HASH BASH ORGANIZER FIRES BACK AT CRITICS

Reporter Marianne Rzepka can be reached at 994-6855.

Although state legislators want to toughen up Ann Arbor's lenient marijuana
law, it won't stop young people from coming to Ann Arbor the first Saturday
in April for the annual celebration of marijuana known as the Hash Bash.

It's not his fault if children come to Hash Bash, organizer James Millard
says.

"It's not my fault that people can't control their kids," said James
Millard, this year's Hash Bash organizer and owner of Pure Productions, a
downtown Ann Arbor store that sells products made from hemp.

"If (legislators are) worried about their children, then maybe the parents
in the state of Michigan should get together on Hash Bash Saturday and do a
universal event for them."

The Hash Bash, which started in 1972, was named as the compelling reason
behind an attempt by state legislators to force Ann Arbor to toughen its
marijuana laws.

Wednesday, state Sen. Beverly Hammerstrom, R-Temperance, introduced the
legislation that would prohibit municipalities from having more lenient
marijuana laws than the state. She was supported by Sen. Mike Rogers,
R-Howell.

The Hash Bash lures youth from across the state into Ann Arbor for a
"tax-subsidized, illegal drug party," Rogers said.

This year's Hash Bash is scheduled for April 3 on the University of
Michigan Diag.

"I would say Senator Rogers should take care of the problems they have in
Howell," Millard said.

In any case, the publicity for the proposed legislation alsois publicity
for the event, Millard said. He's gotten calls from national news
organizations about the Hash Bash after Hammerstrom announced the
legislation, he said.

"We can drop all our advertising money" for the Hash Bash because of the
news coverage, Millard said.

Ann Arbor City Council Member Chris Kolb, D-5th Ward, poined out that the
Hash Bash is on U-M property, where the tougher state law already is in
effect. "The state law hasn't stopped it," Kolb said.

"I think we've learned that ourselves," said Kolb. The city and the
University of Michigan tried several times to derail the Hash Bash, but
lost in court. "Every time you try to prevent it, it seems to give it more
life," Kolb said.

Ann Arbor voters changed the City Charter in 1974 to set the fine for
marijuana possession at $5. In 1990, they voted to set it at $25 for the
first offense. Violators of the civil infraction also must pay $25 in costs
in addition to the fine.

State law sets a maximum of a $100 fine and up to 90 days in jail for use
of marijuana, a misdemeanor criminal offense.

In comparison, anyone under 18 who is caught in possession of cigarettes,
could be fined up to $50 for each offense and made to perform up to 16
hours of community service for a first offense, up to 32 hours for a second
offense and up to 48 hours for a third or subsequent offense.

The Hash Bash typically brings out an estimated 5,000 people - mostly young
- - each year to hear about an hour of speeches on the Diag about
decriminalizing marijuana possession. There's also a large amount of
marijuana smoking at the gathering and later, as people wander around
downtown streets for the rest of the day.

From Millard's perspective, the Hash Bash is about freedom of speech and
assembly. "Our group is only 50 strong," he said. "We don't know who these
other people are."

As for his views on marijuana and drug use, Millard said he's against
anyone under 18 using either. But once someone is an adult, he should be
able to make his own decisions, Millard said.

Since the marijuana law is embedded in the City Charter, voters would have
to change it, said City Attorney Abigail Elias.

To change the City Charter through a public initiative, a group would have
to collect at least 5 percent of the number of people registered to vote,
about 4,300 signatures, Elias said.

City Council would need seven votes to put the issue on the ballot.

Hammerstrom's proposed legislation is not the first time legislators have
tried to change Ann Arbor's marijuana law.

Rogers sponsored a bill last year that would have cut state revenue sharing
dollars for cities with lesser pot laws. The proposal failed in the
then-Democratic-controlled House.

In February 1990, state Sen. Doug Carl, R-Utica, sponsored a bill that said
cities cannot enact local ordinances more lenient than state law on drug
law violations. The arguments at that time sound the same as Rogers'
reasoning: That the $5 marijuana law sent the wrong messages to young
people about drugs, that the law was an embarrassment to the city.