MARIJUANA GATHERING WORRIES PONTIAC POLICE

Pontiac police are concerned about the plan to hold a marijuana
conference at the Silverdome this fall.

What's being billed as the First Annual International Cannabis
Convention is scheduled for Oct. 29-31, according to event organizers.

"My concerns are the law has to be followed," Police Chief Val Gross
said this morning. "City Council has put a moratorium on a decision
about medical marijuana position in the city. It's still against city
ordinance and state law to be in possession of marijuana and sell
marijuana. There's still a city ordinance against possession of drug
paraphernalia or selling paraphernalia."

He explained that he only learned about the pot convention at Thursday
night's City Council meeting.

"This is a rental deal. This is publicly-traded company that has run
other events around the country, holding a trade show for a legal
product approved by the state's voters and regulated by the Michigan
Department of Community Health," Silverdome spokesman John Mozena
said. "As with any event at the Silverdome or any other venue, it's
the responsibility of the promoter and any vendors and all attendees
to abide by any state, local applicable laws."

The Triple Properties Investment Group of Toronto bought the Detroit
Lions' former home for $583,000 in November.

"The Superdome is a private entity now, but they still have to follow
the guidelines of the law," Gross said. "I'm always concerned about
what type of crowd does it bring. I don't know."