Professor smokes marijuana as act of civil disobedience

To stand up for his personal freedoms and inform University students about the government, University chemistry professor Julian Heicklen sat in a chair at noon yesterday at University Gates and smoked a joint.

Yet, he was not arrested.

"As I understand it, we responded and we could not determine that a crime was being committed," said University Police Services Supervisor Dwight Smith. "He was not smoking marijuana when the officers arrived."

There was a lack of evidence and University police felt Heicklen was trying to make a political statement, Smith said. He said it wouldn't be in the community's best interest to arrest Heicklen.

Saying he was tired of paying taxes for others who smoked marijuana and were arrested, Heicklen said he wanted University students and the public to pay for him for a change. He also said the government is too powerful.

"The real cause that I believe in is freedom. We're putting way too many people in jail," he said. "We will not continue to put up with these tyrannical acts. People should be left alone to do what they want."

Although he does not condone smoking marijuana, Heicklen said he does not see anything wrong with smoking it, as long as people who smoke marijuana do not infringe upon the rights of others.

"I believe that it is immoral to arrest anyone for owning a vegetable," he said.

If arrested, Heicklen said he would plead not guilty. He said he did not fear arrest, even though he had not consulted specific legal representation.

"It's the price of civil disobedience," he said. "I'm trying to get the anti-drug laws abolished."

Although it was his first time experimenting with marijuana, Heicklen said he didn't want to finish the entire joint because it would cause the police to lose their evidence.

"If I finish it, they'll lose it," he said. "I want this thing to go head on. I do not want to be released on a technicality."

Heicklen said he will continue to express his beliefs until he is arrested. "We will make it a regular event," he said.

Heicklen said he will return at noon Jan. 29 to the University Gates to continue his protest.

Ben Norman, president of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said he believes the media's presence influenced the police's decision.

"I think that it is real interesting," he said. "They chose not to arrest him based solely upon media attention."

Citing problems with the legal aspects of government, Frank Burns (junior-letters, arts and sciences) said he agrees with Heicklen's actions.

"I smoke it daily; it would be nice if they made it legal," Burns said. "It's ridiculous, there's something wrong with the justice system. The war on drugs is bad."

One student thought smoking marijuana is wrong and people should be punished if they do so.

"It's my belief that we should follow the government because that's what Jesus Christ told us to do," said Sean Hughes (junior-religious studies). "The government says don't do it, so I'm going to follow it."