Pubdate: Fri, 07 Feb 2003
Source: Tiger, The (SC Edu)
Copyright: 2003 The Tiger
Contact:  http://www.thetigernews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2490
Author: Courtenay Ryals

SPEAKER DESIRES LEGAL POT

Founder Of Texas Chapter Of NORML Says Marijuana Should Be Legal.

"I think that marijuana should be legalized. Why? Because I smoke pot, and 
I am not ashamed to say it. It's America's dirty little secret .... But I 
like to get high. I like to smoke pot."

While people all over the nation battle for the legalization of marijuana, 
students at Clemson chose to spread the cause by inviting Rick Day, the 
founder of the Texas chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of 
Marijuana Laws (NORML), to speak about benefits of legalizing the drug. 
Day, an Air Force veteran with a degree in commercial music, currently 
works as the State Coordinator and Lobbyist for Georgia NORML.

Brought to Clemson by Clemson NORML, Day referred to himself as a "seed 
planter of freedom."

Day cited that one of the main arguments for the legalization of marijuana 
is that there are varying laws from state to state, each having differing 
penalties. He indicated that South Carolina has one of the most lenient 
small possession laws in the nation, with offenders receiving only a 
$100-$200 civil fine for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana.

Confronting the issue of the addictive properties of marijuana, Day 
commented, "Riding my motorcycle is addictive. Adults should be free to do 
whatever they want. Consumption falls within that realm."

Day believes that marijuana should be legalized and monitored by the U.S. 
government, who would collect taxes on the commodity. As a result, he 
believes that marijuana plants should be grown and cut more regularly to 
ensure maximum potency.

"If it's more potent, you smoke less. Better strains of marijuana mean that 
somebody took the time to care for the plants," he explained.

He also noted that the U.S. government would save money by not having to 
enforce marijuana laws or control the black market.

Day rallied students at the University and encouraged them that his fight 
for the legalization of marijuana was not going unnoticed.

"We are making progress when (lawmakers) stop laughing at us and begin to 
fight us," he said. "But 70 percent of the voting population is between the 
ages of 18 and 40 years old. You just don't give a damn. If more young 
people got involved, got active, got vocal ... you could make a difference."

Because Day speaks often about his case for marijuana, he keeps a "living 
document" of reasons why pot should be legalized, adding to it after every 
presentation that he makes. The reasons range from the more serious -- 
legalization for medicinal purposes -- to the comical -- food tastes better 
high.

Day laughingly noted, "If (the marijuana) is homegrown, it's even patriotic!"

Sophomore Gil Tisdale said, "I think that marijuana should be legalized 
because it has beneficial medicinal purposes for people who are suffering 
from cancer. It makes a hard time in their lives just a little easier."

Many, of course, disagree with the position taken by Day and others who 
want marijuana legalized. Sophomore Anne Stanton said, "The legalization of 
marijuana makes it seem acceptable for kids to go out and get high."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart