NORML: National Marijuana Forum, Boulder, CO

National Marijuana Forum April 18-20, 2009 University of Colorado, Boulder For a complete schedule, see: NORML@CU http://www.normlcu.com/ Cannabis experts from all over the country will converge in Boulder, Colorado from April 18-20 for the 2009 National Marijuana Forum, which will bring together local and national experts to discuss cannabis reform. The events will culminate on Monday, April 20 with the celebration of 4/20: International Cannabis Day. The National Marijuana Forum will be the foremost assessment on the current legal, scientific, environmental and social issues related to cannabis. Experts from all fields including marijuana law reform activists, law enforcement officials, medical experts, environmentalists, journalists and awarded scientists will participate in panels and lectures. The forum will serve to educate, enlighten and empower members of the CU and Boulder community on all current issues regarding marijuana in an unbiased environment. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SCHEDULE: DATE: Saturday, April 18. 2009 LOCATION: Mathematics 101 Near the intersection of Colorado and Folsom TIME: 7:00pm TOPIC: Keynote Address Jessica Peck Corry - Executive Director of the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative Keynote Political speaker Jessica Peck Corry will participate in an open discussion regarding the legal status of marijuana. The speaker will discuss current reform and federal drug enforcement surrounding marijuana. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 LOCATION: Eaton Humanities 1B50 Just North of the Norlin Quadrangle TIME: 11:00am TOPIC: Welcome Panel Speakers: - Allen St. Pierre - Executive Director, NORML - NORML@CU Board of Directors Preceded by an empowering and inspirational talk to kick off The National Forum on Marijuana, this welcoming panel will discuss the legal status of marijuana in the current day. The two leaders of the National Reform of Marijuana Laws will lay the foundation for the day's topics and discussions. NORML@CU will then provide an overview of the forum and speak on the mission behind it. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 12:00 pm TOPIC: Health and Marijuana - Dr. Robert Melamede - Endocannabinoid Specialist, UCCS Professor - Scott Karr Esq. - Attorney for THC Foundation An overview of marijuana and its effects on the human body. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 12:30pm TOPIC: Hemp: A stepping-stone on a path to a sustainable future - Allen St. Pierre - Executive Director, NORML - Michael West - Education Director, CU Biodiesel - Laura Kriho - Colorado Hemp Initiative Project Until the end of World War II, hemp was a vital resource in the American industrial textile industry. Hemp refers to the non-psychotropic cannabis strains that can produce various products including oil, fabric, and food. This panel will present the history of the American hemp industry, its current legal status, and possible solutions to climate disruption and economic recession. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 1:00pm TOPIC: History of Marijuana Prohibition - Kevin Booth- Award Winning Filmmaker/Activist - Mason Tvert - Executive Director, SAFER Marijuana's vibrant history spans multi-millennia, yet only recently has it been prohibited. This lecture will present the history of the marijuana drug prohibition in the United States. Leaders in drug reform will provide valuable insight into all aspects of marijuana laws and illicit status. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 1:30pm TOPIC: The State of Medical Marijuana - Tom Sloan - Commander, Boulder County Drug Task Force - Devin Koontz, Food and Drug Administration - Scott Karr Esq. - Attorney for THC Foundation - Brian Vicente Esq. - Executive Director, Sensible Colorado - Michael Lee - Founder of Cannabis Therapeutics With medical marijuana constantly evolving, this panel will discuss current, past, and possible future laws regarding the medical use of marijuana. We will look at the current applications of medical marijuana in Colorado. Emerging research will be discussed and analyzed. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 2:00pm TOPIC: Federal and State Laws - Tom Sloan - Commander, Boulder County Drug Task Force - Devin Koontz, Food and Drug Administration - Lenny Frieling Esq.- Retired Lafayette Judge - Allen St. Pierre - Executive Director, NORML - DEA Special Agent (tentative) State vs. Federal Laws: Federally, marijuana is still seen as prohibited. However, medical marijuana is legal at a state level in 13 states. In addition, if over the age of 21, marijuana possession is legal to a certain extent in many cities nationwide, including Denver, Colorado. This panel will discuss the differences in laws at each level and explain the stratification in the legal process. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 2:30pm TOPIC: Marijuana Law Reform: Past, Present, and Future - Allen St. Pierre - Executive Director, NORML - Mason Tvert- Executive Director, SAFER - Jonathon Perri - Students for Sensible Drug Policy, San Francisco - Brian Vicente Esq. - Executive Director, Sensible Colorado Since the prohibition of marijuana there have been many social movements striving to legalize and utilize marijuana. This panel is comprised of a diverse group of activists that have played important roles in the reform of marijuana laws. The panel will discuss current legislation, possible legislation for your hometown, past breakthroughs in reform, and future goals. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 3:15pm TOPIC: Cannabis Cultural Icons - Steve Bloom - Former Editor of High Times - Kevin Booth - Award Winning Filmmaker/Activist This panel will look at the societal aspect of marijuana, including its cultural significance, ties to media and entertainment, and how it affects culture. The panel will include celebrities, journalists, and other well-known figures that are heavily involved in the cannabis culture. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 4:00 PM TOPIC: The Great Debate: Marijuana Legalization vs. Marijuana Criminalization - Allen St. Pierre - Executive Director, NORML - Drug Free America (TBA) As Federal government has failed to address marijuana prohibition since the Schaffer Commission, this debate will look at opposing viewpoints on the legalization of marijuana. This talk will bring in experts from both sides of the issue to discuss the current legal status of cannabis and whether or not it should be legalized. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 4:45pm TOPIC: Closing Panel - Allen St. Pierre - Executive Director, NORML - NORML@CU This panel will bring together both sides of the debate and summarize the day's events. The talk will bring the forum full-circle and discuss the future of marijuana prohibition, law reform, and how students can empower themselves to make right decisions and become active citizens in the U.S. ---------------------------------------------------------------- DATE: Sunday, April 19, 2009 TIME: 7:00pm TOPIC: American Drug War Film Screening LOCATION: Cristol Chemistry Building Room 140 http://www.americandrugwar.com/ The War on Drugs has become the longest and most costly war in American history, forcing one to ponder how much more the country can endure. Inspired by the deaths of four family members from "legal drugs," Texas filmmaker Kevin Booth sets out to discover why the War on Drugs has become such a colossal failure. Nearly four years in the making, the film follows gang members, former DEA agents, CIA officers, narcotics officers, judges, politicians, prisoners, and celebrities. American Drug War shows how money, power, and greed have not just corrupted dope fiends but an entire government. More importantly, it shows what can be done about it. This is not a mere pro-drug stoner film, but a collection of expert testimonials from the ground troops on the front lines of the drug war; those who are fighting in it and those who are living it. ----------------------------------------------------------------- HAPPY 4/20!!!! DATE: Monday, April 20, 2009 TIME: 4:20pm, of course!!! TOPIC: 4/20 International Cannabis Day Celebration/Protest LOCATION: Norlin Quadrangle, CU Campus 4/20 is International Cannabis Day, a holiday celebrated by millions of people throughout the world. Every year on 4/20 at 4:20 pm, citizens worldwide gather together to celebrate their favorite plant. Last year, more than 10,000 people gathered at CU's Norlin Quadrangle to celebrate the 4/20 holiday. This year, NORML@CU expects more than 15,000 people. While NORML@CU is not a sponsor of the 4/20 celebration/protest, the group has worked with CU Police to ensure that this year's protest will be as safe and uneventful as it has in the past. HAPPY 4/20!!!! ----------------------------------------------------------------- For a complete schedule and speaker information, see: NORML@CU http://www.normlcu.com/