PRO-POT MOVEMENT HAS HIGH HOPES IN FLINT

Flint - A.S. Wright hopes to get a grassroots movement started locally.

The Thumb-area native, who heads the Mid Michigan Marijuana Movement, is
one of the chief organizers of the Saturday marijuana march through
downtown Flint - a first for the city.

He hopes the event will generate the needed local momentum to get the
legalization of marijuana on state politicians' radar screens. "This is a
networking event for people interested in this issue," said Wright, 31. "I
think (Michigan) has the strongest movement in the country right now."

About 150 people are expected to attend the 10 a.m. Flint march, one of
several planned in the state that day. Similar morning events will take
place in Battle Creek and Traverse City, with bigger marches planned for
later in the day in Lansing and Detroit.

All of the marches are follow-ups to this month's Hash Bash in Ann Arbor,
the state's most famous - and infamous - pro-marijuana event.

The focus of the rallies is political - getting the legalization of
marijuana on the ballot.

"It's ridiculous that alcohol, which kills so many more people, is legal,
but marijuana isn't," said Anthony Meyer, 26, of Linden, who plans to
march. "It shows you how backward the system can be. We need to do
something about it."

But some local residents think it's the legalization advocates who are
backward.

"Seems to me like they could find something better to do with their time,"
said Myra Fowler, 56, a north Flint resident. "That stuff messes kids up
and gets people into trouble. It does a lot more harm than it does good."

Marchers will extol the virtues of hemp, including its medicinal and
industrial uses, such as a painkiller for cancer sufferers or as a
tree-saving source of paper. They'll also promote its potential as a source
of fuel.

Wright said the impetus behind his push for the legalization of cannabis is
religious.

"My goal is to make it so that Rastafarians (a Jamaican religious sect) can
use it for sacrament," he said. "There are lots of religions that use it
for sacrament, but they're denied the legal right to."

Wright said the "Legalize It" movement in Michigan is gaining major steam.
More than 280,000 signatures have been collected to send the issue before
voters. A similar ballot initiative failed in 2000.

"California is way ahead of us because they've been doing it for so much
longer," Wright said. "In three years, we've been able to generate a
tremendous amount of support."

Some states, such as Oregon, permit the use of marijuana for medicinal
purposes. But such a restrictive law won't satisfy many local advocates.

"People ought to be able to grow it if they want to, as long as they're not
out selling it on the street," said Drew Ventnor, 43, of Fenton Township,
who also plans to march.

"The laws are Victorian. That's what we'll be protesting."

But the Flint march won't be all about activism. Wright said he's in the
process of lining up musical performances and other special events. A
promotional flier says: "Bring signs or come early to make your own. Drums,
chants, costumes and benevolent drama highly encouraged."

Wright, however, doesn't want the march to end up in one gigantic puff of
smoke.

"This is not a smoke-out," he said. "That's not why we're doing it."

But Dylan Forrester of Davison, another potential marcher, said a
smoke-free rally is a pipe dream.

"Everybody is going to want to light one up - it's a marijuana rally," he
said. "I know I'm going to."

Flint police did not comment directly about the march, but one officer said
it will be treated like any other mass gathering of people, and illegal
activities will not be permitted.

Marchers plan to assemble at 10 a.m. at Riverbank Park, moving south on
Saginaw Street. Wright said he hopes to organize a convoy to the Lansing
march, which should attract thousands, after the Flint event.

"And one of these years, I'd like to get all of our state marchers to go to
Washington, but first things first," he said.