Heicklen's joint not real marijuana, test shows

Based on a preliminary test done by University Police Services Monday, the "joint" smoked by Julian Heicklen, professor emeritus of chemistry, was determined not to be marijuana, said Wayne Weaver, the University police supervisor in charge of the case.

"The test reacts a certain way if it is a drug and a certain way if it is not a drug," Weaver said. "The test is reasonably accurate but we do not draw a conclusion based on the test."

The test performed on the cigarette is a presumptive test done on all suspected drugs, Weaver said.

The cigarette has been sent away to a crime lab in Harrisburg to conclusively determine the content. The final results from the crime lab could take up to a month, Weaver said.

The content of the cigarette could be the herb sage, which smells like marijuana, Weaver said. Heicklen, who said he will smoke again every Thursday in front of the University Gates until he is arrested, said he is delighted to hear of the test results.

"They're obviously not going to arrest me," he said.

In addition to smoking this week, he said he invites others to smoke with him, saying he will trade his cigarette for theirs to prove he is really smoking marijuana.

This case is now attracting national attention as Heicklen has received E-mails from people in Michigan and New York, he said. Heicklen said he was also chosen to be co-sponsor of the Million Man Marijuana March scheduled for May 1999 in New York.

--by Emily Rehring