Source: The Blade (Toledo, OH) Copyright: 1999 The Blade Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 Page: 18 Website: http://www.toledoblade.com/ Contact: Mike Tressler, Blade Staff Writer ADVOCATES OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION SPLIT AND END RIFT PORT CLINTON - A rift in a grass-roots organization that advocates legalizing marijuana has been resolved by splitting the group down the middle. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws will have two chapters in northwest Ohio: One will be in Toledo, and the other will remain in Port Clinton. It's the result of the disagreement between two factions on the board of the 100-member Port Clinton chapter. The decision was reached when the two sparring factions met Monday with Toledo lawyer Spiros Cocoves, who was hired to mediate the dispute, said Keith Stroup of Washington, founder and executive director of NORML. The chapter known as NORML of Sandusky Valley was split by the dispute among board members. Some favored high-profile President Tomas Salazar, others wanted to oust him. The conflict caused Mr. Salazar to vacate the group's Port Clinton office, taking furniture and office equipment with him. Mr. Salazar remained apart until Monday's mediation. The factions "realized they could not work together, so they put the conflict behind them and will move forward as two groups," Mr. Stroup said. Mr. Salazar will head the Port Clinton chapter. "It's not clear who will lead the Toledo group, which includes the rebels who challenged Mr. Salazar's leadership," Mr. Stroup said. The Toledo group will apply for affiliate status, Mr. Stroup said. Both groups will start over, with the Ottawa County organization's charter held in abeyance until NORML is satisfied that it will hold regular meetings and submit new bylaws. Mr. Salazar could not be reached for comment. Mr. Stroup said that personality conflicts, not policy differences, were to blame for the dispute that split the Sandusky Valley chapter in half. There will now be three chapters of NORML in Ohio. The Northcoast NORML is in Cleveland. The Sandusky Valley chapter was established in 1990. Over the years, it organized an annual Harvest Festival and won a bitter fight with the state to participate in the "Adopt-A-Highway" program. NORML was founded by Mr. Stroup in 1970 and is the country's leading advocate for legalizing marijuana use. It seeks to decriminalize the smoking and marketing of the drug. Local chapters explain that position with speakers, letters to newspaper editors, and visits to congressional representatives, Mr. Stroup said. "It's a grass-roots approach to politics, and we can't do that from Washington," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake