RALLY'S POT-SMOKING PLANS MAY GO BUST

Pot paradise or bust bonanza?

That question will be answered at noon today as an estimated 60,000
marijuana supporters take to Boston Common for a pro-legalization rally
under the watchful eyes of the Boston police.

Trying to prevent the kind of mass inhaling that characterized the annual
"Freedom Rally" in its previous eight years, authorities yesterday issued
the latest in a string of warnings to keep the event cannabis-free.

"If people smoke pot, we'll definitely make it a memorable experience for
them," said Sgt. Detective Margot Hill, a police spokeswoman. "We respect
the right to assemble and the right to free speech, but not the right to
break the law."

Scores of police officers, both plainclothes and undercover, plan to
blanket the common for the five-hour rally, which will feature speakers and
bands. Complementing the Boston contingent, MBTA police will be riding the
commuter rails and the subway, arresting those who try for a buzz on the
way into the city.

The repeated warnings have struck a sour note with the rally's organizer,
the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, an affiliate of the National
Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws. The Bay State group's president,
Bill Downing, could not be reached yesterday, but he previously blasted the
law enforcement buildup as an "intimidation tactic."

He said volunteers at the event will pass out fliers alerting rally-goers
to their rights against unreasonable searches. And while Downing said he
fears a massive police presence sets the stage for a riot, no such panic
swept the crowd last year as police made some 150 arrests.

Hill yesterday downplayed such concerns. "We'll be prepared for any
contingency, although we don't anticipate any trouble," she said. "We would
hope that people engage in responsible behavior."

Anyone convicted of possessing marijuana faces a six-month jail term, a
$500 fine and a one-year driver's license revocation. Juveniles busted for
possession could be barred from obtaining a license for up to five years.

"A drug arrest will follow you wherever you go, so if you have any
aspirations for the future, don't do it," Hill said.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson