HAVANA (AP) - In an afternoon session today, the Cuban legislature passed
a law legalizing the growth, sale, and possession of marijuana. The new
law allows unlimited use of marijuana in the Communist nation, and
establishes government run marijuana farming cooperatives. According to
Castro spokesman Javier Bienfumar, the new law is hoped to stimulate the
failing Cuban economy. Economic planners are hoping that the legalization
of marijuana will attract American tourists and dollars. Officials are also
hoping that by encouraging marijuana use, they can keep the general
population too intoxicated to notice the lack of items such as food,
medicine, and gasoline. When asked for comments, spokesmen for the White
House said only, "We always said Communism was a pipe dream."