RALLY CALLS FOR REFORM OF MARIJUANA LAWS

Dozens of students gathered beside the White Hall Classroom Building
yesterday to get fired up about reforming marijuana laws.

The students came for a membership rally held by the UK chapter of
the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

Lexington lawyer and politician, Gatewood Galbraith, spoke to
students about the legalization of marijuana and their rights as
citizens to understand and be an active part of government.

"I like coming out here and getting the students riled up," Galbraith
said. "I represent a lot of them in court later on so I like to take
opportunities like this to talk to students and teach them about
marijuana and about their rights."

Galbraith spoke about the history of marijuana laws in the country
and of the plant's various uses and then he stressed his opinions on
the importance of experiencing the "benefits of marijuana."

"Today they (the university) will threaten to pull your financial aid
money if you are found in possession of marijuana. But getting an
education should be a top priority. The president of Columbia
University once said he didn't think anyone should be able to get a
college education until they smoked marijuana at least once,"
Galbraith said. "I disagree; I think it should be at least twice,"

Galbraith ran for governor of Kentucky in 1999 as a member of the
Reform Party. He ran for Congress in 2000 as a Reform Party candidate
and again as an independent in 2002. He has run for Administrator of
Agriculture as well as Attorney General. He has not won any of the races.

"I've broken every independent candidate record out there, but still
can't get people to come off the straight party ballots," Galbraith
said. "I'm looking to run for governor again in 2007 and I think I
have a good chance of getting the Democratic seat."

UK's NORML invited Galbraith to speak to students in an effort to
increase membership in the local chapter.

"Our main purpose today was to inform students of their rights and
give them a chance to learn more about marijuana," Drew Duncan,
senior computer science major and president of NORML said. "This
organization has been around for about a year at UK, but we haven't
had a lot of financial backing to hold any big events."

The organization's next event will be Cannabis Liberation Day on May
6 when they will hold a march through downtown Lexington to support
the reform of marijuana laws.

"All students have to do is show up and it will help," said Daniel
Naas, a NORML member. "It is free, and it will be a great afternoon."

NORML set up a booth outside of the classroom building from 12-5 p.m.
where students could sign up to be a part of the club or join the
group's listserv.

"I think they will get a lot of support," Sheri Ward, history and
classics senior said. "Having Gatewood here talking to them about his
take on the law really helped grab their interest. He looks at the
government with an out of the box approach that I think students can
really relate to."

Not everyone there supported what the organization stands for.

"I've lived in Lexington all of my life and have always thought
Gatewood Galbraith was out of his mind trying to run for office,"
Cecil Evans, an agriculture junior said. "He is such an intelligent
man, but standing here talking to college students about how
marijuana is part of the college experience is just his way of trying
to get a vote for his next attempt at a public office."

NORML had high expectations for an increase in membership.

"This rally gives students a chance to learn more about us," Duncan
said. "I think there are a lot of people out there who believe what
we believe - that marijuana laws need to be changed."