Dan Viets                                                 
Attorney and Counselor

15 North Tenth Street
Columbia, Missouri 65201
Office (314) 443-6866
Fax (314) 443-1413


July 26, 1994

Via Fax or Federal Express

Members of the NORML Board of Directors

Re: Resignation from the Board

Dear Fellow Board Member:

During discussion of NORML's financial situation at the Board Meeting which 
took place on Saturday July 23, 1994 at the home of Al Byrne and Mary Lynn 
Mathre in Howardsville, Virginia, the Staff brought to the attention of the
Board their perception of some problems with the manner in which the 
National Director was handling the organization's finances. As you may know,
the Board of Directors enacted certain restrictions on the financial 
prerogatives of the National Director, Richard Cowan. These restrictions 
included requiring the signature of the Board Treasurer on all expenditures
over $500 and a restriction limiting claims for expenses and/or salary to
$2500 per month. In response to these restrictions, our National Director,
who was not able to present at the Board Meeting due to personal commitments
has indicated that he felt that he has no alternative but to resign.The 
response from Board members who were not present at that meeting, who were 
in fact a majority of the Board, has generally been negative. In addition,
the National Office was flooded with phone calls on Monday July 25, 1994
indicating that many people who have contributed greatly to NORML will not
continue to do so if Richard Cowan leaves as National Director.Among those
who have contacted the National Office on Monday is Dr. Lester Grinspoon of
Harvard. Lester has stated that if the present Board resigns or is removed,
he will personally accept a seat on the Board including possibly chairing
the Board. He has stated further that he will undertake to assist Dick in
appointing people of great stature and quality to the Board. Specifically
he has indicated that he believes that Carl Sagan, the Cornell astronomer,
may accept.****The office was also contacted by John Holstrom, the publisher
of High Times. He indicated that High Times may remove all of its very 
generous support to our organization if Richard Cowan does not remain as
National Director****.I have no doubt that these calls were not solicited
by Dick Cowan but are in fact a spontaneous reaction to the news that he
may be leaving.It is my understanding, based on a conversation with Alan St.
Pierre on the evening of Monday, July 25, 1994 that Dick Cowan has stated
that he cannot continue with the Board as it is presently constituted. As
some of you may recall, there was discussion of permitting Dick to name his
own Board of Directors when he was hired as National Director almost exactly
two years ago. Personally, I believe that it is important to our movement
that Richard Cowan stay on as National Director. Therefore, I am submitting
for the consideration of the Board of Directors a Motion which will follow
or accompany this letter and which proposes that the Board of Directors
remove itself.It is my interpretation of our By-Laws that the Board does
have the authority to remove Directors just as the Board has the authority
to appoint or elect members to fill vacancies. Also it is my interpretation
of the By-Laws that the sole remaining Board Member, in this case the Chair
Richard C. Cowan, will then have the authority to appoint whom ever he
chooses to fill all vacancies.I will certainly try to be available to
discuss this matter with any member of the Board who whishes to contact me.
I will be on the road returning from Washington to Missouri on Tuesday and
possibly Wednesday morning.I ask that you submit your vote on the Motion as
quickly as possible, either verbally or in writing to my office.



Sincerely,

[signature]

Dan Viets

DV:ja

fax to follow