POT PEACE

Rockers Get A Break From The Law, Man

Heavy drinking, heavier music, heavy pot smoking but light on the law
enforcement.

RCMP and security crews have turned a blind nose, er, eye to flagrant
marijuana consumption among revelers giving them a recipe for peaceful
success at Rockfest '99, a weekend gathering of rockers at Labatt Raceway.

"This is the coolest," John, one very happy - and very stoned - camper said
yesterday from his festival campsite.

"We can smoke our faces off," added chum William. "Cops don't care. We were
cooked (Friday) night."

Mounties and brass with the Calgary-based security firm hired to keep the
peace make no bones about the fact they're not cracking down on pot smokers
or drunks.

Despite paying an estimated $50,000 for RCMP presence, plus "another sting
of pleasure" for security crews, Rockfest president Frank Scott said he's
getting his money's worth for enforcement despite their letting drug and
alcohol enforcement slide.

"There's a lot of sliding going on here. In the mud," Scott chuckled before
refusing to further discuss the issue.

Coupled with a liquor licence giving Rockfest-goers free rein to drink
anywhere on the grounds, the event could be billed as a rare rock 'n' roll
detente on booze and drug laws.

RCMP Const. Angela Workman freely acknowledged the 19 Mounties working
daily out of an on-site trailer have no intention of cracking down.

Drunks are simply ordered back to their campsites. The three who'd refused
to do so by late afternoon yesterday spent the night in Leduc RCMP cells -
and at least two got rides back to the Rockfest the next morning, she said.

"They're at a rock festival. People are going to get drunk. We're not
trying to play the heavy," Workman said.

By 5 p.m. yesterday, no potheads had been busted for indulging in the
concert areas, though Sun rock critic and concert veteran Mike Ross said
Friday night was among the most weed-laden shows he'd ever seen.

The laid-back policing hasn't hurt Vince James. The Vancouver man was one
of several people running a Canadian Hemp Shop kiosk.

"Rockers are always into pot. And we haven't had any hassles from cops.
They're usually fairly good," James said.

Security and police feel the relatively old crowd - estimated at 5,000
Thursday, 7,000 Friday and forecast at between 10,000 and 15,000 yesterday
and today - is the best guarantee that things won't get out of hand.

That "maturity" hasn't escaped Keith Johnson, site supervisor for Mac Con
Security and Site Services - whose 75 staff, not police, are responsible
for the performance area.

Johnson nodded knowingly when reminded that in late May, as many as 500
teens hurled bottles, rocks and cinderblocks at cops who arrested a drunk
following a late-night fight at St. Albert's Rainmaker Rodeo.

"So if you go into a crowd and bust someone (smoking a joint), the crowd
would get against you. We'd lose control."