CANNABIS SOCIETY PLANNING DOWNTOWN RALLY

Preble Shooting Sparks Dayton Visit

DAYTON - Calling it a rally and march to "stop the casualites of the
marijuana war," the Ohio Cannabis Society will hold a downtown rally
and march beginning noon Saturday at Dave Hall Plaza, Main and Fifth
streets.

The march will begin at 4 p.m. at the plaza and proceed to the
Montgomery County Courthouse. An after-party will be from 6 to 9 p.m.
at El Diablo Lounge, 135 E. Second St.

John Hartman, director of the group headquartered in Cleveland, said
the shooting death Sept. 27 of a Preble County man, 23-year-old
Clayton J. Helriggle, spurred the organization to come to Dayton.

Helriggle was shot in the chest during a drug raid by Preble County
law officers at his farmhouse south of West Alexandria. Less than an
ounce of marijuana was confiscated from the house, as well as pipes
and target guns owned by Helriggle and his roommates.

"Someone e-mailed me about the story on Sept. 30, and I said, 'We have
to do something,' " Hartman said.

"The message is when a prohibition becomes more harmful than what is
prohibited, it's time to end the prohibition," he said. "When someone
dies over an ounce of marijuana, that's it. It's time to end this."

Hartman said he'd like to see marijuana regulated like alcohol,
including age limits and taxation.

He said hemp is overlooked as a cash crop. "Everyone can use hemp,
whether it's in clothing, drug or food source. It, too, can be taxed."

Speaker at the rally includes Cher Neufer, president of North Ohio
NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws);
Kennenth B. Schweickart, Democratic Congressional Candidate, 22nd
District; and a representative of the Libertarian party. Music will be
provided by Billy Rogers, Joe Hart and other regional entertainers,
Hartman said.

Ohio Cannabis Society members from Cleveland, Columbus and Yellow
Springs are expected. "We're hoping people will come statewide."
Hartman said the event also will encourage formation of new chapters
of the society.

For more information, call Hartman at (216) 521-9333 or e-mail at
ocannabissociety@aol.com; the group's Web site is www.ohiocannabis.org