Pubdate: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 Source: Associated Press Copyright: 1999 Associated Press Event: http://www.masscann.org/ MARIJUANA RALLY HAS A GOAL THIS YEAR Thousands were expected to gather on the Boston Common Saturday for a rally to protest the ''war on marijuana.'' It will be the 10th year the rally has been staged, but this year there will be more in the air than just clouds of odd-smelling smoke. Activists with the Committee to Reform Marijuana Laws said they would use the event to collect petition signatures for a proposal they are trying to get on November 2000 ballot that would decriminalize the possession of marijuana. The organizers need to collect more than 57,100 voter signatures in the fall. If they collect those signatures and the Legislature doesn't act on their proposal, they must collect more than 9,517 additional signatures in the spring before their proposal can go on the ballot. The proposed law would make it a criminal violation to provide marijuana to a person under 18. On the other hand, it would allow people charged with marijuana crimes to defend themselves by saying they were using it for their health. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake