HEMPFEST SET FOR HALL IN RITCHIE

Ritchie Community League president Don Seguin doesn't know what Hempfest
'99 is, but he plans to find out.

Organizers of the one-day event have booked the non-smoking Ritchie
Community Centre for Sept. 26 - and Seguin said he has questions about the
event and its organizers.

"This is news to me so I can't comment, not until I find out what's going
on," said Seguin when he was contacted by The Sun.

"I've never smoked marijuana and I don't know anything about it."

Community leagues rent their halls to groups and sometimes a renter's name
may not reflect the nature of the event, he said.

In this case, Seguin plans to review the rental agreement with the person
who oversees bookings for the hall, located at 7727 98 St.

"I don't endorse (pot smoking). We just rent the hall. We rent the hall for
marriages, but it doesn't mean we endorse marriages over common-law
(relationships)."

One of the event organizers, Haley Nelson, said the main purpose of the
event is to dispel myths about hemp - which does not contain the THC that
gives marijuana its hallucinogenic quality and makes it illegal.

"This is not a smoke-in. That's what it's been in the past but this is a
non-smoking hall," said Nelson of the Edmonton non-profit group called
Freedom Foundation which meets to discuss alternatives to government,
industry, health and class structure.

Nelson said Hempfest will offer sessions on a variety of things like
cooking with hemp, a fashion show featuring hemp clothing and information
about the government's stance on hemp and marijuana.

As well, patrons will have an opportunity to learn how to grow marijuana at
home and will be able to purchase "proper marijuana-smoking paraphernalia."

"Yes, there will be a grow booth," said Nelson, adding it's safer to grow
your own pot than buy it from a stranger on the street.

Several guest speakers will be on hand, Nelson said.

Edmonton police were invited to send a representative, but they declined.