It's A War On War

Thousands of cannabis connoisseurs took to the University of Michigan Diag this afternoon to celebrate the 40th annual Hash Bash, a counterculture tradition that started in Ann Arbor on April 1, 1972. After four decades, those who rallied behind Ann Arbor poet and activist John Sinclair back in the 1970s still are fighting back against the war on drugs and pushing for total legalization. Sinclair, who once was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession of two joints and famously had John Lennon headline a benefit concert to free him, spoke at today's rally. "They need to get rid of this idiotic, hypocritical war on drugs. Marijuana, there's nothing wrong with it," Sinclair said in an interview. "It doesn't harm anybody, it's not a dangerous substance, and millions of people use it — and they're just characterized as criminals by these people whose drug of choice is alcohol." Also there to speak today was former Republican governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson, who is launching a presidential bid and supports legalizing pot. Read the story here.