HEMPFEST A LOW-KEY LOBBYING EVENT

To legalize or not? That was the question at the rock 'n'
roll-jamming, Hacky Sack-playing, tie-dye-wearing Hempfest on Ohio
State University's South Oval yesterday.

The 21st annual Ohio event kicked off at noon with 36 vendors,
30-plus bands, scores of dreadlocks and a lot of pro-marijuana talk.

Zach Germaniuk, a 19-year-old OSU English major and president of
Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said he logged some 600 hours of
work in preparation for the event.

"This is a monumental project," said a shirtless, long-haired
Germaniuk. "We want to engage people in a discussion or debate about
public policy."

Germaniuk said the group wants the U.S. government to treat minor
drug users like any other petty criminal: by simply fining them.

There seemed to be little debating yesterday, however. Most
festivalgoers seemed content throwing a Frisbee or buying souvenirs:
a Bob Marley shirt or a hat with a marijuana leaf.

Some lay on blankets in the grass, while others bought glass beads
that could double as marijuana bongs. But the only smell in the air
in the afternoon was incense, perhaps thanks to the occasional
patrolling police officer.

"I made it clear to everybody that this is a substance-free event,"
Germaniuk said. "However, I'm not a baby sitter and I'm not
responsible for the activities of other festivalgoers."

Twenty-year-old Tad Melton sat in the shade selling hemp jewelry he
and his girlfriend made. The fibrous stem of the hemp plant can be
made into rope and the leaves and flowers into marijuana. By 2 p.m.
he'd made about $90, mostly by selling the braided bracelets. But
Melton said he wasn't there for the money.

"It's just a reason to hang out for the day," he said. "People here
are pretty laid-back. They're just here looking for peace."

George LaMuth and friend Jack Parker sat in the grass under a
sycamore tree eating Sun Chips and listening to a pro-marijuana,
anti-government speaker. Parker's 4-month-old black lab, Banjo, was
at his side.

"It's everybody getting around, getting together," said LaMuth, who
wore a red and yellow tie-dye shirt. "Even if you don't smoke weed, come down."

Germaniuk estimated about 2,000 people, mostly OSU students, visited
by early afternoon. The event was to end at midnight.

Three years ago Hempfest almost came to an end. In 2004, OSU
officials tried to cancel the event, saying organizers failed to
follow university rules. A U.S. District Court judge, however,
prohibited the cancellation.

Germaniuk said university officials this year treated the
organization like any other student group.