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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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US TX: Demonstrators Urge Marijuana Legalization
ccguide Monday 08 May 2000 Pubdate: Sun, 07 May 2000 Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX) Copyright: 2000 Amarillo Globe-News Contact: Address: P.O. Box 2091, Amarillo, TX 79166 Fax: (806) 373-0810 Website: http://amarillonet.com/ Forum: http://208.138.68.214:90/eshare/server?action4 Author: Amy Strahan Keywords: Millennium Marijuana March AUSTIN -Hundreds of people chanting "Free the weed," "Legalize the herb" and other slogans converged Saturday on the Capitol, calling for the legalization of marijuana. Demonstrators said the government should spend its time on violent criminals, not on recreational pot smokers. About 300 people were in the demonstration. "This is not our biggest issue, and they shouldn't be incarcerating people for it," said a 38-year-old computer hardware designer who asked not to be identified. Many compared laws banning the possession of marijuana to Prohibition. They sported signs that read "Free the Weed and You Free Us," in addition to fake garlands of marijuana and a few branches that looked suspiciously real. Many wore costumes and carried drums. One man marched on stilts. Zeal Stefanoff, a Hays County man who in 1991 protested drug laws by smoking a joint in the San Marcos police station, called Saturday for more civil disobedience. "We're living under more Draconian laws than existed during Prohibition," Stefanoff said. "Every 45 seconds, someone in the U.S. is arrested for marijuana." Stefanoff asked supporters to turn themselves in. "Walk in the police station, and turn yourselves in. If we put every one of you into the courthouse, it's over," he said, predicting the county could not handle that many arrests. Other speakers Saturday called for legalization of medicinal uses of marijuana. A few states, including California, have legalized medicinal marijuana. "If you want it to be seen as a medicine, we need to use it as such," said Cristal Allen, a speaker at the event and who also uses the plant for religious worship as a member of the Native American church. Allen admonished the crowd to cut back on recreational uses for the drug in favor of medicinal purposes. "You're not just supposed to use it when you're out sitting with your brothers drinking beer," Allen said. Tourists inside the Capitol who accidentally walked into the middle of the flamboyant crowd appeared confused. Similar marches were held in more than 90 cities Saturday. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk
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