MARCHERS VOICE THE NEED FOR LEGAL WEED

Flint - "If you can get pot people up before noon, you can change the
world," said Linda Hagensen, while resting on her multi-colored cane.

About 100 protesters rallying for the legalization of marijuana rose
within hours of dawn for a 10 a.m. rally Saturday in front of Flint
City Hall.

Protesters also were scheduled to rally in Battle Creek, Traverse
City, Lansing and Detroit. Police made no arrests in Flint and there
didn't appear to be any obvious marijuana use.

They called it "Liberation Day," and their symbol was the "Free Weed"
van.

Some wore leather jackets, others sported tie-dye shirts or red and
purple scarfs. One man rested a 2-foot plastic Godzilla on his shoulder.

Plastic marijuana plants were everywhere - in pots, around people's
necks, tying up pony tails or hanging from belts.

A.S. Wright, rally organizer, took pictures of people holding plastic
plants, encouraging them to "Flip off FANG (Flint Area Narcotics Group)."

Wright, who wore a black top hat and smoked a cigar, said the pictures
will be posted on the Legalize Michigan Web site.

"The cool thing is, they won't be able to tell the plants aren't real
from looking at the Web site," Wright said. "One time, this cop tried
to stop me because he saw my plants, and I said 'No, look dude, it's
nylon.' And then he was like, 'Can I search your van?'

"So I gave him my potted plant from the van, and after he saw it was
plastic, he was like, 'Wo-ow.' After that, he was just like, 'No way,
I'm just going to leave this guy alone.' "

About 100 people chanted "No more drug war!" and joked with the
Genesee County Sheriff's Department mounted patrol, who briefly rode
across the street from the protesters.

"We have some for you!" one man yelled, as the deputies
laughed.

The protesters held signs with phrases like, "I'm not a criminal, I'm
a pot smoker," "War on drugs is a war on the poor and working class,"
and "Stand up for American freedom."

Ken Mathenia, of the Green Party, said the party is in favor of
legalizing marijuana possession, a position that he doesn't believe
will alienate voters.

"Here we have people locked up for possessing marijuana, and yet Enron
executives are walking the streets," Mathenia said.

Hagensen of Flintsaid marijuana is less harmful than
alcohol.

"The myth that you will end up living in your mother's basement wasn't
true in 1972, and it isn't true now," Hagensen said. "Make me
responsible for my actions, and not because I smoke weed."

According to the National Institute for Drug Abuse, long-term
marijuana use can affect motor skills, short-term memory and is
harmful to the lungs.

Betsy Savinski of Flint has multiple sclerosis and said smoking
marijuana eases her pain and controls her muscle spasms.

Some states, such as Oregon, have approved marijuana for medicinal
purposes.

But Hagensen said the goal is to legalize marijuana for all
uses.

"You should not have to be sick to be free," Hagensen said.