PROTESTING DRUG LAWS ON APRIL 20, 2000

In college I met so many great people through my college's weekly newspaper the Northern Star. I had the privilege of working with and interviewing the best and brightest on NIU's campus. 

I started out as a reporter and convinced my editor to allow me to take photos for my stories since I had a photo background. Eventually I became a double threat with my pen and camera. I worked on the weekender section with my good friend Barb, was the photo editor for one semester and I had the honor of being a weekly columnist for three semesters at the end of my stay in college. 

In early April 2000 I was working with Barb and our Weekender section - basically this was the weekly entertainment guide for the paper. We decided to have a 420 issue since April 20 was a Thursday. 

I wrote a persuasive article that cited medical professionals, college professors and an editor at High Times magazine as sources who believed marijuana isn't as bad for you as alcohol and might even be a healthier drug than alcohol. (My sources included my pharmacist boyfriend I was dating at the time, a friend from high school who was working at high times and a college professor at NIU who taught a class on the effects of drug use) 

Barb and a former editor in chief of the paper named Joe decided to organize a march on campus, protesting state marijuana laws. We had about 15 people join us for the march. I basically chanted along with the group and took photos - the photo above is of Barb and her "Just Say No To The War On Drugs" sign at the protest. 

Looking back on it all, it was very unorganized. If we really wanted to make a big splash we should have had more people, more signs, called the major media outlets, etc. 

Barb and I also talked about this when I was in Chicago for the holiday and we both believe our Weekender issue should have shown both sides as we only wrote about the anti-pot side (we did remember assigning the pro-pot side to someone - but he didn't write the story - dumb stoner!) 

Good times being dazed and confused in corn country Illinois!