MARCHING FOR MARIJUANA

Hayden Resident Encourages Support For Medicinal Use

Steamboat Springs - Hayden resident Don Nord says being able to
smoke marijuana or eat banana bread and oatmeal cookies baked with
pot has helped him live a more productive and fulfilling life in
light of the myriad of medical conditions he lives with.

Nord, a vocal lobbyist for the legalization of medicinal marijuana
and marijuana law reform, will again spread that message Friday
afternoon as he hosts the fourth annual Routt County Medical
Marijuana Awareness March on the Routt County Courthouse lawn.

"This is a medical marijuana rally I hold every year to meet people
interested in getting more information about medical marijuana," he
said.

Nord said the event is open to the public, and he encourages people
to stop by.

"It's a really peaceful event," he said. "No one is rioting or
anything like that. We just like to gather around and speak about
medical marijuana. People honk their horns as they drive by us aE"
it's their way of showing support."

Steamboat Springs police Capt. Joel Rae said the annual event has
never caused a problem for the city.

Nord has "done it before. We've seen him out there, and everything
seems to be organized," he said. "It's the freedom of speech thing,
and as long as it isn't impeding the flow of traffic or anything, he
has the right to do that."

Nord has been smoking medical marijuana for more than two decades,
and he has a state permit to legally grow marijuana in his Hayden
home. Nord suffers from ongoing complications from kidney cancer,
prostate operations, foot ailments and other medical conditions that
require him to use oxygen to breathe.

"Medical marijuana is not for a stubbed toe," he said. "It's more or
less for people suffering from cancer, chronic pain, diabetes, AIDS,
HIV. It's to help those kinds of people get through the day."

Mason Tvert, executive director of the Colorado-based nonprofit Safer
Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation, said the organization is
working to change the public's perception of what "4/20" is.

"I don't think there is a misperception of what (Friday) is. People
know exactly what it is aE" it's a bunch of people smoking pot in
public," he said. "What we're trying to do is transform that into a
public discussion about why marijuana laws need to be reformed and
why marijuana isn't a big deal."

Nord has volunteered for SAFER. During the 2006 election, Nord
collected thousands of local signatures in support of Amendment 44,
which would have legalized possession of less than 1 ounce of
marijuana by adults ages 21 and older.

Friday's events are about showing discontent with current marijuana
laws, Tvert said. "What we do is try to generate public discussion
about the efficacy of prohibition and punishing adults for
(marijuana) use. Unfortunately, a lot of people are uncomfortable
talking about it in public," Tvert said.

People like Nord are the exception, he said.

"My hope is that people will stop by and get the information they
need," Nord said of Friday's march. "The more people I can help or
get information to, then I've accomplished something."

A global marijuana march is scheduled for May 4, 5 and 6, Nord said.