MARIJUANA CANDIDATE PUTS HIGH SCHOOL IN TOUGH POSITION

The agenda of the local federal candidate from the Marijuana Party has put
L.V. Rogers high school in a dilemma between having to choose between
democratic rights and a sending mixed message to students.

Kootenay-Boundary-Okanagan candidates will square off at LVR next Wednesday
on the school's television station LVTV. Among those spouting their party
lines to the mostly pre-voting age crowd will be Dan Loehndorf (a.k.a.
Reverend Damuzi), the Marijuana Party candidate whose platform focuses on
the merits of smoking pot and legalizing the "sacred herb."

"It's an interesting problem," said Socials teacher and forum moderator Art
Maxwell. "On one hand you have to balance the rights of individuals in a
democratic society to get their message across and on the other hand you
have to deal with the situation as it applies to schools and educational
facilities."

Maxwell and the school's administration discussed the problem last week.
Maxwell phoned the controversial candidate to ensure that Loehndorf would
be respectful and sensitive towards a captive audience who are more used to
having area police talk to them about the dangers of marijuana use rather
than the positives of the illegal drug.

"I mentioned to him that I don't want a crusade," said Maxwell. "I would
like to see him answer questions on a wide range of topics that are asked
of him and he agreed."

Loehndorf said he will not be showing up to the Nelson high school to
preach pot smoking to youth.

"We don't advocate that minors use marijuana, the party stance is quite
clear," said Loehndorf. "We want it legalized for adults only,. But I do
think it's important that children in schools are properly educated and
that's what I hope to do.

"I think it's important that they know about harm reduction because if they
are going to use it anyway they should know how to use it responsibly. It's
just like alcohol and if they listen to a person who is pro-cannabis and
telling them not to get really stoned and drive a car they may be more
prone to listen. It will be realistic information, I will be imparting to
them the truths about cannabis and the fact that it's not as harmful as
people make it out to be."

Though they understand the predicament the school has been placed in, some
local police officers are disappointed that Loehndorf is able to participate.

"I don't think it's appropriate," said Nelson City Police Sgt. Jerry Myers
who tours schools each year providing drug information to students of all ages.

Nelson RCMP Const. Tom Clark, who acts in a similar role as Myers.

"It gets down to the fact that he's allowed to do it. I think it would be
very difficult for the school board to say `no' and that's just the way it
works," said Clark. "It's disappointing if his word is heeded. That's our
battle, we think that it's not good for you and that it's still illegal and
his stance is that he wants to make it legal."

Loehndorf plans to contradict the police information on marijuana which he
hopes will actually help students make proper choices.

"Unfortunately the police are sometimes misinformed about cannabis and
other substances," Loehndorf told the Daily News.

"That's a real big problem because then students see their friends using it
and not having any problems and not dying like the anti-drug propaganda
says. Then a young person thinks `geeze if they are lying about cannabis
then maybe they are lying about crack and heroin.' There tends to be a
general disrespect for the information that is being provided by police
after that … and that could be dangerous."

Myers stands by his belief that marijuana is a bad substance, particularly
for young people.

"I tell them the truth," said Myers. "The truth is that it's addictive,
it's not good for you, it's got 10-times the tar and nicotine that a
cigarette has, and from my experience it's a progressant [leads to other
drugs]. For a young mind I think it's a dangerous drug."

Maxwell is aware that some parents may have a concern with Loehndorf's
presence on campus, but hopes they will understand the difficult circumstances.

"I would hope that parents would realize that our professional judgement
should be good enough to protect the integrity of the school," said Maxwell.