KEENE COUNCILORS TO WRITE REPS, NOT RESOLUTION

KEENE - Councilors voted Thursday night to send letters to state
lawmakers expressing their individual opinions on decriminalizing the
possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The 9-5 vote came in response to a request made last month by retired
Keene police officer and former city councilman Frederick Parsells. He
had asked councilors to write a resolution advising legislators that
the city backs decriminalization.

The resolution would have had no legal weight; its intent was to send
a strong message to Concord, Parsells said.

A Sept. 17 vote resulted in some confusion, so the councilors took up
the issue again last night.

Councilor Philip Jones made a motion to amend the question being voted
on, so that sentiments about the marijuana question would be expressed
by each person on the council -- not by the council on behalf of the
city.

Late last night, councilors voted 9-5 in favor of Jones' motion. A
crowd of about 20, some holding pro-marijuana signs, witnessed the
vote.

Pro-pot advocates have been gathering each day at 4:20 p.m. on town
square to smoke marijuana in protest of drug laws. The number 420 in
some circles means using marijuana.