cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Advocate Throws Final Hemp Party Marijuana Advocate Throws Final Hemp Party Posted by FoM on July 15, 2000 at 15:22:01 PT By Bryan Denson of The Oregonian Staff Source: The Oregonian World Hemp Festival 2000, a three-day celebration hosted by Bill Conde, will draw thousands to Harrisburg this weekend. The brothers and sisters streamed into camp Friday: the tie-dyed, the poor, the dreadlocked, the doobie-rolling masses yearning to be free. They built a tent city on a flat patch of dry grass about 90 miles south of Portland and set up more than 200 booths in a peace-sign pattern. Perhaps 10,000 will plant themselves here this weekend in a village reeking of patchouli, sage smoke and -- depending on who's looking -- puffs of marijuana. They've gathered to buy and sell hemp shoes, lip balm, bongs, massage oils, herbal soaps, digital scales, crystals, lighters, T-shirts, jewelry, drums, wooden masks, flags, hand-crafted rugs and a thousand images of Bob Marley. They are here to party at Bill Conde's place one last time. The three-day celebration that ends Sunday -- its official title is the World Hemp Festival 2000 -- is the final bow for Conde, a 57-year-old marijuana activist and one-time candidate for Oregon governor. After hosting five hemp festivals and many rock and reggae concerts, Conde said he hopes to sell his redwood lumber business and High-5 concert venue and move to the Central American nation of Belize this year. Linn County authorities have described previous festivals as open-air drug bazaars. Sheriff Dave Burright said peddlers sold his undercover deputies marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms, LSD and all manner of pills. Drug sales were so rampant at one festival, Burright said, that when one of his deputies answered "yes" to a dealer's time-honored question -- "Are you a cop?" -- the dealer sold him drugs anyway. Last month, for the first time, Conde and his associates applied to the county for a mass-gathering permit, and county commissioners granted the request. Conde promised to hire professional security guards and banish people for selling or openly using illegal drugs, al though he maintains that drugs can be found almost everywhere. "The sheriff can't keep drugs out of his jail," Conde said. "We will be looking in people's coolers for alcohol, and we will look into people's backpacks for weapons. "And if we find a quantity of drugs in there, we're gonna tell them, 'Hey, that's not allowed in here.' The only alcohol I want in here is what's purchased at the beer garden, 'cause I get a piece of the action," he said. Conde faces trial on a pair of felony counts charging that he aided and abetted drug transactions at a previous hemp festival. Conde denies the charges, claiming that he merely held an event where some people were accused of selling drugs. But he said he's following the rules to avoid more problems. He has long advocated the legalization of marijuana. He claims he is licensed to smoke marijuana in Oregon to ease the pain of irritable bowel syndrome and said he sees no difference between medicinal and recreational uses of the drug. Burright, who planned to send undercover deputies onto the property this weekend, said he has long contended that Conde's festivals were created as a safe haven for people to openly defy drug laws. "It's extraordinarily aggravating," he said. But few festival-goers seemed to be lighting up in the daylight Friday, although one man sat in the grass smoking a joint at 9:18 a.m. Some observers suggested that the real partying would begin after dark. "It's a little early in the day for debauchery," said one vendor who declined to identify himself. "I don't think people change. I just think they're politely discreet." Many of the festival's vendors sold shoes, clothing, paper, coffee and nutritional supplements made with industrial hemp. Although the federal government generally bans growing the plant, its fiber can be imported. The plant is identical in every way to marijuana except for its narcotic effect. Eugene's Wild Duck Brewery set up a beer garden at the event in part to sell a novelty beer, "Rastale," made with hemp seeds. "If a person's open-minded," said vendor Kelli Thompson, the 40-year-old owner of Kelli's Aromatherapy, "there's something for all ages here." You can reach Bryan Denson at 503-294-7614 or by e-mail at: bryandenson news.oregonian.comHarrisburg, OregonPublished: Saturday July 15, 2000Copyright 2000 Oregon Live. Related Articles:Marijuana Activist Earns Permit for Festival http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6253.shtmlPot Activist Angry at County for Interferencehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread2912.shtmlSheriff Outraged Over World Hemp Festivalhttp://mapinc.org/drugnews/v99.n748.a05.htmlPot Activist Will Sue Over Law Enforcement Tacticshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread2796.shtml Marijuana Activist Says 'No' to Police Soliciting http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread2731.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by CongressmanSuet on July 17, 2000 at 00:27:44 PT: And the host just retired... on the proceeds of the sale of his paper factory. Am I the oly one to see the absurdity of this? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on July 16, 2000 at 20:04:09 PT Jack's Room Number and Phone Number The VA Hospital address is:Portland VA MC3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd,Portland, OR 97201Jack's currently in room: 5 D - 113Though Jack is not in any condition to take phone calls there, someone in his family may be. Use discretion. The number is 220-8262 extension 52634.Yours truly,D. Paul in PortlandCRRHhttp://www.crrh.org/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 16, 2000 at 19:32:11 PT Update On Jack Herer Here is the latest info I have on Jack Herer's condition:The stroke effected the right side of his body. He has not regained speech or movement yet, but is expected to. They expect this to happen within the coming week. He is expected to make a full, or very near full recovery. As Jack is left-handed, he has been able to communicate by writing short notes.He will probably be hospitalized for a week, maybe two.He is in the VA hospital in PORTLAND, Oregon. (Can someone in Oregon check the phonebook and post the mailing address for the hospital? Several people have asked where they can send cards and flowers. I forgot to ask for the address. Actually, it may be a good idea, before posting, to call the hospital and get confirmation and a room number..)It has been reported that the first signs of trouble occurred while he was addressing the Hempfest in Oregon on Friday night. Towards the end of his speech, several in the crowd noticed his speech had begun to slur and something appeared not to be quite 'right'. He left the stage under his own power and was later taken, by ambulance, to the hospital.Jeanne and his children are with him. The prognosis is good.Keep the prayers and positive thoughts flowing.loveAnnNote from DdCI just spoke with Jack's wife briefly at the hospital and she says he just got out of the MRI and is resting. I didn't want to ask questions or take her time. He's at the following;Portland Veterans Hospital3710 SW US Veterans Hospital RoadPortland,Oregon97201 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 15, 2000 at 19:52:03 PT Prayer Request For Jack Herer I just got this in my email and thought I should post it. FoMInformation is still sketchy, but I just got news that Jack Herer is hospitalized in Eugene, Oregon. Early word is that he had a stroke. I will update you as more information comes in.LoveAnnhttp://www.jackherer.com/http://members.home.net/amccormick/ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: