Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

NORML stronges By Larry LeVine Gamecock Staff Writer The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws has been a major force in persuading states to decriminalize marijuana possession, according to Wayne Brooks, administrative director of S.C. NORML. NORML, founded in 1970 by Washington attorney Keith Stroup, is a non-profit organization which iu i cinuvc cm i;i iiuiiuu penalties for private use of marijuana, according to Brooks. "NORML does not just represent pot smokers," he said. "It represents a lot of people including concerned parents." The USC chapter of NORML. is the strongest chapter in the state, Brooks said. He expects USC to be much stronger this fall because the core members are gaining experience. "You have to start off 11 ii ? i. ? sinau, uien grow larger, we are doing this now, and we are becoming a tightly knit group," Brooks said. USC and S.C. NORML are trying to get a stronger statewide organization, according to Brooks. 4 incic imau i jcoiijr uccu a su uug statewide organization with the exception of USC," Brooks said. "There are 150 people in the state who are members of NORML, but we need more people. The resources are available to us, but we need more manpower and money." "CONSIDERING THE FACT we have to make our own money, we have as much potential as any other organization at USC. The members of NORML are not being paid for the work they contribute," Brooks said. The president of the USC chapter Bush River fTlall ^ . vuiumo For the Some Examples f 3s Supertram ? Earth, Wine P* Pink Floyd || James Taj m2 Steve (Tlill< Beatles, ? Rolling Stc | In addition you w | So if you buy 3 o i anutime in Seoter ? I - chapter t at USC of NORML is Jim Robbins. "I have a lot of confidence in Jim," Brooks said. "He is quite dependable, mature and has good management ability." "We (the national organization) have accomplished decriminalization of pot in 11 states strictly for possession," Brooks said. Criminal penalties have been removed for small possession, and it is now a civil offense in these states. You do not have to go to court or jail, and it does not create a criminal record. In most states that have not decriminalized pot, it is a $100 fine for a first offense, Brooks said. ??T4 : wl.i I -A ? r 1 - n iiiigiu surprise a iui ui peupie that of the 11 states to decriminalize pot, two Southern states, Mississippi and North Carolina, are included," Brooks said. The states which have enacted these laws are from all over the country, he added. RROOKS SAin in the nact Ki/n years 13 states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, including glaucoma and cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Marijuana helps glaucoma patients by stabilizing the disease. it does not cure it, but it helps to control it, Brooks said. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy find relief from nausea and pain by smoking marijuana. "Pot is helping them cope with their disabilities. We have had a very good success rate with legislatures who approve of this," he said. "A legal system for marijuana is best for the country," according to Brooks. "A legal market would be safer. The federal government should establish a committee to study legal systems for pot," he said. 798"2689 io's most Complete with more thai week August 27 thr anu letter in SfOTI :Hed under O. Bruce Snrinnsteian Pr , f~ ' "' " C7 ' :) & Fire, Electric Light C , Elvis Presley, Tom Pett jlor, Talking Heads, Bra er, Chuck iTIangione, fTl< ieach Boys, Jackson Br< ?nes, Linda Ronstadt, Tc ill be given a coupon ; Ibums this week, you c IVVIt I ^ ' : -.... N ^ ^ ^'Cv > . . - V 3* -> >.NNV. ~ / : ** ' ,_ ' . rrmr^< ' . .. , '^-v - ... ; IPS T ? K-' - . V--.'. * 11 . , l ' ; N V V ,V\. ... i xA\ i.. . nn SvV-: . : : sV^.C ? W > I M _ , . j| MfUKM Stairway to r If you're loo king f Thomas Cooper L People are currently getting pot through the black market, and there is a considerable amount of organized crime involved, according to Brooks. "If a legal market for marijuana were imposed, the black market would not Kn oKIa f A /tAmnA^A 4-1* uv uU1V tv tullipcic Willi It. Ten percent of all pot being smuggled into the country is being confiscated, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency, Brooks said. "With all of their manpower, it shows that marijuana represents a large market." "With a legal market, it would take a load off the law enforcement agency. There is a lot of time and manpower being spent on it, and it would also take a strain off the courts. If pot was taken off the cop's shoulders, it would allow ? * uicui iu uc<ii wiui mure serious crimes effectively," Brooks said. SSKfefe, ,a JmUUuGj[?re< ? Record & Tape St< i 13,000 titles in c u September lt All I IfTlBER will be Jfl.O< )d Stewart, Donna Sumr >rchestra, Dave Edmund :y. Graham Parker, Grar m Tchaikovsky, Stanley oody Blues, molly Hatch Dwne, The Band, Jimmy >ny Rice, Roxy fTlusic, To good for sale price on t iet a card qood for 3 c '' v.'.. v ' 1M '' ^ - --=? /^ to where or a road to nowhere, ti ibrary are a good place "IF A LEGAL system were imposed, there can be controls on the access of pot. When pot becomes legal, there will be an age limit on the people smoking it," Brooks said. Children should not be smoking it because they are not mature enough to handle it. Get ting high all the time interferes with their school work, he said. "Parents can control what they (children) do in the house but once they are outside, it is hard to control them. Parents are not getting the help and the right answers " NORML is trying to educate the public on the use of marijuana. "For 40 or 50 years it had been said it causes brain and chromosome damage, which is just not true. Peter Bensinger, head of the DEA, said earlier this year that the American Cancer Society said pot was carcinogenic. The American tpes Landmark Sc cords are for aruj musical kArk lA/<AttAM ?*% VVMtlVI B* Albums/Tapes filec 0 off Sticker Price. ner. Steely Dan, Spyro 1 s, Walter Egan, Eagles n Parsons, Poco Turrentine ett, Joni fTVitchell, Dave Buffett, David Bowie, B< dd Rundgren, Rose Rol xn equal number of itei albums of your choice tc hese steps nearthe to start. * Cancer Society said they had not said this and that it was not carcinogenic," Brooks said. NOEML seeks to provide educational experience about marijuana to the public. They want to talk to parents about the issue of teenagers smoking pot and get a message out to parents on how to deal with them, Brooks said. ftjl A kTlf * ? * x rnur nsaiuiNAL people are involved in NORML's organization. These include a number of doctors and lawyers, Brooks said. Individuals on NORML's National Advisory Board include: Ramsey Clark, Julian Bond, Hugh Hefner and Sen. Jacob Javits, he added. "We are not trying to encourage people to smoke pot," Brooks said. "It should be a matter of personal choice that people can smoke in the privacy of their homes." iuare - 776-7208 I Taste I under Gyrcx, Bob Seger ITlason I ee Gees ice rns in September. > be on sale nl