Large Magellanic Cloud microlensing and very thick discs

We investigate the implications of a very thick (scaleheight 1.5-3.0 kpc) d isc population of MACHOs. Such a population represents a reasonable alterna tive to standard halo configurations of a lensing population. We find that very thick disc distributions carl lower the lens mass estimate derived fro m the microlensing data towards the LMC, although an average lens mass subs tantially below 0.3 Mg is unlikely. Constraints from direct searches for su ch lenses imply very low-luminosity objects; thus thick discs do not solve the microlensimg lens problem. We discuss further microlensing consequences of very thick disc populations, including an increased probability for par allax events.