MARIJUANA SUPPORTERS GATHER AT 39TH ANNUAL HASH BASH

"Free the weed," chanted a crowd of supporters of marijuana reform
from the University of Michigan Diag at the 39th Annual Hash Bash.

On Saturday, April 3, thousands flocked to the steps of the
University of Michigan Library to hear speeches from pro-marijuana
advocates including activist John Sinclair.

Sinclair, founder of the White Panther Party and former manager of
Detroit-based band The MC5, was the keynote speaker at the event.

Sinclair was arrested in 1969 for providing marijuana to undercover
police officers.

"The pot-smokers are about to emerge, ladies and gentlemen, from this
war victorious," Sinclair said to the audience.

Adam Brook emceed the event, and warned attendees of the legality of
smoking marijuana on the Diag. In Ann Arbor, smoking marijuana is a
civil infraction, but on U of M's campus, it is a criminal offense.

This year's Hash Bash marked the second event since the passing of
the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act in 2008, which "allow[s] under
state law the medical use of marihuana," according to the bill.
Multiple medical marijuana card -holders attended the event.

"All you people with cards, I want to see you hold your card in one
hand and your weed in another," Brook said to the audience.

Several people in the crowd followed his direction and held up their
cards and bags of marijuana.

Anthony Freed, executive director of the Michigan Marijuana Chamber
of Commerce, a Ypsilanti-based marijuana dispensary, also spoke at the event.

"Who's California?" Freed said, referring to the state's upcoming
marijuana legalization bill that will be on November's ballot.
"Welcome to Michigan."

After the speeches, the crowd migrated to Monroe Street for the
annual Monroe Street Fair.

Ashley Hewitz, a University of Michigan-Dearborn student majoring in
psychology and anthropology, attended the Monroe Street Fair for the
live music.

"Lot of people here," Hewitz said.

The fair also gave organizations such as the Michigan Medical
Marijuana Certification Center, Michigan NORML, the Downcenter
Community Compassion Club, and the Creative Alliance, a
Flint,Mich.-based collection of artists, an opportunity to set up
booths for Hash Bash attendees.

Josh Buschbacher, 21, of Mayville, Mich., sold green cotton candy for
J & J Concessions.

"[I] figured Hash Bash, bring some candy," Buschbacher said.

This being his first time attending Hash Bash, Buschbacher said that
he was "happy with the number of people" who came for the event.

Magdalena Cox, 58, of Parma, Mich., walked down Monroe Street dressed
in makeup and costume as a green bee, advertising the Green Bee
Collective, a marijuana dispensary.

The dispensary provides medical marijuana for 10 percent of the
normal price for veterans and free for terminally ill patients,
according to Cox.

Cox, a self-described "baby boomer," recounted her days as a
teenager, saying that her generation pushed for marijuana reform in the 1970s.

"We fought for this," she said.