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NORML to form Kentucky chapter

  The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) held its first organizational meeting Wednesday, February 25^th 2003 at the Iroquois public library in Louisville, Ky.  NORML is a national organization dedicated to the decriminalization of marijuana usage.  NORML was founded in 1970 and has worked to end the draconian penalties for pot possession and usage.  It aims to accomplish this mammoth task by lobbying and educating public officials at to the myths and untruths surrounding marijuana use.  NORML also publishes a newsletter and maintains a legal committee comprised of lawyers who specialize in marijuana related offenses.  The meeting was not large, and drew less than a dozen people, but, as notification of meeting times and places improves, these numbers should swell. 

  Besides decriminalization of marijuana, NORML also advocates the legalization of medicinal use of cannabis as well as industrial hemp.  Because of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the use of cannabis, medical professionals and their patients are being denied use of an inexpensive tool to relieve suffering.  While being denied cannabis, physicians often prescribe more addictive narcotics with more dangerous side effects.  Industrial hemp, though related to the pot smokers' marijuana, is a different animal; it contains almost none (less than 1%) of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the ingredient users of marijuana seek.  Unless someone is willing to smoke a couple of pounds of industrial hemp, they're not likely to get any pleasure, and, after inhaling the smoke of that much dried vegetation, fresh air would be a better thrill.  There are studies that suggest that farmers, hurt by the lack of tobacco money, could net as much as 200 dollars per acre growing industrial hemp.  

  The meeting was run by Dan Seum, Jr. the son of Kentucky Senator Dan Seum, and Jennifer Lantz.  Most of those who attended had some experience with marijuana use and the legal ramifications.  Dan Jr. spent 10 years in prison on drug charges alone; he never committed any robberies, assaults, murders, sex-crimes or molested any children.  The things he saw while incarcerated made him believe that there must be some changes made in the legal system and the laws which can send someone, who hasn't harmed anyone, to prison along with thieves, murders and other truly dangerous felons.  Dan Jr. is not the vile drug addict described in other media publications, but a hard working family man and asset to the community, who has decided it time to do something about the unjust marijuana laws.  Jennifer Lanz read the proposed organizational bylaws and recorded the minutes of the meeting.  Jennifer is one of the contact persons for the newly formed Kentucky chapter of NORML. 

  More information on NORML can be found on the national website:

 http://www.norml.org

You can also contact the Kentucky chapter and be informed of meetings and news regarding NORML.

Kentucky NORML
P.O. Box 581392
Louisville, KY 40268
Phone: 502-749-2890 or 502-995-3411
Contact: Dan Seum, Jr. & Jennifer Lantz
E-Mail: seum@bellsouth.net

Editor’s note:  In Louisville, we have recently seen three young men killed as a result of the war on drugs.  At what point do we decide that the cost of this war is too high?

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