Pubdate: Tue, 19 Apr 2005
Source: Colorado Daily (UC Edu, CO)
Copyright: 2005 Colorado Daily
Contact:  http://www.coloradodaily.com/
Author: Casey Freeman, Colorado Daily Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

4/20ERS BE WARNED

Paranoia is said to be a symptom of pot smoking. But what happens if you 
actually have something to fear?

While partakers in traditional 4/20 events at CU and on campuses around the 
nation normally associate the day with sunshine and carefree toking, this 
year, the CU administration and local law enforcement are planning to crack 
down on the event. So, if you plan on actively celebrating the high point 
of the weed-lovers' calendar by smoking pot at CU's Farrand Field today, be 
prepared to tangle with CU police.

April 20 (4/20) has been celebrated at CU-Boulder at Farrand Field in 
recent years. CU police have backed off of enforcing the law on marijuana 
due to the overwhelming numbers of smokers that have prevented them from 
issuing tickets or making arrests.

That isn't the case this year. After two years of bad press about scandals 
centered on sex, drugs and alcohol, CU has said it will crack down on 
pot-smoking during 4/20 today.

"As in the past, CU-Boulder's campus police will maintain an appropriate 
presence at any gathering on campus," Chancellor Phil DiStefano's office 
stated in a recent press release. "We are asking the community to refrain 
from coming to this informal, unsponsored event."

The CU-Boulder Police Department told the Colorado Daily last month it 
plans to partner with the city of Boulder Police Department, as well as 
other drug enforcement units.

Some students and community members think CU is overreacting when it comes 
to this latest ban on the event.

"The University acts like this is something unique to here," said CU senior 
and campus activist and Hip Hop Congress member Dustin Craun. "And it's not 
in any way. There are 4/20 rallies all across the country. Now (the media 
are) going to cover Boulder, because CU made a big deal about it. This goes 
on at most college campuses across the country."

Many think CU's cracking down on the Farrand Field festivities is a just a 
way for CU to show the state it can deal with its hard-partying students.

"I talked to University officials and they told me something to the extent 
of 'well, we're only going to do stuff to those 50 or so individuals who 
light up every year.' I think they're delusional if they think it's 50 
individuals. It's going to be like 2,000 kids, like it is every year. The 
majority of which are taking part, in some extent, to the things going on. 
I don't know what they can do to 2,000 kids," said Craun.

Other community members say CU is trying to extinguish another potentially 
embarrassing occurrence before it happens.

"This is not an issue that the CU administration wants on its agenda at all 
right now," said Paul Danish, a former Boulder City Councilman, County 
Commissioner and long-time U.S. Drug War critic. "The administration is 
under a lot of stress with a whole bunch of different stuff. Much of it 
suggests 'CU is out of control.'"

Danish said the CU administration is trying to recover its image from the 
scandals related to football recruiting issues and the controversy 
surrounding ethnic studies professor Ward Churchill.

"I'm not thrilled about breaking the law; on the other hand, I think that 
the laws in this case are pretty irrational," said Danish.

Even so, Danish warns students that CU might not be kidding around this time.

"If you go and participate in this sort of festivity, and warnings have 
been given, chances are police will be cracking down harder this year," he 
said.

Craun, who says he doesn't smoke pot, also cautions avid pot advocates 
about the potential legal and financial consequences that could come along 
with getting high and getting caught.

"I would encourage the students to use caution, considering this is an act 
of civil disobedience," said Craun. "And this is (coming from) me, someone 
who's been arrested twice for civil disobedience this semester."

Calls to the University of Colorado Police Department for this story were 
not returned by the Daily's deadline Tuesday evening. Colorado Daily 
reporter Matt Williams contributed to this report.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager