THC advocates 'fuel, fiber, food' pros of marijuana use
by Eric Brown
UNM Daily Lobo Feb. 24 1994
The Hemp Coalition (THC), an on-campus organization dedicated
to the legalization of marijuana its first meeting of the semester
Wednesday night.
"I like to think of pro legalization as a civil rights movement
said Michael Piper, former chairperson of the nonprofit group.
"Pot smoking and activism is not a legally sanctioned form of
protest. Each of us in THC has to deal with the hard trip, that
what we are doing might bring the COPS.
The group members want marijuana legalized not only for recreation.
but also as medicine.
"We aren't into legalization just because of the drugs associated
with marijuana ," said Michael Carey, current chairperson of THC.
"We are also interested in the plant's potential for fuel, fiber
and food." Discussion Wednesday was centered on plans for fund-raising
and THC's annual smoke-out, when the group members try to raise
public awareness of marijuana use.
"Plus, rolling joints has become a lost art, which we hope to
teach the public," he said.
Freedom Fest
-- the-smokeout - is scheduled for Saturday, April 16. on Johnson
Field, which THC has already reserved. THC promotes their pro
marijuana message with an information booth, which is located
on the south end of the Student Union Building, Tuesday and Thursday
afternoons. Flyers and medical literature are distributed. and
sterilized hemp seeds and brownies (just regular old legal brownies)
might be sold. And, for no charge, they'll stamp dollar bills,
giving George Washington a balloon caption which reads, "I grew
hemp."
THC is broke since the former chairman didn't retum last semester's
leftover funds of $250, and the group does not plan to ask ASUNM
for money. "We're broke again," said Piper. "Down to the seeds
and stems." Membership is down this semester for the 3-year-old
group, with only about a half dozen people attending the meeting
. "Sooner or later, core members graduate from school, even if
they.do smoke marijuana," Piper said.
''There is a legitimate wall of fear when it comes to joining
a group like THC," he said. "And we shouldn't try to deny it.
Cops do tear down people's doors and rip up their houses looking
for a nickel-bag (about one gram) of pot. But every group that
has been persecuted in the history of the U.S. has had to risk
their life and/or property for their rights. It's a choice you
have to make."
The club's next meet will be on Monday, Feb. 28. [1994] For more
info call 873'7220
.Back to Piper's Pipe Page