MARCHING FOR A FEW REEFERS MORE

Protestors Plan To Walk And Light Up While Calling For Legalization

NIAGARA -- Recreational and medicinal marijuana users will be gathering in
the Falls Saturday for a protest march and group toke in Victoria Park.

The event starts on a more scholarly note with a speakers' conference at
Niagara Falls Public Library in the LeMarsh Room from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Matt Mernagh runs the Niagara Compassion Society, which provides patients
with medical marijuana, and is organizing the all-day conference and
protest. While he's trying to attract people who may not be pot enthusiasts
but have an open mind, he concedes the speakers will likely be preaching to
the converted.

"I'm resigned to that," Mernagh said. "But even if we get one or two -- I'm
working hard to get around that problem. It's a major concern."

One of the major discussion topics will be the effect the drug policy south
of the border is having here and Mernagh is expecting several visitors from
western New York to speak on that.

"I believe that America is exporting its drug war to Canada," he said.

The protest march begins at 3:15 p.m. at a parkette near the corner of
Victoria Avenue and Highway 420 -- 420 is the slang for pot use and Mernagh
said the highway is becoming a "Mecca" in pot culture. The march will lead
towards Clifton Hill, ending in the park.