By LAURA NOVETZKE

Special to The Sun
September 13. 2006 6:01AM

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Keith Stroup entered the room at the Hilton hotel in a suit with a gold marijuana leaf pinned neatly on his chest.

He adjusted his green tie and watched as people poured into the room.

The Dogwood Room was filled past its 78-person capacity. People sat on the floor in the back and in the aisles. Many adorned brightly colored orange stickers displaying their own five-pointed leaves.

Stroup is a Washington, D.C., public-interest attorney who founded the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in 1970.

He got his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where he first smoked marijuana as a freshman.

"I'm the world's oldest pot smoker," the 62-year-old said. His light-hearted humor supported his overall argument.

Stroup encouraged students to "come out of the closet" with their marijuana habits in order to change the laws.

"We need to get up, stand up, light up and let America know," Stroup said.

One way he suggested was by asking everyone in the room to refrain from voting for any candidate who "treats them like a criminal" by supporting marijuana prohibition.

Stroup said marijuana is not an immoral habit but rather a recreational activity.

He said Americans should be given the right to buy marijuana from a controlled market and grow it for recreational and industrial purposes.

"Smoking is not immoral," Stroup said. "It makes food taste better, music sound better and sex better," he said. "That's not a bad thing."

Stroup said he believes the negative stereotype given to marijuana smokers is the biggest reason keeping marijuana from becoming legal in the United States. Stroup said people feel like they are alienated.

NORML's mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of marijuana prohibition so that the responsible use of pot by adults is no longer subject to penalty.

Stroup said more than 26 million Americans smoked last year and of that 16 million are regular smokers, meaning they smoke at least once a month.

"We're just average Americans that happen to smoke marijuana," Stroup said.

The event was sponsored by NORML UF, which claims to have 30 to 40 active members. The group is led by UF junior Jaylen McGrew.

"I saw (the movie) "Grass" at the Reitz Union a few years ago and decided to get involved with NORML," McGrew said.

McGrew can be reached at NORMLUFoutreach@gmail.com or at the Web site http://www.NORMLUF.com.

No.

No

No. Something like that should never be legalized. It is something which people are much better off staying far away from.

Yes.

It will help ALOT of problems. Organized crime, dirty politicians, black market, gangs, violence.

The Governement could stop SPENDING money on the Bullsh!t war on drugs to MAKE money on all the people who like to burn one down after a long hard day at work, myself included.

I could go on and on but i'm sure you democratic do good asshats will give a laundry list of why its so bad and how its a gatewaydrug and a bunch of other nonsense.

Have at it.

Yes.

I personally do not smoke, but I honestly don't see it different from drinking. Alcohol and THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) are BOTH SUBSTANCES, correct? Just one is legal, and one isn't. Just control marijuana like alcohol and be done with it.

BOTH of their classifications are under:
Depressant Intoxicant

So again, I personally say slap a tax on it and sell it.

I've smoked and drank for a long time and I must say, drinking is far worse than smoking. It messes you up a LOT more than weed does. I know after a night of heavy smoking, I'm affected but not totally wasted. On the other hand, a heavy night of drinking leads to a complete lack of any judgment and motor skills. I know this is only one side of the debate, but for me its the most prevalent. The legal one is far more intoxicating than the illegal drug. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Rove's October Surprise: Legalize Marijuana six days before the election and watch 90% of all Democrats across the country get so stoned they can't vote. All the Christians go vote and the Republicans gain 197 seats in the house and 21 seats in the Senate. :D

Rove's October Surprise: Legalize Marijuana six days before the election and watch 90% of all Democrats across the country get so stoned they can't vote. All the Christians go vote and the Republicans gain 197 seats in the house and 21 seats in the Senate. :D
Only 21 seats in the Senate. :D

That the three no votes in this thread came from people who have more than one bottle of alcohol in their house. It is OK for you to have your pleasures but not others. When is the last time that you heard of someone taking out a family of six because they were driving under the influence of pot. And believe me, a lot of you would be a lot less uptight if you did smoke a joint. I have not smoked a joint in over 23 years since my oldest son was born. I believe that I needed to set a good example for him by never getting into trouble or losing a job due to pot. But I would smoke it if it were legal.

I agree it would help reduce terrorism and crime cut the $s and they are out of bus.I have never heard of anybody robbing banks or killing for pot but you do see a lot of homless republicans begging for drink money on the side of the road:p :D

That the three no votes in this thread came from people who have more than one bottle of alcohol in their house. It is OK for you to have your pleasures but not others. When is the last time that you heard of someone taking out a family of six because they were driving under the influence of pot. And believe me, a lot of you would be a lot less uptight if you did smoke a joint. I have not smoked a joint in over 23 years since my oldest son was born. I believe that I needed to set a good example for him by never getting into trouble or losing a job due to pot. But I would smoke it if it were legal.
Actually I HAVE NO BOOZE IN MY APARTMENT and I am still against it.

This could be a huge boon to the snack-food industry. Sales of Cheetos would skyrocket! I see this as an investment opportunity. :D

This could be a huge boon to the snack-food industry. Sales of Cheetos would skyrocket! I see this as an investment opportunity. :D


:D :D :D :D thats some funny chit--

Actually I HAVE NO BOOZE IN MY APARTMENT and I am still against it.
No Killian's in the fridge??

No Killian's in the fridge??
Sad to say no, I can't find it here in oklahoma. :frown:

Weak. I usually have Busch Light in the fridge and Evan Williams in the freezer. I like to keep it cheap.

Actually I HAVE NO BOOZE IN MY APARTMENT and I am still against it.

This is a rare occurance Pepps...:shifty:

I'm for it by the way...

This is a rare occurance Pepps...:shifty:
Here's a rare occurrence: I have never been drunk nor have I ever tried any illegal drug in my life--not one puff of a joint, not even a cigarette. I'm I greater than thou? No! Just my choice.

My position on legalizing marijuana. No!

No way did any of you just say no. I promis you this guy is smarter than you trust him

No way did any of you just say no. I promis you this guy is smarter than you trust him
What did Stroup say that we haven't already heard? He's just another pothead that wants his favorite drug legalized. We've heard it all before.

That’s all we need are a bunch of spaced out drunks on the road—Drunk and high. We already have enough drug problems.

No way did any of you just say no. I promis you this guy is smarter than you trust him

No.

And I could argue the case, but frankly, of all the things happening in the world and politics today, whether some we need to revoke some crime that is virtually unenforced to satisfy ambitionless burn outs doesn't really interest me.

In short, it's not good for society or culture. And while alcohol might have a socially destructive side as well, that's hardly an argument in support of marijuana. How do we benefit as a society by having an additional destructive vice made abundantly available?

And who is supposed to be smarter than all of us? The "oldest pot smoker?" A lawyer who founded a pro-pot organization. Pardon me if I disagree with your assessment.

It's already abundantly available, trust me. In high school, weed was much easier to get than alcohol was. That's why it was used by so many. I think one of the biggest problems is the money and resources spent on those who distribute and use the drug could be better spent on other drugs. Drugs which are far more harmful and dangerous than weed has been or will ever be. I don't really care though, as I am now an occasional user and could care less if it is legal or not. I guess I could move to Colorado where you can have up to an ounce legally. At least that's what I've heard...

Which was harder to get when you were in high school,
weed or cigarettes?

So, if marijuanna was legal, why would it be any more difficult for a 12 year old to get than tobacco? Is tobacco regulated, taxed, and don't they card before you buy a pack of smokes?

Weed was probably easier until I was older. But I also had a few friends that sold weed so that made a difference. Many times we had to get cigarettes by just hanging outside a gas station and asking some guy to get us a pack. From my experience gas stations were always pretty good about carding you for cigarettes and blunts. That being said, a 12 year old could probably only get it the same way that I got cigarettes, by having someone else who was able to buy it get it for them. In that sense, it wouldn't be that much different than the way people get weed now, illegally. So as far as young kids were concerned, I don't think it would be any easier to get if it were legal.

Which was harder to get when you were in high school,
weed or cigarettes?

So, if marijuanna was legal, why would it be any more difficult for a 12 year old to get than tobacco? Is tobacco regulated, taxed, and don't they card before you buy a pack of smokes?

Hey now, that's not fair.

What was easier to get, cigs or liquor? Keep apples to apples and oranges to oranges.

Hey now, that's not fair.

What was easier to get, cigs or liquor? Keep apples to apples and oranges to oranges.

That's totally fair. You want to take an available illegal substance and make it legal, subject to the same checks that exist on tobacco and alcohol now.

Which was easier to get, cigs or liquor. When I was in a high school, cigarettes were easier. If marijuanna were sold at the 7-11, I'd imagine that it'd be equally as easy to obtain. It'd be small, discreet, and the perception that it's "Not bad for you" reinforce that.

Another question that needs to be answered would do you think more people, less people, or the same number of people will smoke pot if it were made available? And does it help or hurt society?

These are fair questions that need to be addressed when making policy like the one proposed in these "pot" threads.

Just remember: Once you legalize something, you get a lot more of it.

That's totally fair. You want to take an available illegal substance and make it legal, subject to the same checks that exist on tobacco and alcohol now.

Which was easier to get, cigs or liquor. When I was in a high school, cigarettes were easier. If marijuanna were sold at the 7-11, I'd imagine that it'd be equally as easy to obtain. It'd be small, discreet, and the perception that it's "Not bad for you" reinforce that.

Another question that needs to be answered would do you think more people, less people, or the same number of people will smoke pot if it were made available? And does it help or hurt society?

These are fair questions that need to be addressed when making policy like the one proposed in these "pot" threads.

Just treat it as you do Liquor. Age/stiffer penalities/etc... Done n' done.