POT PROTESTERS KICK BACK, LIGHT UP; MARCH CAN WAIT

LINCOLN PARK -- The fragrance of marijuana wafted over Lincoln Park
this afternoon as about 100 pro-pot supporters openly puffed away and
prepared for a march in support of their cause and favorite
presidential candidate.

"This is a love in for Barack Obama," shouted Richard Eastman over a
blow horn. "Medical marijuana saves lives."

The march was initially schedule to start at 2 p.m., and then pushed
back. About then, a band started playing for the crowd and by 2:45
p.m. the march still hadn't started.

Eastman, 55, of Los Angeles, told the crowd he is HIV positive and
has used medical marijuana since 1994, although he first used the
drug in 1963 at age 10. The founder of Citizens for Safe Access
travels around the country to promote his cause.

"AIDS nearly killed me, but reefer never killed me. I have the heart
of a 30-year-old. I have the lungs of a 30-year-old," he said after
passing a pipe to Miguel Lopez of Denver.

Lopez lit up and explained the cause. He said he supports "the
responsible use" of marijuana by adults.

"It's not about getting drunk and slobbering all over the floor," he
said. "It's about having fun in a way that's easier and not harmful."

Nearby, a group of four 16-year-olds shared a pipe. A mother with her
baby in a stroller watched the activities. A Denver police officer
drove up, stopped and ordered several illegally parked cars moved
while a huddle of a dozen users shared several joints and a pipe.

Not all marijuana supporters were happy with happening scene.

"Obviously, there's some image issues here with the public use," said
Mason Tvert, who led a group that sponsored a Denver law saying pot
use should be low police priority during the Democratic National
Convention. "We support this cause but not what's going on here today."

Don Duncan, the California director Americans for Safe Access, said
Barack Obama on one occasion said he supports stopping federal raids
on medical marijuana users. Twelve states have legalized medical
marijuana use, he said, but federal agents continue to arrest users
and stop distribution.

"What I'm looking for is action from Barack Obama," Duncan said. "We
need to harmonize state and federal laws."