Pubdate: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2009 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/info/letters/index.html Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Author: Geoff Kirbyson Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?420 (Cannabis - Popular) POT PROPONENTS COME OUT IN FULL FORCE Thousands Light Up For 4/20 Event At first whiff, Bob Marley would have been pleased. The late reggae singer and arguably the world's most famous smoker of marijuana would have felt right at home among the estimated 3,000 who congregated on the lawns of the Legislative Building on Monday afternoon to mark 4/20 -- a worldwide celebration of pot and a protest against anti-marijuana laws. But the legendary Rastafarian, who regularly sang about the benefits of marijuana, would no doubt have been disheartened by the large number in the crowd who saw 4/20 as nothing more than a day to get stoned in public and not get in trouble rather than an opportunity to convince governments to legalize -- or at least decriminalize -- the popular drug. Nathan Zahn, a local events promoter who was passing out flyers opposed to Bill C-15 -- proposed legislation that would increase minimum jail sentences for marijuana offenders -- admitted that as an activist, he was in a definite minority. He said the federal Tories were taking a much less enlightened view of pot than the Liberals had under Jean Chretien, who had openly mused about decriminalizing marijuana. "I'm hopeful things will change but I'm not optimistic anything will happen soon," he said. Mere metres away, talks on how lawmakers can better deal with drug users in the criminal justice system went up in smoke. The pungent smell of pot wafted through the open windows as Justice Minister Dave Chomiak fielded questions about what the province can do to handle the number of substance abusers in jail. During the meeting Chomiak said 71 per cent of inmates in the provincial system have a substance abuse problem. He did not have information about how many seek treatment. Kim Hall was arguably the most visible participant in Monday's proceedings. Standing on a large flower pot on the steps leading up to the legislature, the 18-year-old waved a large black flag with green marijuana leaves. "They should be legalizing marijuana because it's not that bad. There are a lot of people who do it. It's not as bad as other drugs," she said. Matt Kozak, 20, said he'd like to see marijuana available at the retail level. "I don't know why liquor is legal and weed isn't," he said, lighting a joint. Surveying the scene from the top of the Legislaive Building's steps was Winnipeg Police Inspector Dave Thorne. Despite the deliberate flaunting of the law before him, neither he nor any of his fellow officers had any intention of removing the handcuffs from their belts. "Our view is this is a worldwide protest for the proponents of decriminalizing marijuana. From a police point of view, it's not about enforcement, it's more about providing a safe environment for people to express their views. It doesn't mean we promote the breaking of acts or statutes but we're trying to be realistic," he said. On Broadway, ice cream and hot dog vendors reported business was brisk. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom