Pubdate: Sat, 03 May 2003
Source: Lawrence Journal-World (KS)
Copyright: 2003 The Lawrence Journal-World
Contact: http://www.ljworld.com/site/submit_letter
Website: http://www.ljworld.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1075
Author: Mike Belt
Cited: Students for a Sensible Drug Policy www.ssdp.org

PROTESTERS HOPE TO SNUFF OUT LAWS AGAINST MARIJUANA USE

They smoke marijuana, and they don't care who knows it.

Friday evening Chase Cookson stood along Massachusetts Street in South Park 
and waved a sign that said "Marijuana User -- Not Criminal." Nearly two 
dozen fellow Kansas University students stood with him, waving signs with 
similar phrases.

"We're just trying to let people know there are different kinds of folks 
who are consumers of marijuana," said Cookson, a Wichita junior. "We could 
be your brother, son, father or next-door neighbor."

The students, members of the KU Chapter of Students for Sensible Drug 
Policy, dubbed their protest of marijuana laws "cannabis liberation." They 
later walked down the sidewalk along Massachusetts Street so people 
downtown could see them.

Cookson said he disagreed with those who say smoking marijuana leads to use 
of more dangerous drugs such as crack cocaine or heroin. 4219dac.jpg "I 
know plenty of people who have smoked marijuana and did not move on to 
other drugs," said Cookson, who favors legalized use of small amounts of 
marijuana.

Steve Ducey, an Overland Park sophomore, agreed. He held up a sign that 
read "Pot Smoking Does Not Make Me a Criminal."

Several passing motorists gave the group the thumbs-up sign and honked 
their horns in a show of support.

"We're getting great response," Ducey said. "It makes me feel pretty happy 
about that."

Ducey said one of the supporting motorists had a military veteran's license 
tag and another was a woman driving a minivan with children in it.

Coming by to give his moral support to the students was attorney David 
Whinery, who also favors some legalized marijuana use.

Whinery said he'd seen a lot of young people "get ruined" because they got 
caught with a small amount of marijuana. They couldn't get jobs or student 
loans, he said.

Whinery said he understood strong laws against crack and other harder 
drugs, but said "marijuana is pretty innocuous."
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