Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
Somewhere around 300,000 people converged on the Seattle waterfront Saturday and Sunday to attend the 19th annual Seattle Hempfest, the world's largest marijuana "protestival," as organizers like to call it. While organizers and drug reform advocates were out in force to encourage attendees to get involved in changing the marijuana laws, for most of the crowd, Hempfest was one big pot party. And that has some movement critics unhappy.
Hempfest crowd
With hundreds of vendors selling glass pipes, bongs, tie-dyes, and assorted other pot-related paraphernalia, as well as dozens of food vendors, with seven stages alternating musical acts with activist speakers, and with crowds so thick that people literally could not move at some points by mid-afternoon on both days, Hempfest seems more like a dense urban community than a festival. And like any urban community, Hempfest had a police presence, but as far as can be determined, police couldn't find anyone to arrest despite the ever-present scent of marijuana smoke in the air.
That's in part because Seattleites voted in 2003 to make adult marijuana offenses the lowest law enforcement priority. But it is also in part because, unlike some other police forces, the Seattle police actually acknowledge and heed the will of the voters. In all of last year, Seattle police arrested only 133 people for marijuana possession -- and those were all people who had already been detained on other charges.
It is that tolerant attitude toward marijuana that makes the massive law-breaking at Hempfest possible. In almost any other city in the US, such brazen defiance of the drug laws would almost certainly result in mass arrests. Even this weekend's Boston Freedom Rally, the second largest pro-marijuana event in the country, will see numerous arrests -- if police behavior in the past is any indicator.
Hempfest-targeted sky ad, pulled by helicopter
To really get the drug reform message out, Hempfest organizers and reform activists took to the various stages between acts to exhort audiences to make Hempfest a party with a purpose. Among the nationally known activists speechifying at Hempfest were "Radical Russ" Belville of NORML, Sandee Burbank of Mothers Against Misuse and Abuse, Mike and Valerie Corral of the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM), Debbie Goldsberry of the Berkeley Patients Group, Washington state legislator and head of the Voluntary Committee of Lawyers Roger Goodman, medical marijuana specialist Dr. Frank Lucido, former medical marijuana prisoner Todd McCormick, cannabis scientist Dr. Robert Melamede, and NORML founder Keith Stroup and current executive director Allen St. Pierre. For a complete list of speakers, go here.
Activists also educated those interested in learning more about marijuana law reform and related topics at the Hemposium tent, which featured panels on "Human Rights for Cannabis Farmers, Dispensers and Consumers," "Global Hempenomics," "Cannabliss: An Entheogen for the Ages," "Cannabis and the Culture Wars: The Coming Truce," and "Cannabis Coverage: Reefer Sanity for the 21st Century." For a complete list of Hemposium panels, click here.
While Hempfest came off without any serious problems, it has sparked a couple of related controversies. This week, Criminal Justice Policy Foundation head Eric Sterling wrote a blog post, Hempfest is Huge, But is It Good Politics?, in which he answered his own question with a resounding "no." Hempfest and similar rallies are "a political fraud," he wrote. Even worse, they are "advertisements for irresponsible drug use."
''Hemposium,'' with speakers (l-r): Reason's David Nott, SAFER's Mason Tvert, journalist Fred Gardner and Chronicle editor Phil Smith
Hempfest organizers were not amused, and on Sunday, Holden was removed from the back of the Main Stage by unhappy erstwhile comrades. They explained why in an interview with Steve Bloom's Celebstoner, and Holden continued the spat with his own interview.
Perhaps the organizers of Hempfest and similar events will listen to Sterling and Holden, but probably not. Hempfest is a celebration of the pot-smoking counterculture, and it's not likely to go away or change its ways because a guy in a suit and a disaffected former friend are unhappy with how it operates. Straight-laced drug reformers will most likely just have to put up with Hempfest and its pot-happy ilk. They can treat it like the crazy aunt in the attic, but they can't get rid of it.
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
In reply to OT but seriously? by Anonymous (not verified)
rehab counselors may agree that cannabis addiction is hogwash...
but they won't let that get in the way of their ability to make some serious CASH...
In reply to rehab counselors may agree that cannabis addiction is hogwash... by undrgrndgirl (not verified)
True and they need to be sued for false advertising!
True and they need to be sued for false advertising!
Why haven't the numerous lawyers in the reform movement filed a lawsuit against the rehabbers and their false advertising.
The rehabbers keep claiming they have: 'Drug and Alcohol' & Alcoholism and Addiction' cures and treatments. It's pure fraud and scientifically inaccurate because we all know alcohol is a dangerous drug when abused... duh! So why the decent? Is it ignorance, exceptionalism, greed, what?
The fact is the vast majority of rehabbers are 'religious' in nature and their treatment and cures involves acknowledgment & acceptance of the theory of deities.
Deist (like some of our more important founders) are acceptable but jesus or his heavy handed father of the old testament is preferred. Free-masons have lower standards these days as far as the belief in supernaturalism is concerned... and motherships are kool these days too... but mockery is not!
I read an article in 'Free Inquiry' not long ago about the sad fact that alcoholics who enter a faith based rehab program have a much higher failure and death rate then people who just accepted responsibility and committed themselve to change because that was the right and responsible thing to do... no supernaturalism.... just gool ole common-sense... saved lives!
Hope i didn't offend you or the reasoned christians among us?
But rehabbers need to get there facts right and quit implying that drunks are different.
Choose Legality
B.S. Did you know the word 'dope', according to my dictionary, comes from the dutch and means 'sauce' and probably where 'getting sauced' came from when referring to drunks? The more we learn the less we know!
In reply to True and they need to be sued for false advertising! by Anonymous (not verified)
By the way rehabbers define alcohol abuse as...
By the way rehabbers define alcohol abuse as 2 standard drinks a day OR 6 standard drinks a week.
Essentially most of nascar nation... germans... belgians... irish.... french... hell almost everyone.
We better hurry and sign-up before the rush?
He He He
Seattle Hempfest
There was a Detroit area first annual Medical Marijuana Expo, August 8th, 9th, 2009. 3000(three thousand) people showed up. One percent of Seattle's draw. These displays "get out of hand", because all these people have is a backdrop of legal hassles and the weakness of politicians to make the necessary law changes to keep up with the times: READ:40 years late already. Medical use of marijuana is my "IN" these days, I carry a card that lets me HOLD 2.5 ounces. Freedom from fear finally. And at the Detroit Expo, three or four people medicated-vaporized in the designated patients' tent area, all at one time, mind you. see, www.michiganmedicalmarijuana.org
300,000 people mostly doing 'drugs' and no arrests
Just try to imagine 300,000 people mostly doing alcohol in a crowded space. I'm not sure what to say on the issue of 'flying the freak flag', I sympathize with both sides on that, but no matter what people think about that issue or cannabis in general, they should be duly impressed by the ability of so many people to come together, do 'drugs', and not have a problem with troublemakers. If I were into alcohol culture, I would be envious of the ability of heads to celebrate so peacefully.
In reply to 300,000 people mostly doing 'drugs' and no arrests by Anonymous (not verified)
Agreed, but would replace 'envious' with 'oblivious'
Just funning here but I've been 'into the alcohol culture' or more accurately 'forced into that culture' when I served... because there were no other legal choice(s). NAVY = work hard + party harder... otherwise no adventure!
Despite knowing better, because I started toking in 10 grade, it was alcohol or abstinence... just the way christians designed it.
Usually if you put that many alcohol users in 1 place, like a soccer game, people literally die from alcohol fueled hate and violence.
I think the reason alcohol remains the christian drug of choice is because it helps to make people 'oblivious' not 'envious'. That coupled with the built-in redemptive quality of a painful hangover makes it a perfect christian drug!
But, you are absolutely right 300,000 peaceful tokers is a very good thing and should be honored and emulated in every major city across the globe.
FYI: Did you know there are more regular marijuana smokers in India than there are Americans in this funny christian nation?
40 years too late....
I can relate. I believe it should be legal across the board.
BUT, it would have been legal a lot sooner had people acted with political saavy and played the politics game, just long enough to get it legal.
That is why alcohol prohibition was only from 1919 until 1933. The alcohol lobbyists danced the dance, and played the game.
NORML (National Organization for Marijuana Laws) was formed in 1970. If we had the alcohol lobby doing our lobbying, instead of NORML, Marijuana statistically should have been legal 14 years later, in 1984!!!! But here we are, 39 years later, and we have a handful of states that have Medical Marijuana Laws...13!
Thats 37 states that still jail you for a joint!!!!
And the DEA still raids co-ops that are legal by state law!!!!
The time to celebrate and act like an ass is AFTER Obama signs legalization into law, not before people!!!!
But, in reality, kids will be kids and they say Im going to do what I want and consequences be damned. By their devil may care attitudes and actons, they have fed the ongoing stereotypes to enormous proportions. It's going to take just that much longer to get it legal!!! IF EVER!!!
That is why the governments propaganda like "Reefer Madness" works so well with the straights. Imagine seeing something that offends you. Say, a litter box with cat crap piled a mile high, stinking worse than death. After you see it, you have that image burned into your memory. You cannot unsee it. The straights have a mental image of stoners(and gays, and on and on) BECAUSE of news photos of events like Hempfest and gay pride parades, etc.
I prefer to smoke my Medical Marijuana on the downlow. Not to rub it in the faces of others. I never have to worry about arrest or a hassle!!! I still get just as high and enjoy it just as much, without acting like an ass and bringing all the negative attention to myself that that behavior entails....But its all about choice. Do you want to get high and remain free OR do you risk spending the night in jail (or longer, depending on the added-on charges)? I know from experience, once youve got the cops interest, hes going to see what else he can find to charge you with...GUARAN-FRICKEN-TEED!!!!!
Why wave him over with your behavior?
On another note, to Michigan Medical Marijuana Patient:
2.5 ounces? Thats all you got? In WA state, we can have 15 plants AND 24 ounces of dried bud to boot!!! ALL LEGAL, with a doctors note!!!! I NEVER run out and my ex-dealer is crying in his beer. He wants it illegal again!!!! Lets not make that happen because of our behavior!!!! Thats all Im saying!!!!
In reply to 40 years too late.... by Greg from Seattle (not verified)
Agreed, let the 'killing and incarcerating' begin!
Never bring a sword (lawmakers pen) to a gunfight... bring a bazooka! He He He!
WAR = the willingness to do evil for a perceived good.
Which militia are you with? Black Panthers, White Panthers, Green Panthers? He He He!
How soon we forget - it was extreme violence (the death of prohibitionist servants) that lead alcohol prohibitionists to rethink their flawed theory and undo what they did. That and FDR's realization it would be easier to force his 'deal' on a 'drunk america' - because there's nothing more complacent then drunk christians... Double Dopers!
Luv & Peace
Choose Reality
B.S. I hope marijuana 'patrons' live long enough to see the religious and political 'punishers' responsible for the criminal injustice of illegal marijuana prohibition swing.
But why should normal legal behavior be considered abnormal?
The only behavior that should be judged is that which breaks the law ie it violates someone elses right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness (and legally acquired property).
Society and law enforcement is not supposed to profile or judge the peaceful lawful actions of the citizens it's charged with protecting. The fact that teenagers are acting like teenagers is not against the law... though it might violate someone elses vision of social acceptability... which is not illegal... just offensive to some.
Remember, social acceptability - not logic or health concerns - is the primary reason alcohol remains legal and unscheduled, despite it's horrible health record.
Besides if you want to be critical of people harmful to the movement and/or being 'freakier than thou' lets start with the Pope and other fundamentalist religions. Ever see the freaky religious shows they put on in the vatican city and elsewhere ariound the world... holy crap... wtf is wrong with those scary clowns. Well, we know the answer and it's called 'cognitive dissonance' a curable social disorder that often infects those that were indoctrinated into the religious cults at an early age... so early in fact it's a form of coercive child abuse if you ask me!
Just goes to show that one persons freak is another persons saint!
Luv & Peace
Normal is only a setting on a washing machine, nothing more!
Your totally missing the point Luv & Peace...
The way to get yourself heard and gain people's respect is through positive reinforcement. Sure, everybody has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But in doing your own thing, you shouldnt infringe on other peoples rights either. Flipping off the man may feel real good, right now, but it solves nothing....
Martin Luther King Jr. called for peaceful, non-violent protest in his fight for racial equality. They organised marches and strikes and wore their best sunday clothes and were totally respectful of the law during their protests. We saw on TV the police use billy clubs, water cannons, tear gas and police dogs on peaceful law abiding black citizens. The cops were busted, on TV!!! The beginning of the end occured right there.....
The backlash was instant: the 1964 civil rights act!!
So much has been accomplished in such a short time after MLK started his cause (after ONLY 100 years of being "free"!) Now black america has pretty close to parity in the chances of going to college and having a good life, not just by getting an athletic scholarship, either!
It takes peaceful, respectful protest and thoughtful, meaningful organization that gets things done, not a giant party of people acting a fool.....
The reference of the 100 years of being free is key, so pay attention:
with unorganized pot parties attended by under-aged kids and people acting like idiots as our main "face" that we show for the public, we arent taken seriously.
If we all dressed up and organized marches (without tye-die and a cloud of pot smoke following us), we would reach our goal: across the board, national legalization, a LOT sooner!!!!
But, as is is now, by 2109, we will STILL be stuck with marijuana illegal and our little annual Hempfests to attend.
We are going about legalization the wrong way!!!!
In reply to Normal is only a setting on a washing machine, nothing more! by Greg from Seattle (not verified)
To think that wars end because of pacifism alone is...
To think that wars end because of pacifism alone is noble and brave but also niave antebellum thinking... that flies in the face of history!
But thanks for the feedback and no offense but you fail to realize the importance of power and violence in all wars including the civil rights movements.
MLK's pacifism was important... but no less so then the black panthers, malcolm x, and the majority of protests that did require violence in the form of self-defense. Cheers to those warriors... remembering who the real criminals - god & gov't - are in these wars!
If only we all did this or that? Why don't we do the legal and just thing. Demand a special session in congress, a special prosecutor if necessary, to address the illegality of the 'drug war'. Dressing up and going on parade is fun and important but it usually goes ignored by the 'punishers' in power.
Put a monkey suit on and they'll just say: 'look the de-facto monkeys can dress themselves now'. Yeah, I don't think that's going to get us any further ahead with these medieval minded people.
You can't change hearts and minds by changing your clothes alone bro!
The WAR is Over!
If you want it to be?
John Lennon
In reply to Normal is only a setting on a washing machine, nothing more! by Greg from Seattle (not verified)
You are wrong
"If we all dressed up and organized marches (without tye-die and a cloud of pot smoke following us), we would reach our goal: across the board, national legalization, a LOT sooner!!!!"
Well, yeah, if grandma had wings she'd be an F-18. We are going about legalization the only way we can. You have to deal with reality, which is that a segment of the marijuana legalization community will always be seen as "irresponsible" by a part of middle America. Wearing colors, dancing in the street, and drumming on bongos is part and parcel of the marijuana community, as is saying "oh wow, man, far out."
Now you pay attention. As an activist in the movement, your task is to attain your goals while working with what you have. (Rumsfeld was right in this: you go to war with the army you have, not the one you wish you had.) You need to evaluate the optimal approach, keeping in mind the huge base of hippies who carried the fight forward when things were a lot more dangerous than now. You will have to find a way to get the mainstream's ear, and somehow defuse the ridicule and contempt toward hippies that is currently in vogue among the younger set. You need to get it across that vilification and ridicule of the hippies is a weapon used by our enemies to discredit our movement and our goal, which is to legalize marijuana in our country. You need to transform the animus against hippies to toleration. For better or worse, the hippies are intimately tied up with marijuana legalization, and you have to work with this fact.
The alternative is to stop the legalization effort and wait for another 20, 30 years until the hippie generation dies off and thus no longer an embarrassment. Wanna do that instead?
In reply to You are wrong by Richard Kefalos (not verified)
Now you pay attention up sport... what i want to do is...
Now you pay attention sport... what i want to do is... help create a reality based society that respectst the rule of law and fullly understands and exercises it rights. Guess we've got a long way to go when folks think clothing and conformity is what determines our tax-free, coercion-free, self evident inalienable rights? Until people understand the law they can't respect it and that more than anything else keeps the movement stagnant.
This is what happens when you stop hanging horse theives (religiously inspired drug warriors) and give pardons to nixonesque criminals...it's how we end up with cheneys and rumsfelds. Besides we went to war with the army we had because they fired the generals that correctly predicted what we would need! The bush crew was clueless... and gross crimes and injustices resulted.
Sounds to me like the medical mj tribe is trying to muscle in and take over the baton and change the free spirit of hempfest to a rigid medical mj cadence. Sorry but i always thought hempfest was about ending injustice and the prohibition of a plant - not grant the medical mj tribe extra special rights that don't exist. But at least you got the part about the hippies doing a lot of the dangerous lifting right.
I also think you're wrong about the younger set ridiculing the hippies too. I see plenty of rastafarian hippies and educated youngsters playing well together and respecting their hippie elders most of the time?
Dare to Disagree
In reply to You are wrong by Richard Kefalos (not verified)
Put a suit on a hippie and he's still a hippie....
Put a suit on a hippie and he's still a hippie... just like you can't hide a redneck under a hippies hair! Or something like that?
I somehow doubt that not dressing properly and marching lock step has been the problem the past 70 years. I'm thinking it's more a result of the goose stepping nazi prohibitionists!
I like to think that common sense and a deep sense of injustice would catch the mainstreams heart and minds... but it is scary sometimes to ponder the evolutionary ability of a society so confused by creationism; and the sensationalism and power of the mainstream media.
Make you a deal? Next year I'll dress-up and march on saturday if you promise to chill-out and embrace the freak in you on sunday?
MOI & Goodnight
luv+peace and drunk Christians... double dopers are incompatible
sentiments in my opinion. I have a problem too with the militaristic and prisonphilia based thinking of some Christians in this country, but even if you limit the discussion to fundamentalist Christians, they are by no means united in their views on political issues, including prohibition. I say attack the message, not the messenger (not saying I always take my own advice here) and don't make generalizations that insult allies and people who might be persuadable. Specially when you're flying the love and peace flag.
-newageblues
In reply to luv+peace and drunk Christians... double dopers are incompatible by Anonymous (not verified)
Luv & Peace is not Love & Peace a fine distinction i know!
Thanks for the feedback. I know tone and tenor is difficult to convey in such short anonymous postings but whose gonna read an essay these days... and real names can be deadly!
I often like to write in a style prohibitionists confuse for documentary. An in your face, cheech & chong, bill maher, 'pulp fiction' style that mocks the perfect certainty of prohibitionists and certain extremists.
Luv & Peace is my slight on the niave, yet hopeful, notion of Love & Peace in a christian nation at war with several groups of lower classes of people. It's irony and like satire & comedy it's a powerful weapon that I enjoy wielding. No reason cutting to the truth of our societys 'cognitive dissonances' and disfunctions can't be fun & transformative.
If you're not 'that hateful christian' then this message isn't for you. If you are a 'hateful christian' then Sun Tzu recommends you read on. Hint: " ....and keep your enemies closer"
As long as the religiously motivated drug warriors persisits I will speak truth to power in whatever language it takes to get through to the groups and individuals that hate marijuana smokers, gay people, and the rising number of free-thinkers, just to mention a few, that demand their rights!
Besides, what's important - the 'higher good' in this equation - is understanding, fighting, and minimizing 'cognitive dissonance' and its ill effects. It's a seriously under-rated social disorder that's sorta like letting your friends drive through life drunk with blinders on. Look he ran over my garbage can & rights again... how cute? Impaired by false information, false meanings, false histories, false pretenses, false prophecies, false confessions, and lots of turning the other cheek... in gods... not democracys direction.
Here's a religion & bee/friend analogy for my pleasure: Sure it's easier to attract bees with honey... but remember they have to addict them with nicotine to keep them from leaving!
Luv & Peace
Choose Reality
B.S. Don't be so sure the message doesn't come from the messenger. Don't let anyone piss in your court under the banner of a false flag! The 'some christians' you refer to are far stronger and dangerous than their numbers deserve because 80% of americans believe in the resurrection of Jesus? Christ!
In reply to luv+peace and drunk Christians... double dopers are incompatible by Anonymous (not verified)
I should have said 'extreme christian fundamentalists'.
After writing dozens of these i don't edit as much as i should. It's the complacency of blogging vs writing an essay.
I should have said 'extreme christian fundametalists' or something other then just 'christians'.
Implying all christians hate pot smokers, gays, and free thinkers is harsher then intended.
But this religiously inspired trifecta of hate is held by a powerful minority of christians and that does need to be flouted before there can be serious advances towards re-legalization...or whatever form of reform you advocate.
I have christian friends and brothers in arms that fear the extreme views of certain christian tribes the same way the medical marijuana tribe fears the tribe of the ill dressed and misbehaving 'freaks'! What a whacky world we weave...
What was the definition of insanity again? Doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result each time?
Forget luv & peace... i'm sticking with 'choose reality'
see my latest reply above
See my latest reply in this discussion above.
David Borden, Executive Director
StoptheDrugWar.org: the Drug Reform Coordination Network
Washington, DC
http://stopthedrugwar.org
Hempfest is beautiful and necessary;also to all the arguing here
About Hempfest and the joy we all bring with it. It is a success because we make it happen even though others may not agree with it there are more problems at alcohol bars every weekend while there are few to no problems at Hempfest,and that proves success. I have learned alot from studying,posting(ranting) here at Stop the drug war and getting schooled by Mr. Borden. I believe that the corporations and drug gangs,etc. who paid for alcohol prohibition and cannabis prohibition made a clear and ongoing forced misunderstanding happen which leaves everyone in limbo. Alcohol,socially and culturally is considered a drug correct? Then approximately as the above anonymous poster revealed. It was the violence of prohibition and lack of respect for basic double standards in law enforcement which helped end prohibition. It is basically impossible for anyone to understand that a failed policy would be revived to attack other drugs and plants,etc. after being declared unconstitutional. Repetitive coercion and more violence coming from the same people who just ended the first drug prohibition is whats called brain fragmenting such as in mk ultra. Its tough for me and millions of others to see cannabis prohibition as anything other than the first failed drug prohibition(alcohol) with a different name attacking a different thing for the same corporate reasoning umbrella. Legalized violent double standards are only helping the deviant few who profit from them, and to me when alcohol prohibition ended no more prohibitions were ever to be allowed to ever exist if America is to truly be free. Prohibition,its end and rebeginning again with a different title is like the old proverb fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me with the prohibitionists and the elite drug runners who sponsor them laughing all the way to the bank while demanding everyone stay fooled or if not fooled put up with it anyway. Nothing will change if prohibitionists are not physically removed from power with equal and opposite energy. Peace and to all i say unite!
I am wrong?
The definition of INSANITY is:
To do the same thing over and over and to expect a different result!!! - Albert Einstein
Clearly we need to change our way of thinking, because otherwise we are all INSANE!
Gods fault? If it wasnt for GOD creating our healing plant, we wouldnt even be talking right now!!!!
Open your mind to what you are saying!!!! Pull your head out of your tuccass!!! Change your tired drivel....
Friend, you are reality impaired and cognitively confused...
WTF does your opinion of deities have to do with anything... especially the rule of law.
Please keep the grace of your god ,pro or con, away from my democracy... thank you very much!
I don't blame imaginary things like God(s) or other supernatureal things but the people that continue to put their god(s) grace before our republics democracy and the rule of law... which stems from the DoI & Constitution...not a bible... old or new. When I say 'god(s) and government(s)' I'm referring obviously to the people that seek their savior and salvation... good luck with that... i wish you the best.
Your god and how you pursue happiness is your business... and I've bled for your right to that too... and it would be greatly appreciated if you didn't impose your philosophy/religion on me or the movement.
Dude, you are the closed minded one here... invoking ancient mythologies... to undo civil injustices! Get real... from where do you think many of societies injustices and cognitve dissonances originate... the man that god made or the god that man made?
Make you a deal... I'll pull my head outta my butt if you pull your head out of the clouds & my rights... despite the fact that my butt smells better!
'Choose Reality'
B.S. 'The world is my country, all men are my brethren, and to do good is my religion' - Thomas Paine (Classical Liberal & Reasoned Conservative ie libertarian)
Numbers (not the old testament kind)
1. The Michigan Patient has a card permitting 2.5 ounces. After screening out seeds and cellulose you might average about 900 single (25-mg.) tokes per ounce, so Michigan is allowing 2250 or a year's supply for someone like me, doing the Qur'an Compliant Regimen thing of 1826 per year (10 per two days)-- while still spending a quarter as much per year at present black market prices as a pack-a-day hot-burning-overdose nicotine addict in a high cigarette tax state.
2. Someone characterized the Mexico 5 grams thing as "two joints". That kind of suicide economics (suck hard and get it all in a few minutes) feeds the pothead stereotype. In a 25-mg-capacity screened single-toke utensil (long-stemmed one-hitter) 5 grams is 200 tokes. After each serving, breathe in and out of a breathmoisturebonnet (1-liter plastic or paper bag) 30 times or so to absorb maximum THC. Then get busy making utensils for 20 of your best friends.
3. I am too cheap and ignorant to know how miniature a serving can be achieved with a vaporizer. Maybe a 100-mg. loading is good for four suckages?
4. I am a natural-born coward and did not appear at the Fest for fear the Big 2Wackgo Nicotine Cigarette Industry spies, trying to protect their doomed empire, would point fatal cameras at me. I hope vaporizer experts were there showing the middle class (who can all afford the NORML-endorsed $600 model) how to use this important product. All claims made for health or behavior "dangers" of either cannabis or tobacco may be moot when 1.2 billion nicotine addicts-- and unknown hundreds of millions interested in cannabis-- desert the hot burning overdose "cigarette", "joint", "spliff" or "blunt" and switch to rational modern toke tech. Consider setting up Vaporizer Cafes where anyone can walk in off the street and for a set fee try out long-stemmed one-hitters, vaporizers and e-cigarettes under expert staff guidance.
5. Fastest track to legalization? Invest a modest amount of capital in developing the technology for inserting a THC formula into unsniffdoggable E-CIGARETTE cartridges with which to flood the western world, and go set up modest export factories in cannabis-farming places in Morocco, Lebanon and Afghanistan etc. which need a Wirtschaftswunder to get on their feet.
In reply to Numbers (not the old testament kind) by Maxwood (not verified)
Hi Maxwood, What's the E-Cig & U could wear a disguise...?
Hi Maxwood,
What's the E-Cig & U could wear a disguise... at the 'fests'?
I used too but stopped... it was a major dissonance generator... acting guilty when I've done nothing wrong.
Besides if you don't show up how can we turn hempfest into something truely big and glorious... like 'Oktoberfest'!
Cheers,
B.S. Don't forget your Lederhosen or better yet use it as a disguise?
You better check with the medical mj crowd first...
You better check with the medical mj crowd first... crazy musicians wearing lederhosen & playing 'oom-pah-pah'? And the nerve of 6 million annual partakers swaying in harmony and in good cheer... obviously evil and far too freaky... I know?
Thank you for pot smoking!
Before putting my activist energies into the medical cannabis issue, I worked heavily on ending nuclear weapons testing on Western Shoshone land through Physicians for Social Responsibility and other groups.
After a particularly large event in April 1992, we had a meeting at my house to thank the volunteers who helped, and we did a "go around" for introductions, and to comment on what worked, and what didn't.
A a couple of the volunteers made and repeated the charge that the image of "pot-smoking hippies" may turn off others from supporting the cause.
My dear departed friend, Western Shoshone elder and spiritual leader Corbin Harney, eloquently stated at his turn:
"If the pot-smokers didn't come, nobody would help us".
Frank H. Lucido MD
Family Practice since 1979
Medical Cannabis Consultation
Expert Witness
2300 Durant Avenue
Berkeley Ca 94704
510.848.0958 (by appointment only)
www.DrFrankLucido.com
(formerly MedicalBoardWatch.com)
www.AIMLegal.org
www.DrFrankLucido.blogspot.com
ps: FYI: In accordance with the written guidelines against drug and alcohol use at our staging area, Peace Camp, marijuana was never used publicly, but only in designated "guideline-free" zones.
And by the way, the Department of Energy has not exploded another nuclear device since then.
Thank you for pot smoking!
In reply to Thank you for pot smoking! by Frank H Lucido MD (not verified)
Thank You... Doctor!
"If the pot-smokers didn't come, nobody would help us" Elder Harneys comment was a brave statement... and very true in my opinion. Many of the most thoughtful & intelligent people i've known, smoke, served their country, then went on to lead active, productive, full lives, while fighting - in whatever way they can - to repeal unjust laws.
I read an article not long ago that noted a significant increase in religious leaders advocating for medical marijuana decriminalization... because they saw first-hand how beneficial it was to the elderly in their spiritual care,etc?
Keep Advocating,
B.S. I do have a pet peeve I'd like to ask regarding ur p.s. and statement "...written guidelines against drug and alcohol...". I've ranted about this before and it's not personal... but isn't saying "Drugs & Alcohol" like saying "Drugs & Drugs"? Sorta like ordering "Pollo & Chicken" on mexican night? It may seem like a small point but it also seems to be divisive and misleading? Thx....
In reply to Thank You... Doctor! by Anonymous (not verified)
You're right: "alcohol and other dangerous drugs
Hi [email protected],
You're absolutely right.
The correct thing to say is "alcohol and other dangerous drugs".
Frank
Frank H. Lucido MD
Family Practice since 1979
Medical Cannabis Consultation
Expert Witness
2300 Durant Avenue
Berkeley Ca 94704
510.848.0958 (by appointment only)
www.DrFrankLucido.com
(formerly MedicalBoardWatch.com)
www.AIMLegal.org
www.DrFrankLucido.blogspot.com
In reply to You're right: "alcohol and other dangerous drugs by Frank H Lucido MD (not verified)
Thanks Doc,,, Have your heard of U.S. Patent# 6,630,507?
I really appreciate your quick response earlier & was wondering whether you could help me with another pet peeve... actually it's much worse then that... this information causes my brain to ache it's so confounding to me.
As a Doctor I know you are aware of the gov'ts many false claims about marijuana and it's lack of medical efficacy but have you, or any other doctors you know, heard of or know anything about U.S. Patent # 6,630,507 ?
It's titled: "Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants" and claims - "Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties... cannabinoids are found to have particular applications as neuroprotectants... limiting neurological damage following... stroke and trauma... or in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases... such as Alzheimer's... Parkinson's... and HIV dementia".
I would imagine some form of science/study would have been required to obtain the patent? The fact that the gov't continues to profit by punishing people while saying one thing... then obtains the patent saying the exact opposite is bizarrrre beyond belief and frankly criminal in my humble opinion!
I've been posting this info as much as possible but it's been just messages in a bottle thus far... not even an attorney will chime in on how this could be legal. So I was hoping you could enlighten me and/or ask other doctors - or lawyers - you know? Don't we all wish we had friends in high places to make things right?
Thanks Again,
Detlef
Google News no longer linking to this article
It seems as of today or yesterday, Google News has stopped linking to this article. It was at the top of this Google News search:
http://news.google.com/news/search?q=seattle+hempfest
Now this article no longer shows up at all in Google News. Click the above search shortcut. Then click the sort-by-date link and scan the list for the article. It is not listed. It should be listed as an August 21, 2009 entry in the Google News results.
Hopefully, someone will contact Google to return the Drug War Chronicle to Google News.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle
In reply to Google News no longer linking to this article by eco (not verified)
Eco, Thanks for mentioning
Eco,
Thanks for mentioning this. I'll double check to make sure that nothing has gone wrong with our Google News listing, but I think it's okay. Articles drop off of that listing after awhile, and that is probably what happened. It's not like the regular Google search, where items get indexed permanently.
David Borden, Executive Director
StoptheDrugWar.org: the Drug Reform Coordination Network
Washington, DC
http://stopthedrugwar.org
In reply to Eco, Thanks for mentioning by borden (not verified)
More on Google News
You're welcome. It shouldn't be dropping off this quickly. There are other Seattle Hempfest entries going back to August 5, 2009. Go to the last entries on the sort-by-date listing to see. You may have to go to page 2 or 3 depending on your Google News settings.
I found this page:
Contacting Support - Google News (publishers) Help.
http://www.google.com/support/news_pub/bin/request.py
Check out this search shortcut below too. The missing article is not in the Google News archive either:
http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22Drug+War+Chronicle%22+seattle+hempfest
http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22Drug+War+Chronicle%22+seattle+hempfest&scoring=t
Only 3 Drug War Chronicle articles are showing up in the current Google News results when searching for "Drug War Chronicle":
http://news.google.com/news/search?q=%22Drug+War+Chronicle%22
There are none showing up in the archive:
http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22Drug+War+Chronicle%22
http://news.google.com/archivesearch?q=%22Drug+War+Chronicle%22&scoring=t
No individual Drug War Chronicle news article is listed in the Google News archive.
When I search Google News for the site URL (stopthedrugwar.org) many more articles show up in the current Google News:
http://news.google.com/news?q=site:stopthedrugwar.org
But I still do not see this Seattle Hempfest article.
Searching the Google News archives ("all dates" link) for the site URL pulls up no stopthedrugwar.org articles.
hempfest and Boston
This debate about how pot advocates should act is a tempest in a teapot. Pot will either be legalized or it won't. Alcohol prohibition wasn't ended because those opposed to it played nice. As for the Boston party--it will beinteresting to see how cops act given the recent decriminalization of the weed in Massachusetts.
In reply to hempfest and Boston by ron (not verified)
Bill Downing (MASSCANN)
Bill Downing (MASSCANN) tells me that police have been laying off things at the Freedom Rally in recent years. One would hope they would take the initiative as a cue to continue or go even further, and I suspect that is likely. But we'll see.
David Borden, Executive Director
StoptheDrugWar.org: the Drug Reform Coordination Network
Washington, DC
http://stopthedrugwar.org
I am Listening
Why argue or debate amongst ourselves, where time better spent on freedom for ALL. I am your "huckleberry". I was sentenced to 10 years for a non-violent drug related action. This entire issue is about ending all wars. Correct thinking. Changing ourselves. Love and forgiveness. Eric Sterling means no thing to me. He is such a small component in the tragedy today, THE GREAT WAR AT HOME AND ABROAD, that American tax dollars support is the issue at hand. I am here now and will be there when I get there. We each follow our own journey. Sterling was there as was I. Today I am here and he is there.
Stand together, it matters not what we wear but how we think. Keep our minds open. I really don't completely understand, but I will not try to anymore.
I will continue to work hard and study and speak up as needed, to whomever about Social Injustice.
Quote:
I MUST NOT FEAR. FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER. FEAR IS THE LITTLE DEATH THAT BRINGS TOTAL OBLITERATION.
I WILL FACE MY FEAR. I WILL PERMIT IT TO PASS OVER ME AND THROUGH ME.
By Frank Herbert - DUNE
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