cannabisnews.com: CU: No Grass on April 20





CU: No Grass on April 20
Posted by CN Staff on March 18, 2005 at 09:10:21 PT
By Ryan Morgan, Camera Staff Writer
Source: Daily Camera
University of Colorado administrators and local public health officials are trying to figure out ways to make an annual on-campus pro-marijuana rally blow away like a puff of smoke. Every April 20, pot enthusiasts gather in the middle of Farrand Field to smoke copious amounts of marijuana. Typically, police don't intervene.
But given the scandals currently rocking the school, Ron Stump, vice chancellor for student affairs, said he thinks tolerating crowds of hundreds of people cheerfully getting stoned definitely sends the wrong message. "I think there's some students who feel that it doesn't represent them and it's not appropriate on our campus," Stump said. "I think they'd like to see us do something." Stump, who discussed the issue with city and county officials during a meeting this week, said he doesn't yet know what concrete steps the administration will take to discourage students from going ganja next month. At this point, he said, he wants to talk to student leaders to see what ideas they can come up with to keep the event from happening. Increased police presence "could be" one way of discouraging the rally, Stump said. Mason Tvert, head of a Boulder-based nonprofit that emphasizes the relative safety of marijuana compared to alcohol, said the school shouldn't be trying to shut out the rally's message of marijuana tolerance. "This is something a whole lot of people believe in, and I think the university should listen," he said. Boulder County Public Health Director Chuck Stout said he hopes to see the rally disappear, but not because he disagrees with its message. Those engaging in spliff-smoking civil disobedience will have a point when they argue that their illegal substance causes less harm than legal alcohol use does, Stout said. And he said he personally thinks harsh criminal penalties meted out for pot possession are wrong. "This isn't to make a statement that marijuana is the most evil thing out there," he said. "Alcohol, frankly, from a medical perspective, can be far more dangerous than marijuana." But while the protesters have a point on the merits, Stout said the rally will create a public perception that the school simply doesn't need right now. The public is increasingly associating CU with continuing fallout from the athletic sex and recruiting scandal and its party-school image, Stout said. Pictures of hundreds of stoned undergrads won't exactly help, he said. "This is a world-class university that we're very proud of," he said. "Given all that has gone on with substance use and abuse, this doesn't feel very sensitive. ... If we're trying to change that culture, having a mob rally that celebrates intoxication — that doesn't seem too smart." Note: Administrators mull ways to discourage pro-pot festival.Source: Daily Camera (CO)Author: Ryan Morgan, Camera Staff WriterPublished: March 18, 2005Copyright: 2005 The Daily CameraContact: openforum thedailycamera.comWebsite: http://www.thedailycamera.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Boulder NORMLhttp://www.normlforboulder.org 'It's Green Prozac'http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20369.shtmlStudents Call on CU To Ease Up on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20363.shtml Alcohol, Not Pot, Should Be Police Focushttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20208.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by rchandar on March 19, 2005 at 15:39:50 PT:
just don't believe 'em...
...they're repressed, brainwashed, government-scared drones who want to doctor out freedom of expression. Fuck 'em.--rchandar
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Comment #6 posted by mayan on March 18, 2005 at 17:08:31 PT
CU SEX SCANDALS
The Colorado athletic program has been plagued by sex scandals in recent years. The entire collegiate system is currupted just like the government. Money and power are all that matter to these free-loaders. It's a shame that this pathetically crooked university won't allow their students to engage in a little harmless freedom of expression! Football and Sex at Colorado: The Real Scandal: 
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0221-05.htm 
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Comment #5 posted by cloud7 on March 18, 2005 at 15:16:09 PT
...
"he thinks tolerating crowds of hundreds of people cheerfully getting stoned definitely sends the wrong message."Absolutely right, freedom was on the march, but time to be a little intolerant, beat it down and put your foot on its throat to send the right message. Tolerance of a peaceful protest was fine back in the day, but we aren't living in a police-free state anymore.
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Comment #4 posted by dongenero on March 18, 2005 at 13:52:15 PT
freedom is a nuisance to the intolerant
Since when does the fact that the rally is counter to the opinion of some students, negate the rights of those that it does represent.If the rally doesn't represent your opinion, then don't go.
But don't infringe on the right of other to express their opinion and their right to assemble.This is still America.....isn't it? Let's try to remember what that means.
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Comment #3 posted by unkat27 on March 18, 2005 at 12:16:37 PT
The PTB are Morons
Hey what a great idea! Forcing students to stop partying on 4/20. Why not extend it to the entire spring break? Now, that would really go nicely amongst American students. Who are these morons dictating policy in the US today and HOW did they become the PTB? Let me guess. It has been scientifically proven that 'inbreeding' leads to stupidity. Along with that, we all know that its the greedy, not the smart, who kiss all the ass for class mobility. Hmm... I'm beginning to think all the smart Americans are the ones who are being persecuted and imprisoned, while all the morons are the ones sucking up, kissing ass, and gaining wealth and power. This does not bode well for the US or the world.
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Comment #2 posted by potpal on March 18, 2005 at 09:39:23 PT
civil disobedience
Here I go again. Why not? Smoke big fat joints of...tobacco in plain site of any leo on 420 pass it to your friends. Let them go through the paces for naught...Give pot a chance.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 18, 2005 at 09:31:35 PT
News Brief from TheNewMexicoChannel.com
Medical Marijuana Bill Awaits House Approval March 18, 2005ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Medical marijuana advocates continued to wait Friday for a bill to allow the growing and/or possession of medical marijuana to clear its final hurdle: a debate on the House floor.New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Thursday that he would sign the bill, which has been passed by the Senate."This is for those who are in extreme pain and danger. I think we can have enough safeguards. I would be prepared to sign it," said Richardson. The medical marijuana bill is sponsored in the House by Rep. Cisco McSorley.The bill would allow patients with cancer and other debilitating diseases to use marijuana to ease their symptoms.Copyright: 2005 by TheNewMexicoChannel.com
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