Pubdate: Sun, 06 May 2001
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 2001 Albuquerque Journal
Contact:  http://www.abqjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/10
Author: Andrew Webb, Journal Staff Writer

600 PARADERS WANT MARIJUANA LEGALIZED

Nineteen-year-old Mary Thompson was married about a month ago and is 
expecting a baby.

This would be one of the happiest times of her life, she said, if not for 
one thing. Her new husband -- she calls him "a prisoner of the drug war" -- 
has been in jail for the last three weeks.

"I'm here to educate people," she said. "It's our God-given right to have 
marijuana legalized."

Thompson joined about 250 people Saturday at Freedom Fest -- a celebration 
of marijuana sponsored by The Hemp Coalition and several other 
organizations. The event began with a parade down Central Avenue followed 
by a festival in Roosevelt Park, which featured music, food and other events.

Hemp Coalition spokesman Ben Tucker said Freedom Fest was part of a 
nationwide May 5 celebration and campaign for marijuana legalization.

"It's to get people to take notice of the freedoms we don't have, and to 
remind them that there's still a struggle," he said.

Most of the attendees said they were there to support campaigns for the 
legalization of marijuana.

"I think it gets a bad reputation because people associate it next to 
heroin and cocaine," 19-year-old UNM student Daniel Patron said. "Alcohol 
and tobacco have caused so much more damage. The government has wasted 
billions on this drug war and hasn't accomplished anything."

Thomson said her husband has been in the Bernalillo County Detention Center 
since a urine test turned up traces of marijuana. He is on probation for a 
previous arrest for receiving stolen property.

She said he had turned his life around after the arrest and used marijuana 
to ease the pain of a case of walking pneumonia.

"He had just started a new job -- he was totally humbled and wants his life 
back," she said. "He's never done anything violent or hurt anybody."

Many at the event said they supported Gov. Gary Johnson's drug policy 
reform proposals, which include decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana. 
Johnson has been sharply criticized by lawmakers who disagree with his 
assertion that the drug war has failed.

Police kept a visible presence at the event but had not issued any 
citations as of Saturday afternoon, said APD Sgt. Les Brown. He said event 
organizers had secured permits for use of the park, but police would not 
tolerate blatant drug abuse.
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