TOLEDO RALLY PUSHES VALUE OF THE HEMP PLANT

About 40 people rallied in front of the Toledo Municipal Courthouse
yesterday to protest marijuana laws and raise awareness of the industrial
and medicinal uses of the hemp plant.

During the energetic rally, initiative petitions were circulated to propose
legislation to repeal the prohibition of hemp farming in Ohio for
industrial, nutritional, and medicinal use.

About 50,000 signatures have been collected, said Kenny Schweickart,
coordinator of the Columbus-based For A Better Ohio.

More than 100,000 signatures are needed for the bill to be put on the
ballot. For A Better Ohio has been collecting signatures for two years.

``There have been 61 years of lies about this most premiere plant,'' Mr.
Schweickart said. ``We're counteracting the myths with truth.''

The rally was spearheaded by the National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws and included speeches from medicinal marijuana activists.

Dan Asbury, of Oregon, who is paralyzed from a spinal injury, spoke wearing
a black-and-white striped prisoner's costume. He recently completed two
years of probation for growing marijuana in his backyard.

In 1997, the Ohio legislature closed a loophole in a sentencing law that
allowed for a legal defense for people who used marijuana as medicine.

Marijuana can be used to relieve appetite loss, chronic pain, glaucoma,
arthritis, and migraines.

Ralliers chanted ``medicine, paper, food, fuel, fiber'' to educate
passersby on hemp's uses.

There are more than 25,000 industrial uses for hemp, which was legalized by
Canada in March for those purposes, said Tomas Salazar, president of the
Sandusky County chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws.

The legalization of hemp production would give Ohio farmers a versatile
cash crop, he said.

Protesters carried signs and large banners. One proclaimed, ``George
Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp. Were they criminals?''

Jefferson ran one of the country's largest hemp fields, Mr. Salazar said.

``Thomas Jefferson would be executed today under the drug kingpin law,''
Mr. Salazar said.

This was the biggest rally in Toledo for the national organization, Mr.
Salazar said. The group and For A Better Ohio are hoping to form chapters
in Toledo.

After the 45-minute rally, the group marched to the Family Court Center and
the Lucas County Courthouse. Ralliers were followed by about a dozen Lucas
County sheriff's deputies.


Checked-by: Richard Lake