News (Media Awareness Project) - US FL: HempFest Scheduled For Same Weekend As UF Homecoming |
| Title: | US FL: HempFest Scheduled For Same Weekend As UF Homecoming |
| Published On: | 1998-10-08 |
| Source: | Tampa Tribune (FL) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-07 01:43:59 |
HEMPFEST SCHEDULED FOR SAME WEEKEND AS UF HOMECOMING
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - There will be the parade up University Avenue, the
popular Gator Growl pep rally attracting thousands of alumni, the usual
parties, and of course the football game, this year against South Carolina.
But also in Gainesville during the University of Florida's homecoming
weekend this year will be HempFest '98, an annual event extolling the
benefits of hemp and marijuana.
City officials tried to get organizers not to hold this year's HempFest
during the homecoming weekend Nov. 14 and 15. Organizers said that wasn't
possible because their only other choice, on Halloween weekend, the
Gainesville Community Plaza was already booked.
The event is sponsored by a group called the Cannabis Action Network.
City officials told the group they will have to call in extra police from
neighboring towns to help with security during the event.
The group favors the legalization of industrial hemp for manufacturing and
the legalization of marijuana for medicinal use. Some members have in the
past also advocated legalization of marijuana for recreational use.
The annual HempFest, which has been going on for nine years in Gainesville,
used to feature the ``Doobie Toss,'' during which festival organizers
tossed marijuana joints into the crowd. Police arrested those doing the
tossing in 1994 and put a stop to that part of the festival. Also that
year, marchers protested at the police department after one person was
arrested for smoking marijuana.
In 1995, the city denied the network's permit application for the event,
saying it posed a threat to the public.
But C.A.N. sued the city and U.S. District Judge William Stafford barred
the city from withholding the permit, saying the First Amendment prevented
that.
The network continues to pursue litigation against the city, asserting that
some laws on the licensing of public events are unconstitutional.
Copyright 1998 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Checked-by: Pat Dolan
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - There will be the parade up University Avenue, the
popular Gator Growl pep rally attracting thousands of alumni, the usual
parties, and of course the football game, this year against South Carolina.
But also in Gainesville during the University of Florida's homecoming
weekend this year will be HempFest '98, an annual event extolling the
benefits of hemp and marijuana.
City officials tried to get organizers not to hold this year's HempFest
during the homecoming weekend Nov. 14 and 15. Organizers said that wasn't
possible because their only other choice, on Halloween weekend, the
Gainesville Community Plaza was already booked.
The event is sponsored by a group called the Cannabis Action Network.
City officials told the group they will have to call in extra police from
neighboring towns to help with security during the event.
The group favors the legalization of industrial hemp for manufacturing and
the legalization of marijuana for medicinal use. Some members have in the
past also advocated legalization of marijuana for recreational use.
The annual HempFest, which has been going on for nine years in Gainesville,
used to feature the ``Doobie Toss,'' during which festival organizers
tossed marijuana joints into the crowd. Police arrested those doing the
tossing in 1994 and put a stop to that part of the festival. Also that
year, marchers protested at the police department after one person was
arrested for smoking marijuana.
In 1995, the city denied the network's permit application for the event,
saying it posed a threat to the public.
But C.A.N. sued the city and U.S. District Judge William Stafford barred
the city from withholding the permit, saying the First Amendment prevented
that.
The network continues to pursue litigation against the city, asserting that
some laws on the licensing of public events are unconstitutional.
Copyright 1998 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not
be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Checked-by: Pat Dolan
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