Cannabis Convention

OFFICIALS BELIEVE MARIJUANA LAWS WILL EASE NATIONWIDE

Local, state and federal political figures told a crowd at the
Colorado Cannabis Convention on Saturday that they believe marijuana
laws nationwide will continue to become less restrictive, with full
legalization a real possibility.

But, the politicians said, marijuana activists will need to be both
patient and persistent to make that happen.

"Don't expect the legislature to solve all of these problems in one
year," said state Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver. "Don't expect every
piece of legislation to be perfect. The law usually moves in baby
steps over time."

The legislative panel -- featuring Steadman; state Rep. Joe Miklosi,
D-Denver; Denver Councilman Chris Nevitt; and the district director
for U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo. -- was one of the main events of
the convention's final day. (Another was a better-attended
autograph-signing session by the marijuana-infused hip-hop group Cypress Hill.)

Organizers had predicted the convention could attract as many as
100,000 people; attendance was steady Saturday, but no official head
count was available. Event organizer Michael Lerner, a California
media magnate whose properties include Kush magazine and
DailyBuds.com, said he was pleased with the event.

"Phenomenal," he said. "Completely incident-free."

Polis had been expected to speak at the legislative panel but had to
cancel at the last minute. Nonetheless, Polis district director Andy
Schultheiss told the crowd that Polis is supportive of marijuana
activists and said the congressman from Boulder has signed on as a
co-sponsor to a bill that would give full protection from federal
prosecution to the medical-marijuana industry and another that would
legalize marijuana altogether for adults.

Polis also is a co-sponsor on a bill that would allow defendants in
medical-marijuana states to raise a medical defense in federal court.

The bills have not yet had a congressional hearing.

"The number of members of Congress who say, like Jared Polis, that
marijuana should be legalized is growing," Schultheiss said. ". . .
Social change takes time, and we are in the middle of it now."

None of the panel members differed greatly in their opinions, and
they spoke to an audience of the converted. When Miklosi said of
medical-marijuana, "This can be a positive force in society," the
comment drew cheers.

Earlier in the day, a panel of lawyers was less optimistic about the
immediate political future of marijuana. Attorney Rob Corry said
efforts at the state Capitol to craft rules for the medical-marijuana
industry amounted to an attempt to "regulate us out of existence."
Brian Vicente, with Sensible Colorado, said the bills would hurt
small marijuana growers and patient cooperatives.

And attorney Sean McAllister urged medical-marijuana growers and
caregivers to refuse to cooperate with police investigations.

"Say, 'It's medical, it's legal and other than that you can talk to
my attorney,' " McAllister said.