4/20ERS BE WARNED

Paranoia is said to be a symptom of pot smoking. But what happens if you
actually have something to fear?

While partakers in traditional 4/20 events at CU and on campuses around the
nation normally associate the day with sunshine and carefree toking, this
year, the CU administration and local law enforcement are planning to crack
down on the event. So, if you plan on actively celebrating the high point
of the weed-lovers' calendar by smoking pot at CU's Farrand Field today, be
prepared to tangle with CU police.

April 20 (4/20) has been celebrated at CU-Boulder at Farrand Field in
recent years. CU police have backed off of enforcing the law on marijuana
due to the overwhelming numbers of smokers that have prevented them from
issuing tickets or making arrests.

That isn't the case this year. After two years of bad press about scandals
centered on sex, drugs and alcohol, CU has said it will crack down on
pot-smoking during 4/20 today.

"As in the past, CU-Boulder's campus police will maintain an appropriate
presence at any gathering on campus," Chancellor Phil DiStefano's office
stated in a recent press release. "We are asking the community to refrain
from coming to this informal, unsponsored event."

The CU-Boulder Police Department told the Colorado Daily last month it
plans to partner with the city of Boulder Police Department, as well as
other drug enforcement units.

Some students and community members think CU is overreacting when it comes
to this latest ban on the event.

"The University acts like this is something unique to here," said CU senior
and campus activist and Hip Hop Congress member Dustin Craun. "And it's not
in any way. There are 4/20 rallies all across the country. Now (the media
are) going to cover Boulder, because CU made a big deal about it. This goes
on at most college campuses across the country."

Many think CU's cracking down on the Farrand Field festivities is a just a
way for CU to show the state it can deal with its hard-partying students.

"I talked to University officials and they told me something to the extent
of 'well, we're only going to do stuff to those 50 or so individuals who
light up every year.' I think they're delusional if they think it's 50
individuals. It's going to be like 2,000 kids, like it is every year. The
majority of which are taking part, in some extent, to the things going on.
I don't know what they can do to 2,000 kids," said Craun.

Other community members say CU is trying to extinguish another potentially
embarrassing occurrence before it happens.

"This is not an issue that the CU administration wants on its agenda at all
right now," said Paul Danish, a former Boulder City Councilman, County
Commissioner and long-time U.S. Drug War critic. "The administration is
under a lot of stress with a whole bunch of different stuff. Much of it
suggests 'CU is out of control.'"

Danish said the CU administration is trying to recover its image from the
scandals related to football recruiting issues and the controversy
surrounding ethnic studies professor Ward Churchill.

"I'm not thrilled about breaking the law; on the other hand, I think that
the laws in this case are pretty irrational," said Danish.

Even so, Danish warns students that CU might not be kidding around this time.

"If you go and participate in this sort of festivity, and warnings have
been given, chances are police will be cracking down harder this year," he
said.

Craun, who says he doesn't smoke pot, also cautions avid pot advocates
about the potential legal and financial consequences that could come along
with getting high and getting caught.

"I would encourage the students to use caution, considering this is an act
of civil disobedience," said Craun. "And this is (coming from) me, someone
who's been arrested twice for civil disobedience this semester."

Calls to the University of Colorado Police Department for this story were
not returned by the Daily's deadline Tuesday evening. Colorado Daily
reporter Matt Williams contributed to this report.