MARCH FOR MARIJUANA DRAWS A CROWD CITY HALL, POLICE STATION

Close to 100 people turned out for the Million Marijuana March
Saturday to protest the federal government's refusal to legalize
medical marijuana.

The smell of marijuana marked their trail.

The march started at 4 p.m. at the Town Clock. After "the ritual" at
4:20 p.m. -- which organizers called "international smoking time" --
protesters headed down Pacific Garden Mall toward the Santa Cruz
Police Department, where they camped out for about a half hour. City
Hall was the next and final stop.

Hemp pins and tattoos, as well as bare chests and dreadlocks,
abounded. Participants criticized media coverage of pot issues and
encouraged people to attend training sessions on how to break the law
nonviolently to get one's message out.

"Free the people from this hypocrisy democracy, man!" shouted one
protester.

"I say smoke more pot!" was a more common refrain.

Outside Santa Cruz, similar marches occurred across the nation and
world, participants said. The "Liberation Day" event was organized by
the organization Cures Not Wars.