Pubdate: Mon, 08 Sep 2003
Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK)
Copyright: 2003 The Anchorage Daily News
Contact:  http://www.adn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/18
Author: Geo Beach

SMOKER'S KITCHEN NO PLACE FOR POLICE

A couple years ago David Noy was smoking some fish at his house in North 
Pole. Or rather he was grilling some salmon and smoking some herb in a 
recipe that was detectable if not delectable to the local police, and he 
got busted. Not for the barbecue -- for the pot.

David Noy was convicted of sixth degree misconduct involving a controlled 
substance -- a misdemeanor -- possessing an amount of marijuana that is 
statutorily defined as for personal use. He had pot plants in his house and 
the things to make them grow and the stuff to smoke 'em when they did.

In most states, that makes a pretty cut-and-dried case. But this is, after 
all, Alaska, where we don't give a damn how they do it Outside. Or didn't.

In the 1975 Ravin Decision, the Alaska Supreme Court determined that the 
privacy clause of the Alaska Constitution outweighed any public safety 
considerations restricting an adult's personal use of marijuana in his home.

Until 1990, David Noy was constitutionally protected in his right to burn 
vegetables along with his salmon steaks.

Then Frank Murkowski and some other opportunists saw a chance to blow smoke 
and show off with drug czar William Bennett. A citizens' initiative 
criminalized pot. At the same time, Wally Hickel turned into Alaska's 
governor with less votes than dope got.

The initiative raised an interesting question. Can citizens by mere 
majority vote change the state's constitution as interpreted by its highest 
court?

If so, any number of protected rights might be outlawed. That's called 
Tyranny of the Majority -- just because you can get 50.1 percent of voters 
to agree to something doesn't make it right. Or legal.

In 1993, Judge Michael Thompson ruled in the First Judicial District that 
the 1990 law against marijuana violated the state constitution. Earlier 
this year, Superior Court Judge Richard Savell dismissed a personal-use 
growing and possession conviction, citing Alaskan's constitutional right to 
privacy.

Now Noy's noise -- he appealed his conviction, saying voters can't abridge 
constitutional rights -- made the Alaska Court of Appeals listen. And 
agree. "Alaska citizens have a right to possess less than four ounces of 
marijuana in their home for personal use," wrote Appeals Judge David 
Stewart. So next, the state wants to ask the Alaska Supreme Court to review 
the unanimous appellate ruling.

If the Supremes back up Judge Stewart et al, who's going to be mad?

William Bennett for starters, but since Bill recently copped to 
compulsively gambling away $8 million, that's just the kettle calling the 
pot black. Mr. Bookie of Virtues thinks it's OK for him to gamble because 
the Catholic Church doesn't consider it a sin. But Rastafarians think much 
the same about smoking The Sacrament because their church considers 
marijuana a salvation.

Remember those ads that came out after Sept. 11, 2001, saying that people 
who bought drugs supported terrorists? David Noy grew his own. His pot 
plants constituted a modern-day Victory Garden, a homefront effort in the 
War on Terrorism. He can't be accused of supporting organized crime. Can 
Bill Bennett, who gambled in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, places with 
reputed mob connections, say the same?

Who else is going to be ticked off if Alaska goes supremely green?

Well, true blue U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft would see red. But 
then, Alaska would have plenty of company. At last count about 150 local 
and state governments had passed resolutions against Ashcroft's Patriot 
Act. That includes the city of Anchorage and the state of Alaska. Even Sen. 
Lisa Murkowski recently introduced a bill to modify the Patriot Act by 
"protecting the individual rights of Americans".

Alaska used to lead the country in preserving privacy. Now it's time to 
catch up. The Supreme Court of the United States recently told Texas and 
other like-minded states to stay out of people's bedrooms. Noy just wants 
the cops out of his kitchen.

Sure, Alaska voters need to clean house. But there are bigger fish to fry 
than small fry smokin' pot.

Writer Geo Beach is a commentator for National Public Radio and an essayist 
for TomPaine.com.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens