NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE REFORM OF
MARIJUANA LAWS
1001 CONNECTICUT AVENUE NW
SUITE 1010
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036
TEL 202-483-5500 * FAX 202-483-0057
E-MAIL natlnorml@aol.com
Internet http://www.norml.org/
... a weekly service for the media on news items related to Marijuana Prohibition.
August 17, 1995
Two NORML Chapters Fight For Their Rights... And Win!
Two NORML chapters recently emerged victorious in
their fights against local censorship restrictions. In two
separate incidents, Northcoast NORML (OH) and University of
Oklahoma NORML were initially denied access to public forums
because of their organization's marijuana-tolerant beliefs.
However, after threatening to take legal action in order to
defend their First Amendment rights, both chapters subsequently
prevailed.
According to Northcoast NORML president, John Hartman, the local
chapter will now be allowed to display public service
announcements on the rear and/or side of Cuyahoga city
busses. Regional Transit Authority officials had originally
refused to post the organization's PSA's. However, upon
learning that an ACLU lawyer had accepted the case, the RTA
quickly reversed its opinion. The RTA has informed
Northcoast NORML that the group's displays must meet the same
requirements as do political advertisements and must bear the
organization's name and address. Hartman says that adhering
to these standards should not be a problem and hopes to use the
ads to raise awareness of the fact there have been over ten
million marijuana arrests since 1965.
In a similar scenario, University of Oklahoma NORML will now be
permitted to run a month-long hemp exhibit in the display case of
the Norman (OK) Municipal Public Library. Originally, the
chapter's request to gain access to the display case was denied
by library management. OU NORML challenged this decision
and charged that the library was engaging in discrimination.
OU NORML further argued that the library's denial of their
request violated the written anti-censorship policy of the
National Library Association. Following this assertion, the library
promptly rewrote their own policy in order to justify their
previous decision. OU NORML then had an ACLU lawyer send
the library a letter requesting them to change their new policy
and grant the NORML chapter access to the public display
case. Library officials finally consented following the
ACLU's letter. The OU NORML hemp exhibit is slated to be on
display this upcoming February.
For more information regarding these cases, please contact
John Hartman at Northcoast NORML @ (216) 521-WEED and/or Michael
Pearson at University of Oklahoma NORML @ (405) 840-HEMP.
Meanwhile, Mass Cann NORML Denied Permition
To Hold Hemp Rally
By Board Of Selectmen
August 17, 1995, Marblehead, MA:
Mass Cann: NORML has announced that it must cancel its scheduled
weekend Hempfest (Aug. 26-27) because of an abrupt change of
heart by the Royalston Board of Selectmen. Plans are
already underway to hold a protest on the green outside Royalston
Town Hall. The demonstration is slated to take place at
noon on August 26.
Steve Epstein, an attorney and Chairman of Mass Cann: NORML,
explained that the Royalston Board of Selectmen suddenly
"changed its position and determined that the club did not have
the necessary permits [required] under state law to host the
event." Epstein further states that Mass Cann: NORML
had "met [previously] with them on August 6 and were told
that no additional permits were required." Mass Cann:
NORML wasn't alerted to the fact that the group would need an
additional permit until August 11. The board refuses to allow the
event without the necessary authorizations.
William Downing, President of Mass Cann: NORML maintains that:
"The decision of the board was motivated by an illegal
desire to prevent [our organization] from expressing [its]
opinions on marijuana prohibition." He additionally
states that: "They could stop Hempfest because of [a permit
requirement, but] they cannot stop 'HEMP-PROTEST' because of the
First Amendment." Mass Cann: NORML had been hosting
events similar to Hempfest for approximately the past six years.
For more information of the scheduled August 26
"HEMP-PROTEST," please contact Steve Epstein, Esq. @
(617) 699-3161 or Mass Cann: NORML @ (617) 944-CANN.
Student Parking "Not For the
Bashful"
Indiana School Board Votes To Institute Drug Free Parking Policy
August 16, 1995, Fishers, Indiana:
Following directly on the heels of this past June's U.S. Supreme
Court decision upholding an Oregon public school policy mandating
urine tests for all athletes regardless of probable cause, a
Fishers school board is attempting to force high school students
to submit to drug tests before they are issued parking permits.
Principle Gary Wiersema was asked by the board to adopt the new
policy before school opens August 23. Wiesema maintains
that such a proposal should not be instituted so swifty and has advised
the board to move slowly on the issue. "Kids still
have rights," he told the Palladium-Item after an initial
meeting with the board.
An attorney for the school has stated that he believes such a
measure would stand up in a court of law based upon the U.S.
Supreme Court's previous rulings regarding drug testing.
"If the rationale to randomly test athletes is because of
safety," he told the Palladium-Item, "[then] the school
has the ability to control who drives."
Currently, between 10 and 20 separate schools have enacted random
drug testing policies for athletes in Indiana.
Richard Martinez's Health Worsens
Registered Nurse Petitions Arizona Governor To Intervene
August 15, 1995, Phoenix, AZ: In the
past week, Richard Martinez's voice has weakened to the point
where it is now barely audible. Meanwhile, he continues to suffer
from life threatening staph infections, high blood pressure,
migraines, and possibly anemia.
Connie Theis, Martinez's registered nurse and the woman who
notified NORML of his situation, has requested that he be
transferred from Durango County Jail and placed in a nearby hospital.
Recently, she has written to Arizona Governor Fyfe Symington to
alert him of Martinez's increasingly ill health. The Office
of Human Rights in Phoenix is also attempting to get Martinez transferred
to a medical facility. Ms. Theis maintains that Martinez's
life is in danger every additional day he is forced to stay in
prison.
Richard Martinez has yet to be convicted of any crime. He
is currently facing drug charges after being turned in to
authorities for possessing a coffee can of marijuana.
Martinez had been using marijuana as a therapeutic agent to help
relieve the pain he suffers daily after having been shot through
the left eye in 1991. He remains incarcerated in Durango
County Jail so that the state can continue to conduct competency
tests. Ms. Theis asserts that Martinez's head injury has permanently
damaged his right frontal lobe and maintains that he is mentally
incompetent to stand trial.
Constance Theis can be contacted at the following numbers:
(602) 790-1595 (home) or (602) 325-1300 EXT 4435 (work).
Activists are encouraged to call and/or fax the following Arizona
political officials: U.S. Senator John Kyl @ (202) 224-4521 or
fax# (202) 228-1239; U.S. Senator John McCain @ (202) 224-2235 or
fax# (202) 228-2862; Governor Fyfe Symington, 1700 W. Washington
St., Phoenix, AZ 85007; phone# (602) 524-4331 or fax# (602)
542-1381.
Federal Prisoner Begins Hunger Strike To Protest Denial Of Marinol
August 15, 1995, El Reno, OK: Alan
D. McLemore has forsaken food for the last 18 days and lost more
than twenty pounds since a physician at Montgomery County Jail
(Conroe, TX) discontinued his prescription for Marinol.
Doctors at the prison have attempted to substitute other medications
in place of Marinol; however, McLemore's wife reports that
alternative medicines have only aggravated his current physical
condition. McLemore has a medical history of chronic clinical
depression and has been prescribed Marinol by a previous jail
psychiatrist.
McLemore was sentenced to federal prison this past July on
marijuana charges. In the past, McLemore had used marijuana
to provide relief from chronic migraines, depression, lack of appetite,
and alcoholic tendencies.
For more information on the case of Alan D. McLemore, please
call Maggi Carter-McLemore @ (409) 898-4926. Activists may
also wish to contact Warden Ronald G. Thomas, El Reno Federal
Correction Institute @ (405) 262-4875 or fax# (405) 743-1448.
-END-
MORE THAN 10 MILLION MARIJUANA ARRESTS SINCE 1965 ... ANOTHER EVERY 90 SECONDS!