- - Hoover Dam II built to meet water and electrical demand as state's
population triples and agriculture becomes its second largest industry.

- - House's take at blackjack tables doubles as players lose track of which
cards have already been played and miscalculate their own hands.

- - Liberace Museum adds new exhibit: the rhinestone pianist's hookah collection.

- - Grateful Dead survivors open new theme park in Winnemuca.

- - Some casinos reap huge windfalls by adding pretty, swirling colors to
inside of roulette wheels.

- - Bill Clinton comes to town. Inhales.

- - Cheech & Chong take over the Siegfried & Roy act at the Mirage. From now
on, it's the animal trainers who levitate, not the tigers.

- - Nuclear Regulatory Commission unmasked as the force behind legalization
of the drug. Intention was to make everyone forget that the nation's atomic
waste is stored up the road.
__________________________________________________________________________
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- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:36:04 -0700
Subject:MA: The T Just Says No Up TOC

Newshawk: Thomas Angell
Pubdate: Wed, 07 Aug 2002
Source: Boston Weekly Dig (MA)
Copyright: 2002 Boston Weekly Dig
Contact: letters@weeklydig.com
Website: http://www.weeklydig.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1515
Author: Jon Whiten

THE T JUST SAYS NO

Federal Judge Uphold's T's Right To Ban Certain Political Messages

Last week, a federal judge ruled in favor of the MBTA in a First Amendment
lawsuit brought against them by Change the Climate, an organization founded
in 1999 "for the purpose of raising public awareness about marijuana
issues." They were denied advertising space on the MBTA transit system
because the ads "promote the use of marijuana in a subtle way," according
to Lucy Shorter, the director of marketing communications at the T at that
time.

But according to the deposition of Joseph White, founder and executive
director of Change the Climate, they "in no way advocate the use of
marijuana or any violation of existing laws." They are simply trying to
encourage public debate about "the negative consequences of marijuana laws
on our children, the differences between marijuana and other drugs, the
extraordinary resources our government has devoted to marijuana law
enforcement, and the proven beneficial medical and industrial uses."
Clearly, the MBTA doesn't believe this debate is an important one.

The MBTA has spent over $500,000 fighting this lawsuit, according to the
Boston Globe. They have previously lost similar lawsuits brought against
them by the AIDS Action Committee, pro-choice organizations and an animal
rights organization for challenging advertising content.

Yet they seem to have no problem continuing to bankroll these crusades.

The Weekly Dig filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the MBTA
almost 90 days ago to find out exactly how much money they have spent
fighting these cases.

As this issue goes to press, we still have not been given the figures.
Whatever the amount, this money spent silencing freedom of speech could
obviously be used in better ways, such as improving T service.

But this is not simply a case of poor spending by the MBTA. According to
their General Manager Michael T. Mulhern, their goal in denying the ad
space was "protecting the thousands of schoolchildren who ride the T every
day from offensive advertising." Yet they seem to have no problem running
ads pitching alcohol, objectifying women and men, and generally promoting
an unhealthy lifestyle of massive consumerism.

The ruling judge, US District Judge Robert E. Keeton, seems to perceive the
inconsistency of the MBTA's decision.

Saying their advertising guidelines were "constitutionally flawed," he
ordered them to create an advisory board to come up with new ones. This
board is to be made up of various public groups, including organizations
like Change the Climate. Yet he didn't force the T to run the ads, so White
said they "expect to be appealing to the First Circuit Appeals Court."

Change the Climate has run two successful campaigns in Washington, D.C. on
the Metro transit system, and will be running a third starting this month.
White said, "We will be focusing our advertising efforts in other key
cities as well." You can check out the ads at www.changetheclimate.org, and
if their appeal should prove successful, you'll be seeing them on Boston's
buses, trains and subway platforms in the future.

Additional reporting by Joe Bonni.
__________________________________________________________________________
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- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:37:22 -0700
Subject:WA: Here and Now Up TOC

Newshawk: Plylar - State Congress - http://www.plylar.org
Pubdate: Fri, 16 Aug 2002
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2002 The Seattle Times Company
Contact: opinion@seattletimes.com
Website: http://www.seattletimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hemp.htm (Hemp)
Note: Drug policy information only in the first paragraph, "Hemp Heaven"

HERE AND NOW

Hemp heaven

Break out the tie-dye - thousands of pro-pot pals are expected to gather at
Seattle Hempfest this weekend. The celebration, planned for 10 a.m. to 8
p.m. tomorrow and Sunday at Myrtle Edwards Park on the downtown Seattle
waterfront, will feature speakers, music on six stages and vendors.
Organizers call it the "world's largest annual rally calling for an end to
marijuana prohibition." Go to www.seattlehempfest.com for the lineup and
tales of responsible pot smokers.


snip
________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Josh
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:38:05 -0700
Subject:OR: LTE: Millions up in smoke: Oregonian: 8/16/02 Up TOC

Newshawk: Rick Bayer
Pubdate: Friday, 08 Aug 2002
Source: Oregonian, The (OR)
Website: http://www.oregonlive.com/
Address: 1320 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201
Contact: letters@news.oregonian.com
Copyright: 2002 The Oregonian
Fax: 503-294-4193
Author: JEFF JARVIS and TRACY JOHNSON Beaverton
Website of LTE:
http://www.oregonlive.com/letters/oregonian/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_st
andard.xsl?/base/editorial/102949891863881.xml

08/16/02

Millions up in smoke

How ironic to see Damon Stoudamire's marijuana story reported on the front
page of the Aug. 8 paper next to the articles on Gov. John Kitzhaber's
budget vetoes. Oregon spends roughly $1 million per annum for every 30
marijuana prisoners it holds. It spends millions more prosecuting endless
pot cases in court. For all this sound and fury, we have more marijuana
smokers than ever before -- and millions of dollars less to spend on public
schools.

What waste! We are clean-cut, suit-wearing, Republican business people. We
smoke pot. Oregon is home to tens of thousands of responsible pot smokers
just like us. Yes, we smoke pot. No, we are not criminals. Stoudamire is not
a criminal either.

JEFF JARVIS and TRACY JOHNSON Beaverton
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:39:41 -0700
Subject:NV: Marijuana Possession: Question Support Slips Up TOC

Newshawk: Krissy www.mpp.org
Pubdate: Fri, 09 Aug 2002
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
Copyright: 2002 Las Vegas Review-Journal
Contact: letters@lvrj.com
Website: http://www.lvrj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/233
Author: Jane Ann Morrison
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/findUKP162 (Nevadans for Responsible Law
Enforcement)

MARIJUANA POSSESSION: QUESTION SUPPORT SLIPS

Group's Board Members Say No Vote Has Been Held

Two days after a police organization announced its support for a ballot
question decriminalizing possession of less than 3 ounces of marijuana,
that support crumbled.

Four board members with the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs
disagreed with the assertion earlier this week by the organization's
president, Andy Anderson, that the board's nine members voted unanimously
to support Question 9.

They said that an official vote never took place and that they believed any
discussions on the issue concerned medical use of marijuana, not legalization.

The organization will hold a board meeting today to discuss what several of
its members are describing as a miscommunication.

News that a police group would support a controversial ballot question
received national attention.

But Thursday, board members representing the Las Vegas Police Protective
Association, North Las Vegas Police Officers Association, Henderson Police
Officers' Association, the State Peace Officers Council and the Clark
County School Police Officers Association said their unions will not
support Question 9.

Anderson said he thinks some are changing their position because of
pressure from their members. And he challenged their recollections of the
discussions.

"They all told me they support the initiative that if someone is 21 or
older they can smoke in the privacy of their home," he said.

NCOPS is an umbrella group for police unions representing more than 3,000
members of law enforcement.

Possession of up to an ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor dealt with as a
ticket and punished by fines of up to $600 for the first two offenses.

Question 9 would amend Nevada's constitution to say adults over 21 who are
not in public places cannot be prosecuted for possession of less than 3
ounces of marijuana.

Anderson had said NCOPS believes that to arrest and book people for small
amounts of marijuana is a waste of resources.

David Burns, president of the Henderson Police Officers' Association and
secretary-treasurer of NCOPS, said that when he talked to Anderson: "I
thought it was something we were going to place on the agenda for a future
vote. I was not aware we were looking to take a vote. This is important
enough to discuss the pros and cons. ... I believed I was just chatting."

Burns said he was not fully aware of the details of Question 9 and thought
it addressed medical use. He said he is changing his position now that he
knows it addresses decriminalization.

Some of the confusion might be because the medical marijuana initiative
that appeared on the ballot in 1998 and 2000 appeared as a Question 9.
Also, the new Question 9 has language addressing medical use, including how
to cultivate, tax, sell and advertise marijuana for medical purposes.

North Las Vegas Police Officers Association Mike Mcban said he thought
Anderson "was talking about medical marijuana. ... Andy said he wanted to
make a public statement and wanted to sound us out on it. It was not a vote."

Mcban said he would not vote to endorse the question.

Board member Mick Gillins from the Police Protective Association said that
he thought the question concerned medical marijuana and that he now would
vote against it. Ron Cuzze, the board member representing the State Peace
Officers Council, said: "I thought I was being asked an opinion. I've never
read the initiative, and I don't think any of us have." The union's members
are against Question 9, he said.

Phil Gervasi, president of the Clark County School Police Officers
Association and a vice president of NCOPS, was the only member who was not
confused by the question.

Gervasi said he supports Question 9, but his group will not.

"We're definitely not supporting it or taking any stand on it. We deal with
children, and we're not going to make children feel this is the way to go.
My personal feeling is that if they're 21 and in their house, they can do
what they want. But there will be no endorsement."

Though his union may not back Question 9, Gervasi said he may do so as an
individual member of the board. He said he wants to hear a full debate
before making up his mind. He said Anderson explained to him that "this
would put us in the loop where we could be part of the regulation" when the
Legislature would create penalties for public use.

David Kallas, executive director of the Police Protective Association, said
he chooses not to serve on the NCOPS board. "But I've got real issues with
an organization taking a stand on a significant issue without sitting down
and going over every line."

The NCOPS endorsement "embarrassed me personally and professionally because
of our relationship with NCOPS," said Kallas, a former vice officer.

He predicted a turnaround. "It's sure to be pretty much a no-brainer," he
said. "They'll say sorry we've made a mistake, and we're not supporting it."

After the initial endorsement, opponents of the question voiced their concerns.

Undersheriff Richard Winget said he was shocked at NCOPS' position. "People
with 1 ounce or less get a ticket, that doesn't clog up the system. Three
ounces is a lot of pot. Marijuana is like straw; it doesn't weigh very
much. Three ounces is 120 marijuana cigarettes. That's not personal use;
that's what a dealer might have."

Winget said 36 percent of the people police arrest are under the influence
of marijuana.

As far as Anderson's contention that police are spending too much time
handling petty drug cases, Winget said Las Vegas police this year have
booked just 49 cases in which a small amount of pot was involved. Drug
charges are usually secondary to another crime, he said.

Gary Booker, the chief deputy district attorney in charge of the vehicular
crimes unit, said anti-DUI activists and victims groups will organize to
fight the question because of fears it will weaken drunken-driving
prosecutions.

Billy Rogers, who leads the group promoting the ballot question, declined
to speculate what a withdrawal of the endorsement would mean. He praised
the "tremendous courage" of the nine board members. When told five
associations are not expected to stick with that position, Rogers praised
the "original support."

Despite the loss of support from his board, Anderson said he will continue
to work on behalf of the question. "This was a commitment I made because I
believe in the issue. ... If I have to, I'll carry it as an individual or
as president," he said.
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:41:14 -0700
Subject:Canada: Jail's No Place For Pot Grower, Judge Rules Up TOC

Newshawk: CMAP (http://www.mapinc.org/cmap)
Pubdate: Fri, 16 Aug 2002
Source: Halifax Herald (CN NS)
Copyright: 2002 The Halifax Herald Limited
Contact: letters@herald.ns.ca
Website: http://www.herald.ns.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180
Author: Amy Pugsley Fraser, Staff Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

JAIL'S NO PLACE FOR POT GROWER, JUDGE RULES

Crown Wanted Prison, But Man Gets Conditional Sentence Instead

A judge disputed the value of imprisoning a marijuana grower Thursday and
handed him a conditional sentence.

"I question rhetorically what is the benefit of sending him to the
penitentiary for two or three years?" Justice Felix Cacchione said before
sentencing John Ross  Hollingsworth of Centre Rawdon, Hants County.

"He comes out without a job . . . after spending time with people who do
have a criminal propensity," said the Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge.

Crown attorney James Martin wanted prison time for Mr. Hollingsworth,
46,  who pleaded guilty to a charge of producing marijuana and one of
possession between July 1, 1999 and Feb. 27, 2000.

Mr. Hollingsworth will be under house arrest for the first six months of
the conditional term during which he can only leave home to go to work,
attend medical appointments, do banking and go grocery shopping.

Then he'll be on probation for 18 months with orders not to contact anyone
with a criminal or drug-related record, remain in Nova Scotia and not use
drugs.

Mr. Martin said Mr. Hollingsworth's participation in a sophisticated
marijuana operation was discovered after the RCMP investigated the
activities of a group of about six people in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland
over several months.

As a result, Mr. Hollingsworth's home was searched and police found
40-50  marijuana plants.

"This was not five plants in a pot," Mr. Martin said, stressing the money
required to maintain a "sophisticated growing operation" with lights, water
systems, plastic barriers and fencing.

In requesting the conditional sentence, defence lawyer Warren Zimmer said
his client wasn't a danger to the community because he's been working
almost all his life and is trained in engine repair.

"He got in trouble late in life as a result of bad judgment and bad decisions."

His introduction to growing marijuana cultivation came from his then
common-law wife, who played a larger role in the operation, Mr. Zimmer said.

Quoting case law, he said nothing would be gained by sending his client to
jail.

Mr. Hollingsworth told the judge he's trying to straighten out his life.

"I look back on what I done and I've made some bad decisions. But I don't
believe you will see me back in this courtroom again."

Earlier this year, a co-accused in the case, James Stewart McCurdy, 41, of
Mount Uniacke, pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiring to possess
marijuana for trafficking and received an 18-month conditional sentence.

A third co-accused, Ian David Murray of Oxford Street, Halifax, pleaded
guilty in January to conspiracy to traffic in hashish between Nova Scotia
and Newfoundland and was sentenced to three years in prison.

A fourth man had his sentencing put over Thursday. Michael Ronald Patriquen
of Middle Sackville pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to possess
marijuana in Nova Scotia and conspiracy to traffic in marijuana here and in
Newfoundland.

A charter argument relating to Mr. Patriquen smoking marijuana in jail will
be heard Sept. 5.

Mr. Patriquen has been a leader in the fight for legalizing marijuana. A
key member of the Marijuana Party of Canada, his Bedford company, Med
Marijuana Inc., is soliciting dealers for a food supplement made from
marijuana seeds. The charges he faces aren't connected with his company.

Mr. Patriquen and his wife, Melanie Stephen, also face proceeds-of-crime
charges.
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
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- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:42:43 -0700
Subject:ME: Editorial: Hempstock Czar Should Listen To Judge's Order Up TOC

Newshawk: Plylar - State Congress - http://www.plylar.org
Pubdate: Sat, 10 Aug 2002
Source: Morning Sentinel (ME)
Copyright: 2002 Morning Sentinel
Contact: dcheever@centralmaine.com
Website: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1474
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

HEMPSTOCK CZAR SHOULD LISTEN TO JUDGE'S ORDER

It might seem a bit incongruous to expect the organizer of a pro- marijuana
festival to live completely within the law.

But Don Christen, the founding organizer of Hempstock, could at least
pretend that judges and courts matter to him.

To start, Christen should stop flouting the court by ignoring an order
preventing him from organizing, promoting or holding Hempstock XII, which
is scheduled to begin Thursday.

Despite that court order, Christen says his four-day festival in Starks
will go on.

Earlier this week, Somerset County Superior Court Justice Joseph M. Jabar
ruled that Christen and his pro-marijuana group, Maine Vocals, were in
contempt of court for organizing and promoting an event that could violate
Starks' mass gathering ordinance.

Jabar also denied their bid to overturn the Starks Planning Board's refusal
to approve a mass gathering permit for Hempstock.

Minutes after Jabar issued his rulings, which came at the end of a
five-hour hearing at Somerset County Superior Court, Christen pretty much
told the judge what he could do with his decisions.

"Oh, we're still going to hold Hempstock," a defiant Christen told a reporter.

This is the kind of belligerence and disregard for laws that have
characterized Christen's behavior over the years.

He continues to thumb his nose at the court and at Starks' ordinances.

Last year, Starks officials beefed up the town's mass-gathering rules in an
effort to gain better control over the crowds at certain activities - most
notably, Hempstock.

The new ordinance requires that a permit be obtained for events at which
750 people or more are expected to gather for at least six hours.

The old rule required permits for gatherings of at least 2,000 people that
were expected to last 12 hours or more.

In the past, Hempstock has drawn as many as 7,000 people in a day.

In court on Thursday, Christen's lawyer said his client had come up with a
plan that would satisfy the ordinance. That plan calls for allowing only
700 campers to stay over at the festival site for the length of the
festival. They would be issued special wrist bracelets.

Christen would then admit as many as 3,800 people before the start of each
of the five-hour concerts being held twice each day.

In between the concerts, Christen would have everyone except the 700
campers leave. And after a break of an hour or two, 3,800 people would be
let back in and the music would resume.

Understandably, Jabar said he doubted that Christen would be able to get
thousands of people to leave between shows.

Thus, the judge told Christen that Hempstock XII would violate Starks'
ordinance. Jabar reaffirmed the court's order that Christen not hold the
pro-pot festival.

Jabar continued the case for a week to see if Christen adheres to the
order. If he proceeds with Hempstock XII, Christen will be in blatant
violation of that order.

Jabar will then decide Christen's punishment.

And in the end, we fear, the nonsense will only continue.
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
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- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:45:35 -0700
Subject:HI: Big Isle Questions Medical Pot Raids Up TOC

Newshawk: WallyB
Pubdate: Thu, 15 Aug 2002
Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI)
Copyright: 2002 Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Contact: letters@starbulletin.com
Website: http://www.starbulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/196
Author: Rod Thompson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/hawaii (Hawaii)

BIG ISLE QUESTIONS MEDICAL POT RAIDS

Some Council Members Say The Police Should Focus More On Crystal Meth

HILO -- Angered by police raids on medical marijuana users, some Hawaii
County Council members strongly urged acting Police Chief Lawrence Mahuna
this week to refocus drug enforcement on crystal methamphetamine.

"What I see is a paramilitary force outside of civilian control,"
Councilman Curtis Tyler told Mahuna, who became acting chief after the
retirement of Chief James Correa last week.

"Get real," Tyler demanded Tuesday during a Council committee meeting.

"People are dying (from methamphetamine)," he said.

Referring to a recent incident in which police operating from a helicopter
destroyed three marijuana plants belonging to a medical marijuana user in
Puna, Tyler said: "Let's try to protect our community instead of rappelling
out of helicopters. This is outrageous what's going on in this community."

"I hope you will say no one will ever encroach on anyone's constitutional
rights," Tyler said.

A subdued Mahuna, who is normally soft-spoken anyway, answered that police
are "bound" to protect constitutional rights.

Regarding new police rules that recognize the rights of registered medical
marijuana users, Mahuna said: "We will comply with these rules and
regulations as best we can. Each one of our officers will enforce the law
with the proper perspective."

Mahuna's comments followed testimony from Kona medical marijuana user
Rhonda Robison, who played a videotape of her own arrest last month.

On the tape, a vice officer informs her the marijuana supplies of the three
medical users at her house are not legal because they are not "definitively
separated," a version of the law which state Public Safety head Ted Sakai
later said was not accurate.

After seeing the tape, Mahuna said, "It was an eye-opener for me."

Allegations of misconduct by officers in the raid are being investigated,
he said.

Robison said she lost her job in a law office because of the raid.

Cancer patient Kealoha Wells, who lives with Robison and her husband, said
she lost five pounds after the raid. With her marijuana supply confiscated
by police, she could not eat because as soon as she did, she vomited, she said.

Councilwoman Nancy Pisicchio said police should go after crystal
methamphetamine, also known as ice, "the real problems that's killing people."

Councilwomen Julie Jacobson and Bobbie Jean Leithead-Todd both called for
more money to fight ice.

Federal, state, and county officials will hold a "Methamphetamine Summit"
on the island Aug. 27.

An invitation letter to the event says ice arrests increased 431 percent on
the island from 1997 to 2000.

State Child Protective Services reports that it had to remove hundreds of
children from their homes in recent years due to family problems with ice
and other drugs, the letter says.

A religious marijuana advocate, the Rev. Dennis Shields, cited a 1994
federally funded report by Patricia Morgan which found that the ice problem
in Honolulu began after 1987, partly because marijuana enforcement made
that substance scarce and almost as expensive as ice.

Not all Council members joined Tyler's criticism of police. Councilman and
former police Capt. Leningrad Elarionoff called Tyler "out of line."
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jackl
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:46:20 -0700
Subject:ME: Stalking Hemp Stock Up TOC

Newshawk: Plylar - State Congress - http://www.plylar.org
Pubdate: Fri, 16 Aug 2002
Source: Morning Sentinel (ME)
Copyright: 2002 Morning Sentinel
Contact: dcheever@centralmaine.com
Website: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1474
Author: Alan Crowell

STALKING HEMP STOCK

Authorities Begin Crackdown On Festival

STARKS - Flashing blue lights and a road block greeted visitors to the
annual Hempstock festival Thursday as police and prosecutors followed
through on a promise of stepped-up enforcement.

Visitors were handed flyers warning them not to drive under the influence
and a probation officer checked the identity of people passing through at
the roadblock on Route 43, a few hundred yards from the dirt road leading
to Harry Brown's farm.

Hempstock is organized by the Maine Vocals, a group that advocates the
legalization of marijuana.

About an hour before the first show of the four-day event, police drove
down a dirt road past signs reading "Everybody Get Stoned," and "Let My
People Grow" and served organizers with a search warrant, warning them that
Harry Brown's field may be visited by police at any time this weekend.

"You might want to relate to the band we are going to be more aggressive
this year," said State Police Lt. Dale Lancaster, in reference to noise
complaints.

"People who live in Starks have a right to a good night's sleep," said
Kennebec and Somerset County District Attorney David Crook.

Members of security at Hempstock assured Lancaster and Crook that the music
would end at 10 p.m.

The visit and search warrant were vivid reminders of the increasing
pressure the pro-marijuana rock festival is under from both law enforcement
and the town of Starks, which passed a more restrictive mass gathering
ordinance last year, apparently targeted at the event.

Reached Thursday night, Crook said the road blocks were meant to keep
people safe. He said two hours after the roadblock was set up, police
arrested an irate man who had struck a state trooper with his car.

"I don't think he meant to run him over but that is exactly the kind of
reckless behavior that will not be tolerated," he said.

The man's name was not immediately available. The trooper was not seriously
injured and continued to man the roadblock, Crook said.

Anyone on probation who attends the concert may have to take blood or urine
tests, depending on the conditions of their probation, he said.

At last year's Hempstock, a large percentage of those people present were
under age.

That is a particular concern, he said, because hard drugs as well as
marijuana and alcohol were present.

Shortly before the 6 p.m. concert, about 100 people, those who had bought
weekend camping passes, were in the grassy field - far fewer than the 650
people organizers had planned for.

Half or more of the crowd appeared to be in their late teens or early 20s.
Some appeared even younger.

An 18-year-old New Hampshire woman who declined to give her name said this
was her second year at Hempstock.

She came "because there is good music and a lot of people," she said. She
said last year's attendance was heavier.

Her companion, also 18 and from New Hampshire, agreed.

"It is more free. You meet lot of new people. It is just nice to gather
people and be outside and hear music," he said. He also declined to give
his name.

"I don't smoke pot, but I support people's right to smoke pot," he said.

He said marijuana is less hazardous to society and less hazardous to people
than alcohol.

Near the gate of the concert, Harvey Starkey, a senior member of the
security staff, said the heavy police presence amounted to discrimination.

Wearing a red, white and blue bandanna, a sleeveless shirt that exposed his
tattooed arms and the word "security" on the front of the shirt with a
green marijuana leaf on the back, Starkey said the festival was "political
action."

"We are trying to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. The state of
Maine voted on it and the state of Maine approved it," he said.

A Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam war, Starkey said he is
allergic to all the medications for his muscle spasms.

"But I smoke a joint and it goes away," he said.

He said security has always tried to work with police and said the heavy
presence by law enforcement this year was harassment. He estimated that 15
cruisers were working the concert as well as many unmarked cars.

About a half-mile away, on Route 43, Carolyn Sours came out on her front
porch off Route 43 to say that she does not mind the music wafting down
from the hillside.

"I don't care what they do up there as long as they leave us alone," she said.

Her son, Shane, said alcohol and cigarettes were both illegal once.

"I think this is excessive," he said, referring to the police presence on
his road.

His mother replied that if the police were not there, Hempstock might not
be such a benign presence.

About 100 yards away, Ann Marie Simone said that two years ago during
Hempstock, someone urinated on her front lawn and last year a domestic
violence incident occurred about 20 feet from her front door.

She said she thought it was "great" that police were present.

"I wish more could be done," she said.
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 11:04:07 -0700
Subject: Canada: 'Shocking' Booby Traps Found In Grow-Op

Newshawk: Canadian Media Awareness Project (http://www.mapinc.org/cmap/)
Pubdate: Fri, 16 Aug 2002
Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Surrey Leader
Contact: newsroom@surreyleader.com
Website: http://www.surreyleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236
Author: Dan Ferguson

'SHOCKING' BOOBY TRAPS FOUND IN GROW-OP

Delta Police officers discovered an indoor marijuana grow operation with
some unusual defences Tuesday - someone had booby-trapped the house with
two devices designed to deliver a jolt to intruders.

Sgt. Barb Melymick said officers searching the North Delta residence found
a crude, but effective home-made cattle prod and a booby trap designed to
deliver a substantial electrical shock to someone entering the downstairs
of the house in the 11400 block of 72 Ave.

'It wouldn't kill you - it would zap you, similar to a Taser (a police
weapon used to shock suspects into submission),' Melymick said.

It's not unusual to find weapons in grow-ops to protect the illegal
businesses against drug rip-offs, but these types of devices are very
unusual, Melymick said.

Both contraptions were unplugged at the time officers were searching the
house as the result of a reported home invasion.

Three hooded males forced their way into the house Tuesday and left in a
blue van with a number of a marijuana plants, pursued by an Asian man
apparently tending the home. Melymick said the grow-op appeared to have
been running 'for at least three years,' based on the deteriorating
condition of the house interior.
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Tom
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2002 22:17:29 -0700
Subject: NJ: On The Air: Weedman Takes Cause To Television

Newshawk: EDWARD FORCHION -aka- NJWEEDMAN (njweedman@yahoo.com)
Pubdate: Thu, 15 Aug 2002
Source: Trentonian, The (NJ)
Copyright: 2002 The Trentonian
Contact: news@njtimes.com
Website: http://www.trentonian.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1006
Author: Jeff Edelstein, Staff Writer
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n1261/a01.html

ON THE AIR: WEEDMAN TAKES CAUSE TO TELEVISION

Forchion, who was recently released from prison after a 17-month stretch,
was arrested on May 27 after speaking out against marijuana laws in front
of the Burlington County Courthouse.

Part of Forchion's parole deal, according to authorities, was that he could
not openly promote the use of marijuana.

So the dreadlocked Forchion, never one to shy away from a challenge, has
fought back by shooting the commercials wearing a marijuana-leaf shirt
while standing in front of an American flag.

"The liberty this flag represents is in grave danger ... the drug war is
destroying our free society," he says in one spot.

"Even doctors are openly challenging the myth marijuana is dangerous ...
who do you believe? Your doctor or your politician?"

The spots, which can be seen by Comcast subscribers, will first run
Saturday night on CNN during the first part of the 9/11-themed "America
Remembers."

Come September, the commercials will be running locally on MTV, CNN, the
Comedy Channel, FOX News and Comcast Sports.

Known nationwide, Forchion, a Browns Mills resident, has pulled many stunts
to bring attention to the marijuana legalization movement.

He's run for office, getting 2,706 votes for Burlington County freeholder
and 1,983 votes during a congressional run.

He also has lit up joints in courtrooms, a judge's office and, most
famously, during a session of the state assembly.

Forchion is also readying an appeal to his earlier marijuana conviction,
and plans to use "jury nullification" as his defense.

Jury nullification, in it's pure sense, is when a jury decides that a law
is unjust, and thus refuses to convict.

Forchion is pursuing the appeal despite the very real possibility that he
could be sent back to prison for upwards of 20 years.

Forchion has said in many interviews the reason he's willing to risk his
freedom is for the legalization of marijuana and the upholding of the First
Amendment.
__________________________________________________________________________
Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D
------------------------------
End of Restore-Digest V2002 #169
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