Pubdate: Mon, 08 May 2000 Source: Japan Times (Japan) Copyright: 2000 The Japan Times Contact: Central P.O. Box 144, 352, Tokyo 100-8691 Website: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/ CROATIANS, CZECHS TOKE FOR LEGALIZING MARIJUANA ZAGREB (AP) Hundreds of Croatian marchers lit marijuana joints in Zagreb's main square Saturday as they joined a parade advocating the legalization of pot. A similar demonstration took place in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. "We regret having to break the law," said Mario Kovac, an independent artist who organised the march to urge the government to repeal, or at least relax, statutes governing so-called soft drugs. "But we are prepared to bear the consequences if we have to in order to get our message across," he added, puffing smoke into a television camera. Earlier in the day hundreds of young people gathered in central Prague to support legalization of marijuana. Smoking marijuana and hashish, the crowd of about 400 protesters called for putting soft drugs on a par with alcohol and tobacco. "When consumed in little amounts, marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol, tobacco or hard drugs," said Michael Polak, the organizer of the rally. "Despite tough jail terms for possession of marijuana, people still smoke it, and that's good." Polak urged smokers of marijuana to grow the plant rather than buying on the black market. "It's less dangerous to grow it yourself," he said. Unlike many Western countries, Croatia's penal code does not distinguish between hard and soft drugs. The penalty stipulated for marijuana is up to one year, the same as potentially lethal heroin or cocaine. In the Czech Republic, possession and sale of marijuana are punishable by jail term of up to three years. According to an opinion poll published Friday by private Sofres Factum Agency, 80 percent of citizens are against legalization of marijuana. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D