PREPARING FOR 4/20 POT SMOKE-OUT

Student smokers, in perhaps the cliched easy-going fashion associated
with marijuana, are getting ready for the annual 4/20 celebration on
the University of Colorado campus.

Official smoke-out T-shirts sold online simply say: "University of
Colorado. April 20. Farrand Field." And a group on the networking Web
site Facebook is demanding that Slightly Stoopid, an acoustic reggae
hip-hop group, come play at CU for Sunday's event -- but it stops
short of organizing a concert. "Nobody got in touch with us," said
Matt Phillips, public relations coordinator for the group, adding
that Slightly Stoopid is interested in coming to Boulder for a fall
concert. (The band is playing at Red Rocks on Aug. 15, and signed a
contract agreeing not to play in the nearby market for five months
prior to the concert).

But where the casual marijuana aficionados lack in the planning
department, the student chapter of the National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws has picked up the slack.

Every year, thousands of people gather on the CU campus April 20 for
the unofficial pro-pot celebration -- and at 4:20 p.m. a cloud of
smoke mushrooms above the crowd. The event is said to have grown from
a northern California tradition.

CU police this year are bracing for a large crowd.

The NORML group has several on-campus events planned to take place
near the Dalton Trumbo Fountain outside the University of Memorial
Center, including daytime concerts by Tribe Zion, 303 Boys and Buncha
Kindsa. The group also is bringing in marijuana-reform speakers and
will have an art wall.

Alex Douglas, who does public relations for NORML's CU chapter, said
there also will be a screening of the documentary "Super High Me" in
Cristol Chemistry Building, Room 140. The group plans to rally for
the legalization of marijuana with signs and banners on Norlin Quad.

Douglas said his group expects more than 10,000 people to attend the
events Sunday.

"We think that many people that didn't want to miss class, or were
busy because of school, will be able to join in this year with no
worries," he said.

CU police Cmdr. Brad Wiesley said the department will likely need to
pay overtime to its officers to monitor the event, given the
possibility that the smoke-out could be heavily attended.

"We will obviously have a presence," Wiesley said. "We certainly
don't condone, support or otherwise sanction this event."

People have the right to protest for marijuana law reforms, Wiesley said.

"But, breaking the law in order to change the law is not how our
democratic society works," he said.

In past attempts to snuff out the event, campus police have turned
sprinklers on the crowd and taken pictures of student smokers,
posting them online and offering rewards to those who could identify them.

Wiesley, though, was mum on this year's planned tactics.

"We don't give our playbook to the other team before the game," he said.

University of Colorado police have tried a variety of responses over
the years to the 4/20 marijuana smokeout, but they're mum about any
tactics planned this year,

[sidebar]

POLICING 4/20

In 2007: About 3,000 people showed up at Norlin Quad, and police
ticketed six who were caught lighting up and inhaling.

In 2006: Officers posted 150 pictures of participants online, then
offered a $50 reward for each positive identification. The ID'd
students were ticketed for drug charges or trespassing on the closed
Farrand Field.

In 2005: Crowds that ignored the closure of Farrand Field were soaked
when police turned on the sprinklers there. Still, no one was
ticketed or arrested on drug charges.

In 2004: CU police made sure the gathering didn't get out of hand,
but they said it was impractical to enforce marijuana laws in
connection with such a large gathering. "We don't want to create a
larger issue than we're presented with," Lt. Tim McGraw said.

In 2003: Five officers, outnumbered by about 800 people, made no
arrests but did confiscate some drug paraphernalia. "Because there
were so many people, we decided to keep a low profile," Cpl. Jim
Manzanares said.

In 2002: Officers largely monitored the crowd but also responded to a
man who passed out and hit his head on the sidewalk outside of the
University Memorial Center.

Source - Camera archives