“Responsible decriminalization, responsible legislation, regulation and taxation are the way to go,” said Hadley attorney David A. King. “The laws as they stand are unjust.”
View full sizeStephen Fowler of the band Echo Movement Sunday at the 20th annual Extravaganja festival on the town commons in Amherst.AMHERST – Rocker Steve Miller is a self-declared “midnight toker,” but he’s got nothing on hundreds of people on the Amherst town commons Sunday who sparked up at noon.
The 20th annual Extravaganja festival, put on by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s Cannabis Reform Coalition, kicked off Saturday and continued for two days, the first time it has lasted more than one day since its inception. The event was chock-full of speakers, vendors and bands and was meant to raise awareness of the pro-marijuana legalization movement.
This year was also the first time participants were allowed to smoke marijuana openly without fear of consequences. If, of course, they followed the CRC’s rules, made in conjunction with local police.
Rule number one: smoke on the town commons and nowhere else. Rule number two: no selling drugs. Rule number three: no alcohol.
Emily Butler, spokesperson for the CRC, said the crowd had been “pretty good. We haven’t had any incidents.”
She said she wasn’t aware of anyone selling drugs, but she couldn’t be sure it hadn’t happened.
“We’re trying to keep an eye on that, but it’s such a crowd,” she said.
“It really is uncivilized that you have laws preventing you from doing what you want with your own body,” said Terry Franklin, who Butler said has been with the CRC since the beginning, in a speech to the crowd.
Extravaganja “is a Renaissance of freedom,” Franklin said. He detailed plans to bring protesters to the New Hampshire primaries for the 2012 presidential elections, as well as every campaign stop for every candidate, to push for legalization.
“This is going to be the largest issue group out there,” he said.
Butler said many in the crowd seemed lackluster in their support of the cause. Further, some people seemed confused about a 2008 state ballot measure that decriminalized possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, replacing criminal charges with civil penalties, she said.
But the Amherst Police mostly looked the other way this weekend. Sgt. Jesus Arrocho said they patrolled around the commons and issued a total of 17 citations for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, but made no arrests.
"It's not really free and clear," said Arrocho. "Marijuana is illegal. ... People don't get a pass."
Amherst Police Chief Scott P. Livingstone said the town let Extravaganja run for two days this year on a “trial basis” and future events would depend upon “participant behavior.”
Butler said she believed the crowd had behaved and hopes the festival can run for two days again next year.
“Responsible decriminalization, responsible legalization, regulation and taxation are the way to go,” said Hadley attorney David A. King. “The laws as they stand are unjust.”
King engaged smokers in conversations about their Constitutional rights. He told them the laws surrounding search and seizure, self-incrimination and representation by an attorney.
"When it comes to drug cases, when it comes to traffic stops, when it comes to police encounters, so many people give up their rights," said King. "There are some very, very clear and serious protections for us as citizens."
"Do you think all these people should be in jail?" said Butler, gesturing to the crowd of peaceful smokers. "These are (our) neighbors."
Butler said the event had a positive impact on local businesses.
“Whenever you have that sort of influx, it definitely has that affect on businesses,” said Emeka Ihedigbo, who spoke on behalf of the restaurant Moti, which is in secondhand-smoke distance of the commons. “Only slightly adverse with the traffic situation, but it’s one of those necessary, happy evils.”
One shop worker, who asked not to be identified, said people mostly came in to use the public bathroom.
Mixed in with the crowd of teenagers to senior citizens were at least a few children.
When asked if it was appropriate for youngsters to come to Extravaganja, Butler said, "I guess I'll leave that to the discretion of the parents, but I wouldn't recommend bringing children here. I think they're safe."
“It’s really good to see this many people come out. It’s a taboo subject,” said Butler. “Obviously some people don’t like that this happens. ... We’re not trying to be in anybody’s face about it.”