Members of the Cannabis Action Network are hoping the idea of legalizing marijuana grows on Americans.
The group visited Salt Lake City Wednesday to "reintroduce" residents to the value of the illegal crop."Our primary purpose is just education," said Rick Pfrommer, 23, Washington, D.C. "We just want to reintroduce this information to the American people. It's been hidden from the American people by the government and by agents of corporate America."
The organization set up booths on the steps of the State Capitol at 5 p.m. at the invitation of the local group "Mood for a Day." The exhibits only attracted about 10 visitors. There are about 50 groups nationwide working for the legalization of marijuana, Pfrommer said.
CAN promotes the "medicinal, recreational and environmental uses" of the drug. Pfrommer says the plant can be converted into fuel by burning it.
"Hemp produces one of the highest biomasses, which is poundage per acre," he said. That biomass is then burned and converted into electricity by a process called biomass conversion, he said.
The versatility of the plant makes it a threat to powerful companies in America, he said. Although the displays show many uses of hemp, Pfrommer doesn't deny that the group wants to legalize the drug for recreational use.
"We're not trying to hide the fact that we're pro-marijuana," he said. "We think people have the right to use whatever substances they wish in their own homes."
CAN links a lot of the environmental problems to the control it says corporations have over the government.
"Companies have a vested interest in keeping their practices which are damaging to the environment legal and profitable," he said. "Our country's facing a lot more problems than just the fact that marijuana is illegal, but one of our biggest problems in this country is the fact that our environment is rapidly being depleted. In order to change that we need to change our emphasis from fossil fuels."
The group's headquarters are in Lexington, Ky. They have four groups of three people who tour the country as volunteers. The group is a non-profit organization.