Jonathan Starkey

The News Journal

Chanting "End the Lies, Legalize!" more than three dozen marijuana activists marched past government buildings in Wilmington on Friday, urging lawmakers to end pot prohibition.

"Our goal is to educate the public," said Cynthia Ferguson, executive director of Delaware NORML, the pro-marijuana advocacy group. "The stuff is no different than alcohol. You drink alcohol to relax. You smoke a joint to relax."

Members of Delaware's General Assembly, after returning to Dover in January, are expected to consider a bill to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Simple marijuana possession is a misdemeanor under current Delaware law, punishable by fines of up to $1,150 and up to six months in jail.

Support currently doesn't exist in Dover for full legalization.

Voters in Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C. last month legalized marijuana. Those states followed legalization in Colorado and in Washington, where recreational pot sales started in July.

Delaware lawmakers voted in 2011 to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes, but the first dispensary will not open until early next year.

Activists held the rally on the anniversary of the end of alcohol prohibition, saying marijuana is safer than alcohol. They complained that minorities disproportionately face drug arrests and criticized the amount of criminal justice resources dedicated to marijuana-related arrests.

They chanted and carried signs reading "No more drug war," and "I'm a cannabis consumer. Not a criminal."

They started in Spencer Plaza, moving to King Street and walking back in front of the Carvel state office building and into a courtyard adjacent to the Louis L. Redding City/County Building on North French Street.

Michael Ashley, a 19-year-old University of Delaware sophomore, said he worries that members of minority communities are unfairly targeted for drug arrests, and believes legalization would help.

Todd Reynolds, 26, of Newport, said smoking marijuana is safer than drinking alcohol and should not be criminal.

"There's a lot of things worse than this plant," Reynolds said. "It has benefits socially and medically."

Contact Jonathan Starkey at 983-6756, on Twitter @jwstarkey or at jstarkey@delawareonline.com.