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Lit_Match

Hempfest a low-key lobbying event
06-03-07|The Columbus Dispatch|By Gavin Off

To legalize or not? That was the question at the rock 'n' roll-jamming, Hacky Sack-playing, tie-dye-wearing Hempfest on Ohio State University's South Oval yesterday.

The 21st annual Ohio event kicked off at noon with 36 vendors, 30-plus bands, scores of dreadlocks and a lot of pro-marijuana talk.

Zach Germaniuk, a 19-year-old OSU English major and president of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said he logged some 600 hours of work in preparation for the event.

"This is a monumental project," said a shirtless, long-haired Germaniuk. "We want to engage people in a discussion or debate about public policy."

Germaniuk said the group wants the U.S. government to treat minor drug users like any other petty criminal: by simply fining them.

There seemed to be little debating yesterday, however. Most festival goers seemed content throwing a Frisbee or buying souvenirs: a Bob Marley shirt or a hat with a marijuana leaf.

Some lay on blankets in the grass, while others bought glass beads that could double as marijuana bongs. But the only smell in the air in the afternoon was incense, perhaps thanks to the occasional patrolling police officer.

"I made it clear to everybody that this is a substance-free event," Germaniuk said. "However, I'm not a baby sitter and I'm not responsible for the activities of other festival goers."

Twenty-year-old Tad Melton sat in the shade selling hemp jewelry he and his girlfriend made. The fibrous stem of the hemp plant can be made into rope and the leaves and flowers into marijuana. By 2 p.m. he'd made about $90, mostly by selling the braided bracelets. But Melton said he wasn't there for the money.

"It's just a reason to hang out for the day," he said. "People here are pretty laid-back. They're just here looking for peace."

George LaMuth and friend Jack Parker sat in the grass under a sycamore tree eating Sun Chips and listening to a pro-marijuana, anti-government speaker. Parker's 4-month-old black lab, Banjo, was at his side.

"It's everybody getting around, getting together," said LaMuth, who wore a red and yellow tie-dye shirt. "Even if you don't smoke weed, come down."

Germaniuk estimated about 2,000 people, mostly OSU students, visited by early afternoon. The event was to end at midnight.

Three years ago Hempfest almost came to an end. In 2004, OSU officials tried to cancel the event, saying organizers failed to follow university rules. A U.S. District Court judge, however, prohibited the cancellation.

Germaniuk said university officials this year treated the organization like any other student group.

 

Buzzby

This doesn't make a whole lot of sense, on the surface. I would think that beads of any reasonable size would be far to small to be used as bongs. It's an intriguing idea, though. Does anyone have any idea what they're talking about?

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Lit_Match

I would guess they're referring to the appearance of the beads. They could "double" in the sense that they, like a lot of bongs, are covered in images associated with marijuana use. But it's just a guess.

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Donation links to NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) | MPP (Marijuana Policy Project)

ssj3gotenks

What I don't understand though is that if you are hosting an event such as this, why would you push for fines? And isn't mj decrimalized in the State of Ohio anyway?

Mason Tvert pushes for legalization, not fines. But if this Germaniuk guy iis pushing for fines, he is spreading the word to those who don't yet have liberal opinions about mj (after being exposed to propaganda for so long) that cannabis consumers should still be punished in some way or another, which sends a mixed message.

Buzzby

Possession of small amounts of marijuana is decriminalized in Ohio, but Germaniuk wasn't talking about Ohio:Tvert, in a state where small amounts of marijuana are already decriminalized, is pushing for statewide legalization. SAFER has not made any moves on the federal level.

One step at a time. I'm glad we didn't insist that states forego decriminalization in favor of outright legalization. We'd still be going to jail in a lot of states over minor possession.

 

godfather

I took this too mean either they had rather large beads, hollowed on the inside, and a couple of holes that just happened to be there; or that they were bongs with a shrinking enchantment placed on them.

Now, I don't know about everyone else, but I personally like marijuana that is from the FEMALE plant. And in bud form, not leaf. Leaves are for haflings. And wizards...