Activists smoke marijuana in meadow

About 30 activists smoked marijuana in Dunn Meadow late yesterday afternoon to promote the legalization of the drug.\nAs a guitarist and singer performed the line, "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose," from the song "Me and Bobby McGee," nonstudent Cogi Haggerty smoked a joint. Haggerty said the protest was not planned far in advance and that more people gradually joined the protest.\n"We're sending the message to legalize marijuana," Haggerty said. "It's a beautiful day. Ten people got together and just decided to go smoke in a park."\nThe IU Police Department patrols the area regularly, but didn't notice any illegal activity around Dunn Meadow Thursday, IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger said.\n"If we knew that somebody was involved in any kind of illegal activity, they would've been arrested. Period," Minger said.\nHaggerty said marijuana shouldn't be illegal because of the high number of people who already use the drug.\nNonstudent Damion Crowley said he had planned what to do if the police showed up at the scene.\n"Sit here," he said. \nRobert DiLauro, a nonstudent, said he also wasn't afraid of legal repercussions.\n"I don't care what happens," he said. "I'm not doing anything wrong.\n"If people smoked weed more often, there would be a lot less violence in the world."\nAll three protesters agreed marijuana should be legalized in part because of its use in medical situations.\n"There are so many medicinal things it can help, and it kills less people than either alcohol or tobacco," Crowley said.