FILM DETAILS HISTORY OF DRUG PROHIBITION IN THE UNITED STATES

Chase Cookson Wants Everyone To Know How Much The War On Drugs Is Costing
America.

"It's always billions of dollars, and it's getting bigger and bigger," said
Cookson, who is president of KU Students for a Sensible Drug Policy.

The drug war costs, which totaled $214.7 billion from 1980 to 1998, are
broken down in the documentary Grass, shown at the Kansas Union last night
to about 90 students. Students for a Sensible Drug Policy sponsored the event.

Grass, narrated by Woody Harrelson, is an 80-minute history of drug
prohibition in the United States.

The film focused on legislation that has kept marijuana use illegal in the
United States, from the El Paso Ordinance of 1914 to the Anti-Drug Abuse
Act of 1986.

"Anyone who is a pothead and wants to know why they're a criminal should
watch it," Cookson said.

Courtney Smith, Topeka junior, said the film did a good job of showing
where marijuana use got its stigma.

"I never thought about where the negative thoughts about marijuana came
from," she said. "It kind of makes me angry."

The documentary chronicled early ad campaigns targeted at the "evil weed."

One campaign told the story of a teenager named Marty who, after smoking
marijuana, decided the fun way to open soda bottles was by smashing them
against a wall. Marty's downfall occurred when he cut the inside of his
mouth from the broken bottle.

Another early marijuana campaign promised users would endure "physical and
moral ruin -- and death." Other campaigns claimed users would become
insane, violent, addicted to heroin and be "in the grip of Satan."

Chad Simmons, Lee Summit, Mo., freshman, said he initially heard about the
film when researching for a project on marijuana last year. The film sheds
light on drug use myths, he said.

"I find myself interested in finding out more about stereotypes and where
they come from," Simmons said. "This film seems like it does a good job of
showing that."

Simmons said that he supported decriminalization of marijuana. He said most
of the time it seemed people were either completely for or against the drug.

"There is a midway opinion there," he said, "but it isn't really expressed."

- -- Edited by Brandon Gay