Pubdate: Sat, 18 Sep 1999 Source: Boston Herald (MA) Copyright: 1999 The Boston Herald, Inc. Contact: One Herald Square, Boston, MA 02106-2096 Website: http://www.bostonherald.com/ Related: http://www.masscann.org/ POT RALLY MAY HURT CAUSE Initiative petitions are expected to be circulated to decriminalize marijuana in Massachusetts. The annual pot rally on Boston Common scheduled for today should furnish excellent arguments for opponents. The attorney general's office has certified the petitions and the secretary of state has printed signature forms. If 57,100 signatures are collected, such a question could be on the ballot next year. Decriminalizing pot isn't humane, or an economy measure - a way to unclog the courts and redirect law enforcement resources to "real crimes.'' It's just plain dumb. European countries that have experimented in this area have seen a dramatic rise in drug use. And once again, the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition will inflict its annual "Freedom Rally'' on us. These gatherings are an excuse for mass lawbreaking. There's much sparking up between music and semi-coherent speeches. But attempts by the city to block the hemp fests have been blocked by a zealous judiciary. Citizens who attend the rallies get sobering insights into the effects of marijuana use. Participants include burned-out relics of the 1960s (middle-aged dudes with ponytails and tatoos) and dopey adolescents who imagine themselves to be heroic rebels. Both have a hard time keeping a train of thought on track and tend to express themselves with a lot of "uhs'' and "like ya know, man.'' If opponents want to make some very effective ads, they'll attend the rally with a video camera. The long-term effects of marijuana use, reflected in rally participants, ought to win adherents. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake