The Wichita Eagle - Local & State - Wednesday - August 11, 1993 - Harvey County: No ‘bong show’ Pot fest urged to abide by law - by Bud Norman

Led by a Wichita woman whose motto is “Load a bowl and rock ‘n’ roll,” marijuana enthusiasts from across the state are expected to gather near Newton this month for a three-day “Mean Green Marathon Bash.”

Organizer Debby Moore is trying to work out a deal with authorities in Harvey County to allow the event to go off smoothly.

“I just talked with the Harvey County detective about it,” said Moore, who calls herself the Hemp Lady. “I never had a detective of a city government call and discuss things with me and agree on acceptable terms.”

Moore is organizing the music festival for Aug 20 to 22 at Walton Lakes Park, four miles east of Newton.

The event will feature political speeches; petition-gathering and live music. Vendors will be selling tie-dyed clothing, crystals, bongo drums, glow-in-the-dark Frisbees and “cannabis burgers” made from sterilized hemp seed.

Moore noted that a similar rally sponsored by the Lawrence chapter of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws did not result in widespread pot smoking. Harvey county sheriff’s deputies hope the even will not present problems for them.

“We’re going on 12-hour shifts and working traffic extensively as people come into the area, but besides that we’re no expecting any trouble at all,” said Sheriff Byron Motter. “But we’ve been talking with her about that and told her we wouldn’t turn our heads to any violations of the law, that we would take action.”

Things didn’t go so well for Moore last year when Wichita police arrested her for allegedly selling 14 pounds of marijuana at her Kansas Environmentalists for Commerce in Hemp store on East Second in Wichita.

Moore won the first round of her legal battle when Sedgwick County District Judge Paul Clark ruled that evidence in the case was not admissible because of problems with the search warrant. Moore had said she would defend herself on the grounds that she had purchased state tax stamps for the marijuana.

Moore’s legal problems may not be over, though. The Sedgwick County district attorney’s office is appealing the decision in her case.

Moore hopes that as many as 1,500 people will pay a $20 admission fee to help raise money for her legal defense and to support other aspects of her campaign to legalize marijuana. She also has printed form letters for supporters to send to Wichita Mayor Elma Broadfoot and Gov. Joan Finney, asking them to legalize marijuana.