Thursday, April 16, 1998
Hempfest challenges legality of pot
Advocates believe that marijuana has unifying properties
By Michael Weiner
Daily Bruin Contributor
"I’m excited about Jesus, but I’m more excited about pot," said
Craig Ruben to the crowd gathered in front of Kerckhoff Hall on
Wednesday.
Marijuana brings together people of different races, ethnicities
and religions, said the UCLA alum to about 200 students gathered
for the annual Hempfest.
The event – organized by the Bruin Libertarians – included
speeches by Ruben, who owns the 2000 B.C. Hemp Store, and former
Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Richard Boddie, who quoted entire
verses from Bob Dylan’s "The Times They Are A-Changin’."
"The only place anyone ever came together on this campus was
when we were right here smoking pot," Ruben told the enthusiastic,
mostly intoxicated crowd.
Boddie criticized the government’s "war on drugs" and gave
statistics on deaths due to cigarette smoking and alcohol
consumption. He went on to say that no one has died from smoking
marijuana.
"It is not a war on drugs, it is a war on people," he said.
Justin Sobodash, president of the Bruin Libertarians, also
denounced the war on drugs.
"The drug war has eroded our civil liberties, helped to destroy
our economy through prohibitive tax rates and imprisoned people who
could be out being productive members of society," Sobodash
said.
Devi Lambert, who was the chief organizer of the event,
explained the Libertarian belief in a hands-off government.
"The Libertarians believe that your body is your body, and we
believe in the responsible use of drugs," she said.
Hempfest included an auction and raffle of bongs and other
marijuana accessories and music from the Groove 103.1 radio
station.
A representative from Groove said that the station does not
necessarily promote marijuana legalization but wants to participate
in student functions on college campuses regardless of the
function’s purpose.
When asked why police officers did not come to the festival to
arrest students who were smoking marijuana, Nancy Greenstein, UCLA
Police Department director of communications, said that they did
not know about the event and did not receive any phone calls
complaints.
Many students had enthusiastic responses about the festival.
"The idea of everybody being able to come together is what I
think college is all about," said Danny Brunner, a third-year
history student.
Another onlooker expressed his agreement with many of the
statements made at Hempfest.
"Everybody has the right to express their opinion," said David
Wong, a fourth-year computer science student. "If you’re
responsible, I think you have the right to (smoke marijuana)."
"It’s no more harmful than alcohol or cigarettes," he
continued.
JAMIE SCANLON-JACOBS/Daily Bruin
A student smokes pot during the Hempfest that was held outside
of Kerckhoff Hall.