Group Advocating Legal Marijuana Marches In Downtown Shreveport

Legalize Louisiana, a statewide organization calling for the legalization of medicinal and recreational marijuana, gathered outside the U.S. District Court in downtown Shreveport yesterday to condemn laws criminalizing marijuana and to ask lawmakers to tax and regulate it instead.

Over 100 protesters took part in the event, part of a broader day of protests that included similar events in Lafayette, New Orleans and Monroe.

Jacob Franks, a local representative of Legalize Louisiana, said the rallies were organized through word-of-mouth, and through social networks  like facebook, with the goal of changing the attitude toward marijuana throughout the entire, saying that legalization would reduce the number of drug dealers and keep it off the streets.