cannabisnews.com: Alex City Mother of Two, Wants To Be Next Sheriff Alex City Mother of Two, Wants To Be Next Sheriff Posted by CN Staff on June 26, 2003 at 23:18:46 PT By Tom McElroy Source: Plain Talker In a feature article published by The Birmingham News Loretta Lynn Nall was described as “ an unlikely political activist. With her at-home candle business, Stevie Nicks hairdo, and kitchen-table computer, the mother of two is truly grassroots, especially the grass part.”You see, Mrs. Nall is the founder of The United States Marijuana Party, an organization whose literature proclaims it to be “a motivated group of Americans who are tired of living in fear of their government because of marijuana prohibition. “ Much of her support comes from Canadian activists. Shortly after this interview Mrs. Nall was on her way to British Columbia to appear on a TV show there and to attend meetings with her supporters. But make no mistake; she is a local girl.“ I grew up in Ashland and moved to Alexander City in 1997 when my husband got out of the army,” Nall said during an April 24th interview. “ We moved here because this is where all our family is; I am big mouthed with big opinions but I have a sense of humor, too,” she laughed, “However, I’m not joking about this: The reason I asked you to give me this interview is because I am going to run for sheriff of Tallapoosa County in the next election. I’ve got 4 years to get out and meet people and tell them about my platform and all the things I intend to do if I’m elected,” she said. “I’m still learning how to do it but I intend to spend a year doing a lot of research and the other three out capaigning, shaking hands and kissing babies. My platform is to stop the arrests of folks for smoking marijuana.”Nall will run as the candidate of the Alabama Marijuana Party, a party founded by her in October of last year. “ We’re a political action committee trying to loosen marijuana laws and raise awareness about the plant’s medicinal benefits,” she said, “ I think prohibition causes more problems than marijuana ever will. No one wants their kids to grow up and do drugs but we must face the fact that some of them are going to grow up and do them anyway, therefore we must make them as safe as humanly possible.”When asked how she felt her radical platform would be rec-eived in Tallapoosa County, Mrs. Nall replied, “ Who knows? I think a lot of people will support what I’m trying to do—maybe more than some might think—I’ve been well received so far. I haven’t had but one or two people tell me I’m an absolute lunatic. And I’m not a lunatic—I’m just like everybody else, I’ve got a husband, kids, I’ve got geese, chicken and a dog. I’m a common country girl but I do have big ideas and opinions,” she says,” I’ve always wanted to speak out—and you can believe that I’m going to keep saying that marijuana users are not criminals who rob, steal or other-wise cause harm to the fabric of society, and it is time to stop treating us as if we were,” Nall said. In a recent interview with The Birmingham News, Loretta Nall said that her views on marijuana were shaped, in part, by her brother’s experience. An alcoholic, Randy Sapp, 35, has been in and out of jail for alcohol-fueled crimes. “For work release, they put him to loading Budweiser trucks,” Nall said. That didn’t work out so well.Sapp, back home in Ashland, is frank about his addictions. “If marijuana was legal, I would never pick up another drop of alcohol,” he said. While voters in California and Nevada have tried to legalize marijuana for medical use, or in small quantities, Nall is dangling on the outer edge of the fringe in Alabama. “Loretta’s been far more vocal in the middle of the desert,” said Ben Power, 53, president of the Florida Marijuana Party.Power, who suffers from congestive heart failure, said he uses marijuana to dilate his blood vessels. His son is a sheriff’s deputy, and drug agents have never targeted his West Palm Beach home. “I just think it’s a lot easier in places like Miami, West Palm and Key West, where ideas might be a tad more progressive than in Alexander City,” Power said. At one time, Nall had considered moving to Montgomery but decided that the family would hate to leave their two acres, the chickens, guineas, geese, St. Bernard and cat named Catfish.Whether they agree with Loretta Nall or not most people are impressed by her energy and zeal. In fact, Mrs. Nall seems unable to contain her proselytizing; even trying to persuade law enforcement officers that marijuana is harmless. In the midst of one such pitch, a black deputy reminded her that harmful or not, marijuana is still illegal in the state of Alabama. “ True,” snapped Loretta, “but at one time it was illegal to help a slave to freedom in the state of Alabama.” When asked by The New Week for a statement she would like to leave with the people of Tallapoosa County, Nall asked for some time to think about it. Minutes later, as the interview ended, Nall said, “Here’s my statement: We’re Americans and we don’t have to p— in a cup for anybody.”Complete Title: Pot-Smoking, Protest-Marching, Alex City Mother of Two, Wants To Be Your Next Sheriff Source: Plain Talker (AL)Author: Tom McElroyCopyright: 2003 The Plain TalkerContact: editor plaintalker.comWebsite: http://www.plaintalker.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Alabama Marijuana Partyhttp://alabama.usmjparty.com/ 'We Are Not Criminals' http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16097.shtmlMarijuana Advocate Energized By Arresthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15732.shtmlDrug Prohibition Costs More Than It's Worthhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14908.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Post Comment