HEMPFEST SET TO REAP REWARD OF LEGAL BATTLE

Scott Bledsoe has his hands full with last-minute details for tomorrow's
Hempfest at Jacksonville Beach. But he's not so busy that he'll ignore his
plans for the future.

''I don't know if we're going to Jacksonville Beach again,'' Bledsoe said.
''Maybe we'll go to Jacksonville and change the law there, too.''

Bledsoe was referring to Jacksonville Beach's special events policy, which
Hempfest organizers - the Cannabis Action Network - said placed unreasonable
financial and content-based requirements on them.

The organization, which focuses on the legalization of industrial hemp and
marijuana for medical purposes, successfully fought the law in federal court.

Bledsoe expects at least 1,000 people at tomorrow's festival, which is from
noon to 8 p.m. at the SeaWalk Pavilion.

Several speakers, including an AIDS patient and a cancer patient who use
marijuana to treat their illnesses and a woman who receives marijuana from
the federal government as part of an experimental program, are scheduled to
appear. At least five bands are to perform, Bledsoe said.

Organizers will be circulating a petition to amend the state constitution to
legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. The petition must have 435,000
signatures by the summer of 2000 to put the issue on the ballot in November
of that year.

Lt. Cliff Shank of the Jacksonville Beach Police Department said about four
officers will be on duty during the daylong event. Police typically don't
see an increase in arrests on weekends when the city hosts a festival, and
Shank hopes that trend continues tomorrow.

''I don't expect any type of problem with it,'' he said.

Bledsoe said he is proud of the work the group did to change the
Jacksonville Beach policy and said other controversial groups will benefit
from the lawsuit. Among the requirements the group protested were ones
calling for the event to be approved by the Special Events Committee and
forcing the group to have insurance.

''I think that we made an inroad and we made history, so to speak, in making
a change to the law,'' he said.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett