ALLARD MEETS WITH BOULDER CONSTITUENTS

BOULDER - Hemp, Cuba and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty were among the
topics tackled by U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard on Thursday morning during one of
his annual "town meetings."

About 50 people gathered in the auditorium at Boulder's National Institute
of Standards and Technology laboratories to ask questions of the Colorado
Republican, who has committed to hold such meetings in every county in the
state at least once a year.

Choosing not to use a microphone, Allard stood in front of the stage to
answer questions, calling on people much like a teacher, his hands
sometimes finding his pockets as he spoke.

Even though he didn't please everyone, Allard was agreeable to researching
each and every issue brought forth by his constituents.

Not surprisingly, foreign policy and the war on terrorism made up the
majority of the early questions.

Allard called President Bush's pledge to punish any and all nations that
support terrorist activity "far-reaching" but issued his support for the
campaign by saying, "The only way of stopping terrorism is to let them know
there are consequences."

Rich Andrews told Allard he would like to see the Senate take a stand
against Bush's recent withdrawal from the ABM treaty.

"It took the Senate to ratify the treaty," Andrews said. "You have the
responsibility to deal with it. The fact that he can give six months notice
and walk away, I find that very objectionable."

Again, Allard demonstrated his support of Bush's decision.

"The only reason the treaty was negated is to test for a missile- defense
system," Allard said. "The plan is not to put nuclear warheads on those
missiles."

"Empowering people and small businesses is how peace is built, not by
arming the world," said Andrews, who was given a round of applause.

Another resident asked Allard his position on the nation's current economic
relations with Cuba.

"We need to engender a better relationship with Cuba," Allard said. "I
don't think isolationism works."

When the questions turned to matters of local concern, Allard found himself
defending his sponsorship of a bill to turn Rocky Flats into a wildlife refuge.

"We sold Rocky Flats on the merits of the project," Allard said. "I am not
in the habit of trading (votes.)"

Allard angered several in the audience when he mistook hemp for marijuana
after a resident asked for his support of hemp-based products.

"I don't support the legalization of marijuana," Allard said, after
resident Susan Squibb urged him to look into an Oct. 9 Drug Enforcement
Administration ruling, saying that it has unfairly banned food products
made of hemp, the plant from which marijuana comes.

The DEA's ruling made illegal any foods containing even a trace of
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana's psychoactive ingredient.

"They are eliminating an industry of 3,000 businesses," Squibb said.

In the end, Allard said the session was "the best town meeting we've ever
had here in Boulder."

For information on upcoming town meetings, contact Allard's office at
303-220-7414.