'GANJA SIZZLES DESPITE RAIN

Amherst Common once again played host to the annual cannabis
celebration known as Extravaganja on Saturday. For the 19th
consecutive year, the common was flooded with people, unwashed masses
milling, moving and dancing under a thick haze of marijuana smoke.

The weather for this year's Extravaganja was less than optimal; dark
clouds and light drizzles dominated the skies for most of the day.
That did not deter the crowd, however, as marijuana enthusiasts from
the Pioneer Valley and beyond were in full force. Sleeper tents of all
sizes peppered the common to provide festival-goers with temporary
relief, as well as to shelter the hard-core who camped out for the
event.

The biggest single attraction at Extravaganja was the main stage,
which hosted a wide range of artists throughout the day. From 12 p.m.
to 7 p.m., a steady stream of rappers, instrumentalists and
experimental musicians performed for the crowd. A disc jockey tent was
set up at the opposite end of the common which attracted a small core
of enthusiastic dancers.

While some small pockets of moshing could be spotted, the crowd at
Extravaganja was largely self-involved. The bulk of the assembled
crowd was kept busy with Hacky Sack games, hula hoops and smoking
circles. Local band, Primate Fiasco, was slotted for the 4:20 p.m.
spot, but missed the opportunity to really rile up attendees by
starting their set late. The band put on a good show, but the
potential energy of the hour was lost under an uncoordinated deluge of
sparking Bic lighters and smoking pipes.

The main purpose of Extravaganja, put on by the University of
Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, is to protest against what
they consider the "marijuana prohibition" that exists in this country,
as well as to rally around the cause of legalization. The use of
marijuana on the commons is permitted during the event by the Amherst
Police Department, as per an agreement reached between the police and
the CRC. Under the agreement, smoking is viewed as an act of peaceful
protest, and no effort is made to penalize those simply using or
possessing marijuana within the confines of the event.

Despite the accord, however, eight people were arrested in the area of
the commons Saturday. According to a police press release, they were
charged not with cannabis possession, but with "various offenses
including alcohol violations, motor vehicle offenses and violation of
the Amherst open container by-law." In addition, two individuals were
issued civil citations for possession under one ounce, but it is
unclear if they were in fact within the boundaries of the event.

As per tradition, the entirety of Amherst Common was ringed with carts
and tables, with the all-natural and the far-out selling their wares
to the public. Blown glass pipes were by far the most popular item,
but vendors on site carried a wide variety of goods including
clothing, flags, posters, herbs and vegetarian cuisine. Student-run
business, The People's Market, also had a stand, selling drinks and
snacks to their prime customers.

Unfazed by the questionable weather, this year's Extravaganja went off
with hardly a hitch. During the late afternoon the sun even made a
brief appearance, warming up the chilly festivities and visibly
lifting the mood.

As Abraham Lincoln once said, "Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of
reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation
and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law
strikes a blow at the very principles upon ... which our government was
founded."

Through their use of peaceful assembly and not-so-silent protest, the
attendees of Extravaganja reminded the town of Amherst that the
prohibition against cannabis does not go unopposed, and that the
people's appetites will not be controlled.