Pubdate: Sun,  28 May 2000
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2000 The New York Times Company
Contact:  229 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036
Fax: (212) 556-3622
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Forum: http://www10.nytimes.com/comment/
Author: David Kirby
Cited: Grass: http://www.grassthemovie.com/
NORML: http://www.norml.org/

Neighborhood Report:

TIMES SQUARE -- BUZZ

A Party Lights Up Broadway After a Movie's Premiere

THE SETTING -- A screening on Monday of "Grass," a documentary by Ron Mann 
that chronicles the 90-year history of American marijuana laws and the 
sundry ways in which Americans have flouted the prohibitions against it. 
The showing, at the AMC Empire Theaters on West 42nd Street, was the New 
York premiere of the film as well as a benefit for Norml, the National 
Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The film is a fairly 
lighthearted look at a serious subject ("No hippies were harmed in the 
making of this film," the credits said reassuringly.)

At an after-film party at Bar Code in Times Square, gift bags contained 
aromatherapy candles, a copy of High Times magazine and a small, mysterious 
brownie in a zippered plastic bag.

THE BUZZ -- "It's the film everyone's toking about," said Mr. Mann, as 
moviegoers milled around the high-tech video arcade and bar after the 
screening. The movie was warmly received by the crowd, an odd mix of gray 
ponytails and gray flannel suits spanning three generations. Despite an 
admonition against "smoking of any kind," the theater, as potheads might 
say, reeked.

"It happens at every screening," said Mr. Mann, a Canadian in his 40's with 
a wild gray mane. "People light up. But it really boosts concession stand 
sales."

One person hoping to capitalize on the well-known ravenous appetites of pot 
smokers was Shawn Patrick House, who was promoting his new Hempzel line of 
pretzels. Baked by Mennonites in Lancaster, Pa., the dough includes shelled 
hemp seed, imported, legally, from Canada. Mr. House said he would ask 
Unapix Films, the distributor of "Grass," to consider making Hempzel the 
"official munchie" of the movie.

Among the cannabis-friendly supporters at the $50 fund-raiser was Tom 
Hillgardner, a lawyer, who said: "All drugs should be legal. Marijuana's 
just the start."

Asked if he had ever broken any marijuana laws, Mr. Hillgardner roared. 
"There is a public record about my breaking the marijuana laws," he said. 
"I'm one of the few attorneys in New York State who's been admitted to the 
bar over and above a felony conviction. Why? I'm an excellent lawyer."

Dana Beal, organizer of the annual marijuana march in Lower Manhattan, said 
the message of the movie was plain and simple: "Marijuana is not a hard 
drug and too many Americans are in jail for possession."

Mr. Beal said New York under Mayor Giuliani was among the most 
pot-intolerant cities in America. He said there were pro-marijuana rallies 
this month in 100 cities, "and only in New York and three other cities were 
there any marijuana arrests." 
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