Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Teen Use in Marijuana Has Gone Up, But Alcohol and Cigarettes Has Gone Down!



That's according to NIDA InfoFacts: High School and Youth Trends

There is really no way to say this than to honestly say to you people that this is good news.

Now I am not going to get in depth about how alcohol and cigarettes are bad for you, if you are reading this I am going to assume you have half a brain and are already educated enough to know that. I am also not going into all the beneficial aspects of marijuana.

This is just my opinion, but if teenagers are going to go out and do something, they are going to do it regardless of what their parents or the law says. Personally, I would rather they used marijuana than either alcohol or cigarettes. It is safer than either of the other two, but I would rather they did not use it at all unless they actually had a beneficial need for it,. I am just trying to be realistic about the situation. We all have been there, peer pressure, stress, and growing pains are the norm. Also when you are a teenager you tend to have to be more sociable and starting to establish your self identity. That said, inevitably they will be exposed to drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes.

Marijuana is a low hanging branch for teenagers just like it is for law enforcement arrests. What I am saying is, it is easily accessible, and it is an source of tempting income due to the proliferation of the black market. Hey when I was a teenager, I'd rather sell a few bags of weed to my friends and make as much money as I would've slinging burgers. It was easy money.

So in essence the black market encourages teenagers to go out and push this on to other kids. The black market is there because of prohibition, this is a good reason why prohibition of marijuana is not working!

Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske recently put out a statement regarding this study.

I am going to take a few statements from him and give my opinion:

Discussions of marijuana legalization and 'medical' marijuana send the wrong message to young people about the consequences of drug use and these mixed messages may play a role in increasing teen drug use.

I disagree with this assertion. There is nothing wrong in kids being educated that something naturally grown, and widely referred to by physicians can be medicinal. I do not see the diligence of protecting teens subscribed to with such vigilance when it comes to man made pharmaceuticals that are given to teens for depression that have side effects such as suicidal tendencies and possibly death. They are still being prescribed to teens everyday indiscriminately by doctors. If that pill did not fix ya up, well he has another one all lined up for you to try, and guess what? It is going to have the same disclaimer for side effects as the last one, I guarantee it.

The mixed message teens are getting is, one drug is illegal with negligible side affects, and the other drug is legal but side affects of possible suicidal tendencies and death.

Albeit this video is a spoof, oddly enough big pharma commercials with their long list of disclaimers are unavailable on You Tube. This does kind of make my point though.




Which one do you think a depressed teenager would prefer?



Instead of blaming medical marijuana for the use going up, they should be more focused on what brought down the abuse of alcohol and cigarettes. By ending prohibition of alcohol, regulating it along with cigarettes, and by having the age to consume being over 18 or 21, and enforcing it by making sure stores don't sell to minors, they have succeeded in bringing the abuse down. Why can't this proven, successful, model be applied to marijuana?

If alcohol and cigarette abuse declines, of course that means marijuana use in teens is going to spike. It's easily accessible and unregulated.
The logic that medical marijuana is sending mixed messages is to blame is nonsensical. Why are taxpayers having to pay for such a narrow minded opinion of the state of the world? It really boggles the mind. I really do expect more common sense from a government official, rather than this status quo bullshit.



  Since California made 'medical' marijuana legal under state law in 1996, the state has seen a number of efforts to legalize the drug and today, almost half of the Californians who seek drug treatment cite marijuana as their primary substance of abuse are teens.

If a teen (or adult) goes in and tells a doctor or a therapist that they have been using marijuana for medicinal purposes, such as depression, it will automatically be deemed as abuse whether it was beneficial or not, simply because it is illegal, ergo artificially spiking the numbers of the statistics.

Uncle Sam needs to man up and realize that marijuana prohibition failed, and quit pointing his finger at medical marijuana now. Uncle Sam should know that when you point the blame on someone else, you got three fingers pointing right back at you.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Marijuana Friendly Vacations Available!

I have been contemplating a lot recently about what it would be like to be in an environment where tolerance of marijuana is broadly accepted and being able to enjoy a certain quality of life without being treated like a second class citizen.

Knowing that in order to accomplish this I would have to go somewhere else other than where I currently reside, such as another state or country.

For years living in the United States and wanting to be able to enjoy smoking marijuana has been rocky if not problematic at times. Admittedly in my own personal desire to be able to smoke marijuana I have lost jobs, relationships and even my freedom. Stubbornly I have resisted the moral majority and the laws of the land in my own pursuit of happiness.

I started wondering if other people felt this oppressiveness around them and wished they could just get away from it all, even if it was just temporarily.

If I was a drinking man, if I wanted to be able to be around like minded people who enjoyed a drink in a social environment all I would have to do is visit my local bar, but I am not, so inevitably finding an socially acceptable equivalent is non existent.in my present environment.

I can only imagine how nice it would be to be able to go to a local coffeehouse and smoke some marijuana. To be able to have conversations about the ways of the world and not be harassed in the process.

It truly seems so out of balance in this country right now, because some people are already able to have this kind of freedom I yearn for. While others are being incarcerated. It almost seems like 2 different countries now.

Fortunately, I have managed to come across some like minded people who are doing something to make a difference! They have legally figured out ways to provide a safe environment for people who need a break from the oppression cast down upon us by our closed minded government.

I managed to find a niche of folks who provide a service to the marijuana community by providing a temporary place to go, to get away, and freely enjoy marijuana.

Before I tell you where you can go for a marijuana friendly vacation I want to step back a second and tell you how I found this site, or how it found me.

I recently created a site called 420friendlygetaways.com, and I explained on it how I was looking for travel agents who cater to the marijuana community to advertise on my site. I guess it was about a week later I actually got contacted by a company that actually does such a thing.

We talked back and forth via email and telephone for a bit and I decided I would let them create an ad and put it up on my new website. I am not charging them to advertise there, I explained that I was just wanting to do something to help out the marijuana community by letting them know that such a unique service was available to them. Well I also put it out there that if I helped give them some business that maybe they could toss ole Bud a bone and hook him up on a nice 420 friendly vacation one day.

Okay if you read this far and might be interested in a 420 friendly getaway, check out RastaVacations.com "Marijuana Friendly Vacations for Patients and Supporters"

This travel agency has been providing marijuana friendly vacations to California, Netherlands, and Jamaica for over 4 years now. They have personally visited each establishment to ensure that the clients have a clean, safe place to go to relax, have a good time, and enjoy marijuana.

I am also doing some research on Portugal vacations where marijuana has been decriminalized, as well as Argentina, where last year the supreme court had ruled that it is unconstitutional to punish people for using marijuana for personal consumption.

I am glad the supreme court in Argentina recognized the oppressiveness of  marijuana prohibition on it's people and had the good sense to do the right thing. The United States needs to do some serious catching up in that regard.

Well I hope this helped some folks come up with some interesting ideas for that next vacation they're planning.

If you go to the website and decide to use their services please tell them Killer Bud referred ya!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Building Cannabis Friendly Websites For Fun and Profit

Recently I read an article where people are buying up cannabis related domain names. It was about a week before the mid term elections, and many folks were very optimistic about California passing Prop 19. (including me)

I decided to see what names I could come up with, and before I knew it I ended up buying up 10 dot com addresses.

Unfortunately my web design skills need serious tweaking. I started one of them using one of those freebee web builder templates, it serves its purpose but I hope eventually I will have it more original looking.

These are the recent domain names I acquired, let me know what you think as far as it being marketable for potential advertising and sponsors.

I started focusing on the 420 Friendly Getaways one if you want to check out that link.

420FRIENDLYGETAWAYS.COM

Here are the rest of the ones I ended up with:




AUCTION420.COM
LOWPRICEMARIJUANA.COM
LOWPRICECANNABIS.COM
MARIJUANATRIMMINGSERVICE.COM


MARIJUANAENTREPRENEURS.COM
MARIJUANASMOKERSDEN.COM
420MARIHUANA.COM
KILLERBUD420.COM
KILLERBUDINC.COM

Now most of those domains will be down until I can get a chance to work on them in-between everything else life throws at me at the moment.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Santa Muerte: Cult of Crisis Part II

Evidence of humans being sacrificed for Santa Muerte.

http://www.islandcrisis.net/2010/09/man-arrested-in-argentina-after-killing-6-people-to-fulfill-a-promise-made-to-the-santa-muerte/

Marcelo Antelo, 22, aka “Marcelito,” was detained after a shooting with police officers in the Bajo Flores neighborhood. He promised the Santa Muerte, a sacred figure venerated in Latin America, that he will kill one person per week in exchange of protection and prosperity, the El Clarin newspaper reported.

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=364750&CategoryId=14093

“One witness gave us the details of the pact (of the prisoner) with San La Muerte,” a police spokesman told the media, admitting that even more murders could have been committed by Marcelito.

“We’re studying a total of about 10 cases and trying to unify the investigations to work better. In some cases we have already obtained positive photographic recognition,” a police official told the daily Clarin.

Cops began tracking Marcelito last February, and finally caught up with him this weekend during an operation in which he tried to resist capture with gunfire.



Since he was captured by police in a gunfight, it appears this time, the Saint of Death wasn't appeased by the offering.



Monday, August 16, 2010

Is there a possibility of going to war with Mexico?

I am not a warmonger, on this subject I consider myself a philosopher. I am going to attempt to utilize the Hegelian Principle in a beneficial way, with our current situation on the border of Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, TX.  Its a thought experiment to foresee a future possibility being played out by explaining the problem, and from there speculative reactions and solutions.

If you are unsure what Hegelian's Principle is, I provided an explanation to help you follow where I am going with this easier.


Merriam-Webster:

    "Dialectic ....the Hegelian process of change in which a concept or its realization passes over into and is preserved and fulfilled by its opposite... development through the stages of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis in accordance with the laws of dialectical materialism ....any systematic reasoning, exposition, or argument that juxtaposes opposed or contradictory ideas and usually seeks to resolve their conflict ...
    ....the dialectical tension or opposition between two interacting forces or elements."

The Hegelian dialectical formula: A (thesis) versus B (anti-thesis) equals C (synthesis).

A: Thesis - United States
B: Antithesis -  Drug Gangs in Mexico
C: Synthesis - Solving the problem with war

I am starting out with no wrongs, and  two rights, so that would suggest that my possibilities could be correct, yet other possibilities are even limitless.

Recently in Mexico it has been reported in the news how car bombs have been the new weapon of choice of rivaling drug gangs. Killing each other for a piece of land next to our border to carry on their illegal activities. Everyone of them are killing indiscriminately, eyeballing the United States for more money and power.

It would seem that Mexico has a hard time financially, getting people to work, and maintaining the country while also spending millions having to deal with the warring drug gangs.

There are political assassinations, tainted politicians, military, and police on many, many levels of their government. Their is a real possibility that the government of Mexico being overtaken by a strong enough drug gang or have a puppet leader.

If they cant buy power, they kill for it. That is the way it is there.

Edit: This came out the day after I wrote this. Great example from good ol' MSM  Texas-Mexico-border news: Ambassadors say-Mexico-is-not-a-failed-state/

If a civil war in Mexico was to happen, the United States would possibly end up having to accept Mexicans crossing the border as political refugees seeking asylum. Hopefully if that was to happen we would be unable to inhumanely reject them with machine gun fire and barbed wire fences. Yet that too could be a possibility.

El Paso, Texas is on the other side of this blood soaked land. Last year is was notably mentioned as the second safest city in the United States. The infighting of drug gangs on the other side of the bridge has not affected El Paso yet. I think the main reason why is Ft Bliss, We have a strong military presence there. So invasion from Mexico is not my concern. I would say the odds are good that probably its just a matter of time until something does happen there.

Combine the influx of Mexican political refugees,  the growing tension between the United States and Mexico? The people who killed, and car bombed their way to power would be in control.  They border us, and are still being funded by money off selling drugs to consumers here  in the United States. We label them terrorists, and become afraid  of what will happen if you visit Mexico. Mix in some disaster, blame on Mexico ensues.

Then folks, do you have a war, or terrorists as our neighbors on the border?


Beyond the war, well lets be honest, the United States would win and an occupation would occur.

Now that the United States occupies Mexico, new opportunities happen, and commerce is more evenly distributed throughout Mexico and the United States. Mexico becomes assimilated under the banner of the brave United States fighting terrorism.

Ok so I constructed how by using the Hegelian Principle how it could possibly be played out with the current situation between the United States and Mexico.

Seems pretty foreboding doesn't it? How many people would have to die or be displaced if it occurred? The possibility is real.

How about we take a step further back, it is still the present, but I am going to reconstruct a different way of applying Hegel's Principle. I will applying the problems, reactions, and solutions again for this scenario.

Thesis - United States
Antithesis - Drug Gangs in Mexico
Synthesis - Solving the problem without war.

I think I have demonstrated the problem thoroughly enough. (Drug Gangs Are Bad)

The reaction is Legalizing Cannabis.

The solution, is if the United States quits funding the drug gangs by consuming legal cannabis instead, the drug gangs stand to lose 75% of their income. By substantially reducing their income, the drug gangs are not going to become as powerful, and the Mexican government will be able to maintain their solidarity.

No one dies, or becomes displaced, and no one goes to war.

Like I said at the beginning, the possibilities are endless. We count on our elected officials to make the best decisions possible that represent our country in the proudest way. I hope they do.

There is nothing wrong at all, especially in the name of peace than to preemptively try to solve a major humanitarian issue between two neighboring countries before something bad happens, and at the same time decriminalizing cannabis so folks can utilize it in countless beneficial ways, and help rebuild our economy.


Peace!

Friday, July 30, 2010

NJWeedman's Liberty Bell Temple Raided by Police

NJWeedman's Liberty Bell Temple
Raided by Police

D|R Welch Attorneys at Law P.C.
to  Provide Defense

Lawsuit Filed in Los Angeles Superior Court

Hollywood, CA - On Tuesday, July 14, 2010,  Ed Forchion aka NJWeedman reports he was robbed at gunpoint by the Los Angeles Police Department in his Liberty Bell Temple.  The Liberty Bell Temple, located at 5642 Hollywood Blvd, is a Rastafarian Temple that services the needs of The Rastafarian Community.  Not listed among a posting of medical marijuana dispensaries subject to recent closure, Forchion states he was falsely charged with a misdemeanor city code (LAMC - 45.19.6.7) for failing to cease operations.  Noting that nothing in the code calls for a seizure of property, Forchion reveals that the LAPD confiscated three pounds of medical marijuana, almost $7,000 of supplies and all the cash on the premises. 
Liberty Bell Temple Raid
Liberty Bell Temple raid
The Temple staff was handcuffed and Forchion, alongside his partner, Charquant Leyou, were arrested and jailed. Forchion, who is represented by Attorney David Welch from D|R Welch Attorneys at Law P.C. has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior alleging deprivation of the right to practice Rastafari without due process of law.  The defendant is also seeking a court order preventing authorities from interfering with their ability to operate their temple.                


A self proclaimed exile, activist and former political prisoner, Forchion originally  relocated to California just a few years ago to enjoy the benefits of the state's more relaxed marijuana laws, per the passage of the Prop. 215 Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and SB420.  Better known as NJWeedman, the celebrity activist has received international media attention, publicly touting California as the forefront of what he perceives to be "the reefer revolution."  The recent raid has not only saddened, but confused him.  Only months ago, the same Los Angeles Police Department was instrumental in securing his grow room operation back from a landlord who tried to steal his plants - http://njweedman.com/LAPD_GROWROOM.html .


"I left the restrictive confines of the state of New Jersey to enjoy a new found freedom here in California. Per my now famous Hollywood Hemp Mansion Parties, I have been trying to live a good life and leave behind my days of activism, but this new assault on my rights now leaves me no choice but to battle coast to coast!" cites Forchion.


"If the city was serving The Liberty Bell Temple on a municipal code violation why did they also seize the medical/spiritual marijuana and cash, amongst other things without the constitutionally guaranteed due process of a valid search warrant?" asks Forchion.


"The Police have still not provided the Temple with a search warrant, nor the affidavit required to obtain one.  If we were a 7-11, Rite Aid, Scientology Center, Synagogue, or Christian Church the city would not send battle-dressed cops with battering rams and shotguns. This was straight militarized robbery by cops, under the guise of this new city ordinance."


Medical marijuana attorney, David Welch Esq. and his firm, D|R Welch Attorneys at Law P.C. are recognized for providing  aggressive and knowledgeable representation in all areas of the medical marijuana law throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, and other Southern California communities.


"During the raid on Liberty Bell Temple II on July 14, 2010, the police made threatening remarks in an attempt to chill the practice of Rastafari by the members of Liberty Bell Temple II," cites Welch.  "These acts are a clear violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the California Constitution.  We will seek an injunction by the courts to prevent further police activity against the members of Liberty Bell Temple II and their practice and congregation in their Rastafarian faith."


When discussing the religious use of marijuana  Forchion cites, "I don't think our Liberty Bell Temple or any Rastafarian Temple is any different than the UDV Church - (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzales_v._O_Centro_Espirita_Beneficente_Uniao_do_Vegetal).  Members of the UDV Church use a substance called Hoasca, Rastafarains use substance called "marijuana."  


The UDV Church realized a landmark Federal ruling when it was determined in the case Gonzales vs. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao do Vegetal that the Federal Government's seizure of their sacramental tea, which contained a Schedule I substance was in fact illegal and a violation permitted under the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  Seagram heir and UDV Church member, Jeffrey Bronfman funded the case to the Supreme Court.


About Ed Forchion aka NJWeedman


NJWeedman first achieved cult status and media notoriety when he was arrested for smoking the sacred herb in front of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, PA. As one of the most prominent figures in the medical marijuana movement, Forchion is continually fueling his advocacy. As the founder of the Legalize Marijuana Party of New Jersey in 1998, Forchion has run campaigns for Governor, Congress, the State Legislature, and the Burlington County Board of Freeholders in New Jersey.


Forchion's activism has led him to appearances in documentaries including "How Weed Won the West,"  and Jack Herer's "The Emperor's Wears No Clothes", Spike TV's  "10,000 Ways to Die," and Direct TV's "Supreme Court of Comedy".  He has also been featured regularly on TMZ.


His NJWeedman's video series, filmed from the Liberty Bell Temple and seen on his website http://www.libertybelltemple.com/Home.htm  and at YouTube.com, commands a following of viewers from around the world. He regularly updates his footage with vivid coverage of the happenings at the Temple, including specials on the vast varietals of medicinal marijuana he was able to serve up legally, daily to his patients.


In addition, his memoirs, "Public Enemy #420" is chock full of amazing statistics about the "politricks" of marijuana as well as the page turning adventures of his life. From his early days of trafficking marijuana, to his legal battles with the state officials in New Jersey, his months behind bars and finally his sojourn to sunny California, Ed Forchion 's live is a real life tale of "high" drama.  


In an effort to raise money for his defense fund, Forchion is hosting a "Fundraiser Fish Fry" every Friday at the Liberty Bell Temple at 5642 Hollywood Blvd., along with his regular Reggae Night Jam every Monday at the  Blu Monkey lounge, located at 5521 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, CA.


To view the police raid at Liberty Bell Temple, go to http://www.vimeo.com/13428078.


To track NJWeedman's legal battles, support his case and contribute to his defense fund, log on at  http://www.libertybelltemple.com/defensefund.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Putting "Pot" In Potential POTUS

First off I would like to give the Veterans Administration (VA) credit for recognizing the voice of the veterans by allowing them to receive their veteran benefits and medical marijuana in approved states.

This is one of the first positive steps I have seen from the Federal Government, since last year when the POTUS had the DEA back of medical marijuana dispensary's, and honoring states rights.

If the Federal Government through the VA, can give referrals for medical marijuana and veteran patients will be able to receive them. This is such a big big step in the right direction. It has not gone unnoticed and appreciated by many.

Hopefully, the negative propaganda campaigns against cannabis can finally be put in the past, and people will be more open without fear of persecution for supporting rescheduling cannabis from a schedule 1 substance to a schedule 2 substance.

It really should just come to a point during re-election/election time to put the candidates on the spot and make them swear to change the scheduling of cannabis. Tell them if you are supposed to care for the people you represent then they need to hear what we are saying. Millions of people everywhere would benefit from this intensely humane gesture.

Look if cannabis really was as bad as the government has claimed, I would not smoke it. Since I have tried it, I guess you could say I know better. Actually being aware of how unjust cannabis prohibition is, has been quite disconcerting at times.

I cant Google Juarez on their news and not see some sort of article regarding another execution style killing from a drug gang.

Millions of Americans arrested for cannabis annually.

Over a trillion in tax dollars spent fighting against cannabis.

Next election, be it in 2010, or in 2012, confront the candidates and find out if they are cannabis friendly or not. They want your vote, make them earn it.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Why Most Police Forces Support Cannabis Prohibition

I want to share this article from the Wall Street Journal. It is about a county sheriff in California, who explains how he is forced to increase pressure on marijuana offenders for the primary purpose of financial gain for his police force.

Financially strapped police use pot fighting cash




I'm going to post some of the quotes from the article and give my perspective on them.

IGO, Calif.—Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko, his budget under pressure in a weak economy, has laid off staff, reduced patrols and even released jail inmates. But there's one mission on which he's spending more than in recent years: pot busts.

The reason is simple: If he steps up his pursuit of marijuana growers, his department is eligible for roughly half a million dollars a year in federal anti-drug funding, helping save some jobs. The majority of the funding would have to be used to fight pot. Marijuana may not be the county's most pressing crime problem, the sheriff says, but "it's where the money is."

Washington has long allocated funds to help localities fight crime, influencing their priorities in the process. Today's local budget squeezes are enhancing this effect, and the result is particularly striking in California, where many residents take a benign view of pot but federal dollars help keep law-enforcement focused on it. 

My concern with this article is this, it is not just a one time thing. This is occurring in counties all across the country. 


I have seen how this money influences a sheriffs department first hand serving on a grand jury a couple of years ago. I ended up seeing a lot of marijuana cases come across the table.  I remember one case that came up, an undercover sheriff busted a couple for an ounce of marijuana, and he really wanted to put the screws to these offenders by also wanting to charge them with intent to distribute. I refused to go along with it and did not raise my hand. Matter of fact another grand jury member also agreed that the charges were a bit harsh and refused to raise his hand as well.

The District Attorney and the undercover sheriff were surprised, and visibly agitated. To reach a compromise they offered to drop the intent to distribute charge if we would vote on the rest of the charges. The rest of the grand jury agreed and it passed. Minus just one vote, mine. I refused to raise my hand on each and every marijuana case that came up.

You see, I managed to get on a grand jury, even though I had gotten busted for possession of marijuana back in 2000. I could not be compelled to help prosecute someone for possessing marijuana. I don't think they realized at first that they had an marijuana activist on their grand jury, but I'm sure they soon figured that out.

During my time on the grand jury, I was given a tour of the county jail by the sheriff. This is when I learned about the financial incentive for marijuana convictions. This sheriff said pretty much the same thing the sheriff in the article said. "Its where the money is" 

The sheriff even encouraged us to go to the next sheriffs auction to raise more money for the sheriffs department. They had a whole bunch of vehicles and boats that had been confiscated in drug raids waiting to be auctioned off.


The pot money is "$340,000 I could use somewhere else in my organization," he says. "That could fund three officers' salaries and benefits, and we could have them out on our streets doing patrol." His overall budget this year is about $35 million. 

A lot of financially strapped counties are not so lucky to have a $35 million dollar budget to get them through the year.

$340,000 a pop is the golden carrot that encourages our police to prosecute citizens for marijuana offenses.

The U.S. Justice Department is spending nearly $3.6 billion this year to augment budgets of state and local law-enforcement agencies. In addition, the federal government last year set aside close to $4 billion of the economic-stimulus package for law-enforcement grants for state and local agencies. The White House also is spending about $239 million this year to fund local drug-trafficking task forces. 

If you follow the money, you'll see its the primary motivation for arresting marijuana offenders. It has nothing to do with justice. It comes down to job security for police departments.

I guarantee you if the police departments did not receive this federal allocation of funds for marijuana offenses, the police would not even bother folks who consumed marijuana. 

So far over a trillion dollars has been spent on the "war on drugs"
After 40 years, $1 trillion, US War on Drugs has failed to meet any of its goals

Check out this link:


States in the Red 

Check out the states on this chart that are in the red. Is it any coincidence that the reddest states have some of the strictest laws against marijuana, or the most arrests? These cash starved states with billion dollar deficits are struggling to make their payrolls, and they are capitalizing on marijuana prohibition by sucking on the governments teat for a federal handout, at the expense of our freedom. 

Let's put this in perspective for a moment.

Recently a family was awoken in the middle of the night by a task force. The task force broke down their door, shot the families dog, scared the children, and arrested the parents for less than an ounce of marijuana. 
It makes me wonder if during alcohol prohibition if the police ever raided a home and shot the families dog, scared the children, and arrested the parents for a 12 pack of beer in the fridge?

If the cops were getting $340,000.00 a year to do it, do you think they would have?

How about this for a perspective.

A crippled guy in a wheel chair gets arrested for smoking medicinal marijuana. He is looking at 6 years in prison if he fails an urinalysis now. 


It don't mean shit to the police that he uses marijuana to alleviate his pain as long as this gives them a credit for their government hand out. I see no honor, no integrity in these kinds of harassing arrests. 

To me the trade off is obvious. I would rather see someone like the guy in the article below receive a better quality of life, than have an extra policeman on the books.


Quadriplegic faces jail time for using medicinal marijuana

Cannabis prohibition should not have to shoulder such a significant amount of a police departments budget. It is only creating distrust, and an us against them mentality. Why? Because of money....


If “cops don’t make laws, they just enforce them”, why are police opposing marijuana legalization?

When I got busted back in 2000 for possession of marijuana, I got a slap on the wrist from the judge. Unfortunately I failed an urinalysis and my probation got extended from 6 months to two years. Then I had to have some strange dude in the bathroom with me, staring at my cock, while I pissed in a cup once a month x24 months. I had to spend a $1,000.00 to get out of jail. $600.00 in drug counseling classes, and $2,000.00 in probation/court costs. 

I was lucky that I was not convicted as a felon, so I can still vote, and I will. It's only going to be for someone who is marijuana friendly and who supports ending cannabis prohibition, or if the petition is finally on the ballot to legalize marijuana. Once I had finally got caught, I quit my street dealing ways to supplement my habit, but I decided then to focus on becoming an activist to end prohibition of marijuana.

I am an optimist though, I still hope that honesty and integrity will win the day. Maybe one day the police will realize that convicting American citizens for this victimless crime is not worth the blood money the government is handing out to them. 
That integrity cannot be bought, that freedom and true justice will prevail. 

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

California dreaming, knee deep in oil.

Considering how much stress there is from everyone around the Gulf of Mexico because of this oil spill, it sure would be nice if we could have an event like this around here.


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The elusive genius Hoam Rogh, author of Satan's Smoke

I came across Satan's Smoke this past April 20th online. It was months away from complete. Updates arrived sporadically and inelegantly until the book was ready for printing.


Please click here, buy the book, and support an interesting, outspoken activist on marijuana prohibition.


I decided to make an attempt to contact Hoam Rogh for this interview. Come to find out though, this was not an easy task since his record makes him more internet drifter than man. Evidently, a fugitive for jumping bail for "totally not wanting to pay for that guy." (His words) He hesitantly agreed to this interview, but would only do so through his attorney T. E.- Horwitz.



Hoam Rogh has spent the past year hiding somewhere in nondescript locales avoiding the world while maniacally writing Satan's Smoke and periodically shaking his fist in the air at big government. When he is not writing, Hoam Rogh passes his time on the rails, tending the overgrowth movement's multi-state marijuana crop. He rolls on and off the grid as needed. In through the woods, ducking under trees, the sound of passing helicopters overhead, it doesn't bother him.



His passion for the United States Constitution and desire to overturn marijuana prohibition brought him to write the most compelling, fictional, yet historically accurate literature ever written on the history of marijuana prohibition.



Hoam Rogh believes life teaches that following the rules is boring and has never paid off for anyone. With that in mind, he began making outrageous promises impossible to keep. He shot through the ranks of the corporate world with his paradigm. But it finally caught up with him and the legal fees needed to avoid prison did not get paid. Hoam Rogh posted bond and left, sending updates to his lawyer and promising him a "piece of the game." We worked through the challenges of the interview.



Killer Bud- What was the pivotal moment that inspired you to compile a fictional yet historically accurate rendition of how marijuana prohibition came to be and to end? Where did you get the ideas?



Hoam Rogh- I came up with the story while jumping bail. My lawyer blathered--at great length and expense--about how when he went to school and read all these constitutional cases, it dawned on him that the law was wrong. I could not pay bail, let alone his fees , so I wrote this story out while on the lamb. Please buy it, I need to pay off my lawyer so he will stop having me arrested. Do you owe your attorney 150 grand? No? Well welcome to my world. It comes in book form.



And to continue not answering your question directly, there's more law in Satan's Smoke than in any other work of fiction, especially related to pot. I don't know if that's a good thing. Then there is also lots of history in it. It was the most difficult story to make readable and able to relate to. I think I got it done. I kept track of how long it took to write to see if my attorney would accept payment that way. No dice. So, we have to see if it sells, or if I keep getting arrested by my legal debts. I hate getting arrested and I think people who think likewise will love this book. They say that knowledge is power, but they also lie like a rug.



Killer Bud- Why did you release Satan's Smoke for free online for 4/20 when it still was not completed?



Hoam Rogh We saw that 4/20 is a big time holiday for freedom loving people. Then we saw that SAFER was giving away their book. Ours was not finished yet, but we felt that we had enough to start getting it out there. We ended up only giving away about 100 e-books. SAFER gave away like 15,000 or something.



Killer Bud- What do you think about how things are currently moving towards marijuana reform?



Hoam Rogh Change is so close that I may never see any sales on this work and probably end up arrested again cause I can't pay my lawyer. Everyone wants the law changed. You can't throw a rock and find someone who thinks marijuana is more dangerous than booze. I think the federal law will change as quickly as a few months, but certainly before 2015.



Killer Bud- You seem very optimistic in a resolution occurring really soon. I hope you are right.



Killer Bud- Do you think a constitutional challenge to anti marijuana laws is imminent? If so, how come no one has tried using the issues you mentioned for a defense already?

If they have tried could you provide a reference as to how and what occurred?



Answered by his lawyer, T.E. Horwitz, The arguments in the book are diverse. When crafting a constitutional challenge you need a few things. You need the right litigant, which you can just imagine with fiction. You need the right words, which can be very difficult to pin down and frame. Plus, you need the right time. Each passing day makes the federal law more absurd. The Village of Euclid case mentioned in the book, but also from 1926, states constitutional principles do not change, times change. Sometimes laws that were fine one day may be wholly arbitrary a few decades later, that's federal marijuana law.



Many challenges have been tried that have focused on several respects but none like that in the book. NORML filed lawsuits early on after the CSA was passed, and the Schafer report broke. They always petition the DEA after their pending petition is denied. There should be a new petition denied any day now. The Raich case SCOTUS handed down in 2005 said that all marijuana possession may be regulated by the commerce clause to the constitution, but did not address the scheduling of the current regulation.



Killer Bud- The Obama administration, has increased spending on interdiction and law enforcement to record levels. - $10 billion of the $15.5 billion drug-control budget is going to be for enforcement and the other $5.5 billion is supposed to go towards drug treatment.

Was this just more of the same or do you see some progress in that fact that drug treatment was inclusive to this years budget on the war on drugs?

Why do you think the Obama administration is so unwilling to make real concessions and consider at the very least rescheduling marijuana?





Hoam Rogh President Obama has systematically played it safe. He got his Health Care Reform passed, and numerous other things come up. Pot prohibition goes hand in hand with immigration reform. However, he wants to serve for 8 years. Coming out for legalization would, maybe, deliver upon us a new Dick Nixon. Some wacko crying about law and order.

Also think what would happen if he changed the law? Thousands of cops would lose their jobs, in this economy do we want thousands of gun-toting disgruntled people, there's already millions of them, so why add ones with firearm training to their ranks?



Killer Bud- In your opinion, why are so many politicians afraid to endorse ending marijuana prohibition?



Hoam Rogh -Politics is like a corporation. You take all of the good and limit liability for any of the bad, all pop no drop. It's moronic. Marijuana reform would need new law, new policy, new everything. Being anti marijuana gets you pictures with cops, makes you appear as if you are providing safety. It's all smoke and mirrors, but we're talking about politicians here.



Killer Bud- At this point in time would they really be committing political suicide if they supported the end of marijuana prohibition?



Hoam Rogh-They won't approach anything that may risk their phony baloney jobs. They serve us to get re-elected. They are very powerful as well, the status quo pays off lots of people that are already in power at the expense of those that have little power. Why change it? Except for the crippling societal costs. For example, the explosion of violent crime after we tried to crack down on the drug trade. Only an economist would have seen that coming, and they rarely are in politics.



Killer Bud- Mr. T.E. Horwitz, what is your legal opinion on using Jury Nullification for a defense in marijuana possession charges?



T.E.- Horwitz- Jury Nullification should only be used as a last resort. First, you should use motion practice and raise the defense of unconstitutionality. Then the judge would have to rule on that.



Juries do not decide questions of law. The problem with jury nullification is that is what they are doing. There are numerous ways to control for such things. Jurors may be removed if the prosecutor believes they will nullify the conviction. The bench can override a jury on a point of law. Jury nullification will not work, nor has it. Many more times the judge has found some laws to be unconstitutional. Perhaps in 1645 jury nullification would be warranted, but it has not been legitimate in well over 100 years.



Killer Bud- Many people talk about voting, putting it to the legislature, would you recommend legislative action instead of legal action?



Hoam Rogh- No. Legal action doesn't wait til election day. I saw that article you recently wrote about NJ Weedman thinking about running for Congress. He and anyone else who smoke hella dank, only go to show the main argument the book will raise. The classification of pot as a schedule 1 substance is irrational and arbitrary. I wanted to use the police power, I wanted to use equal protection's ban on invidious discrimination. Our rights are a mesh like a web, but the powers of the federal government are finely enumerated--or are supposed to be. But in the end, I think the 5th amendment due process, appears to win the day. The deal is that every conceivable rationality must be disproved for the law to be struck down. And with each passing day the weight of the irrationality for pot as a schedule 1 substance grows.



Killer Bud- What do you think would happen if Anslinger said those racist comments in this day and age?

Do you think he would of been serving in any capacity running a federal office?

What do you think of his longstanding legacy of marijuana prohibition?



Hoam Rogh -Anslinger I believe changed his tune over the course of time, away from primal fear of racism and towards other fears, insanity for example, or being a shiftless loser.



Would he be serving in federal office? He's a guy that thinks he knows what other people should be doing, he'd be a Senator at least. If he could keep his mouth shut about racism, but look at Rand Paul.



His legacy of marijuana prohibition has led to a federal government where lies are the norm, the rise of the police state, the erosion of personal freedoms, and helped keep the poor poor and the rich in power. Not the kind of stuff you want on your tombstone if you're an American, maybe a commie, but not American.



Killer Bud- How come you did not go with arguments in the book about the racist aspects of the law. Isn't that unconstitutional?



T. E. Horwitz -The racism is real, but impossible to prove to the level it must be proved. So it won't happen. The law is simply against all marijuana. Despite how it has been historically enforced, there probably is just not enough evidence to raise a race based challenge where it needs to be as proving it will be more difficult. Take for example the crack cocaine sentences, they are only now being brought back down. The sentences were handed down to over 90% black offenders. That is how a race-based law will be struck down.



Today, many offenders of using marijuana are white, black and brown. So they don't have the same argument. While it may be valid, it does not rise to the level where courts will step in and overrule the law for simply race. However, there is a class challenge. Marijuana laws created a criminal class of people that numbers in the scores of millions. How many people have used marijuana in American? 100 million? They are all criminals. So what we have is a law that cannot be enforced, a law that is arbitrary. Challenging an arbitrary law can be a different constitutional challenge than the one used for a race-based law.

Killer Bud- I'd like to thank Mr. Hoam Rogh and T.E- Horwitz for taking the time to reach out and discuss this here with a fellow activist. It is partly through constructive conversations like this that we will eventually change the tide on marijuana reform. People really need to get themselves educated in order to prevent themselves from being spoonfed tyranny.

I hope more folks will stand up and be more proactive regarding marijuana reform.

Speak out for freedom, and compassion, and accomplishing this goal peacefully by making your vote count.

Only 15 states currently have medicinal marijuana approved. I hope, at least medical marijuana will be approved in all of them one day. Many other states need petitions filled and volunteers to get signatures. So there is still a long way to go, but hopefully soon this will finally be over.


Wednesday, May 26, 2010

NJWeedman Runs For Congress in New Jersey !



NJWeedman
Runs For Congress
in New Jersey !
 NJWeedman for 
Congress

New Jersey - On this heels of his April 1 arrest for the possession of marijuana, Ed Forchion, better known as the New Jersey Weedman, has announced his bid to run for Congress in the state of New Jersey.  The long time cannabis activist is turning up the heat in his bid to not only avoid jail time, but to raise awareness about the contradictory medical marijuana laws in the state of New Jersey. On April 1, 2010, Forchion  made headlines when he was busted in New Jersey with a pound of cannibus in the trunk of his car. On May 14, 2010, Forchion filed his petition to run as an independent for New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District seat.
  
Forchion has lived in California since 2008, operating the famous state-registered medical marijuana clinic, the Liberty Bell Temple on Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, CA, but has always maintained a legal residence in the Pemberton Township in New Jersey.

As the founder of the Legalize Marijuana Party of New Jersey, this is not Forchion's first bid for office. He has run previous campaigns for Governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, the State Legislature, and the Burlington County Board of Freeholders.

Forchion also plans to file a constitutional challenge to New Jersey's new medical marijuana law as part of his criminal case.  In January, the governor signed legislation that would allow patients diagnosed with severe medical conditions like AIDS and cancer to access marijuana grown and distributed through state-monitored dispensaries.  Forchion says he will file a constitutional challenge of the law on the grounds that the state's criminal code - the one he was arrested and charged under - reads that marijuana has no medicinal value.  Forchion will utilize jury nullification to fight to have his charges dropped.

"I'm not that "HIGH" where I think I'll actually win the election. I'm a protest candidate," clarifies NJWeedman about his bid for Congress. "I'll win by bringing maximum national and international media exposure to New Jersey's racist inspired drug laws and to highlight the racist nature of Burlington County family court. While white New Jersey politicans have for years advocated changing New Jersey's marijuana laws without punishment, I have been denied the right to see my own child for the last 12 years because of my political stance and beliefs, even though I'm advocating changing the same marijuana laws."    

The racial politics of the "war on drugs" has been well documented. As noted in a recent article by  Ethan Nadelmann, the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance ( http://race.change.org/blog/view/why_ending_marijuana_prohibition_is_a_racial_justice_issue ), "of the 1.8 million drug arrests made last year, 750,000 were for nothing more than possession of a small amount of marijuana. That represents more than 40% of all drug arrests. The best available national evidence indicates that roughly the same proportion of blacks and whites use marijuana - but that black people are roughly three times more likely to be arrested for possessing marijuana."
As detailed in his new  book,  "Public  Enemy  # 420," Forchion has a history that spans decades in his quest for his right to smoke marijuana legally.  A cult figure in the marijuana legalization community,  he achieved  media notoriety when he was arrested for smoking marijuana in front of the entire New Jersey State Assembly in 2000, and garnered a national platform when he fired it up at Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, PA during the Republican National Convention.  In the 12 plus years since Forchion has become one of the most vocal, and recognized members of the the pro-pot movement, 13 states have passed medical marijuana laws. 
Forchion's NJWeedman video series, filmed from his shop and seen on his website at  http://www.libertybelltemple.com/Home.htm  and at YouTube.com, commands a following of viewers from around the world. He regularly updates his footage with vivid coverage of the happenings in his shop, including specials on the vast varietals of medicinal marijuana he is now able to serve up legally, daily to his patients.

See NJWeedman in his latest video manifesto at http://www.trentonian.com/video/video-jeff/?media=13993520 .

To explore the issues more, go to
http://www.NJWeedman.com  and to purchase his book, "Public Enemy 420" go to https://www.createspace.com/3425534.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Killer Bud's Marijuana Prohibition Research Links

I have been an outspoken marijuana advocate for many years. I guess you could say my whole life I have wanted to be able to have the freedom to smoke a joint without being prejudiced against by law enforcement. As I have gotten older it has gotten to be more important to encourage, at the very least, legalized medical marijuana.

I have been in several car accidents where my head has ended up busting through a windshield. I have chronic back pain, but I still manage to do what I have to do to survive. I work hard all day, but afterwords I am usually on the couch imploring my fiancee to give me back massages.

I have done a lot of research through the years and have acquired some interesting websites that only steady my conviction to help end this unjust prohibition. Unfortunately the things I have learned have exposed things from the government that is less than honest. Honesty is something we should expect from our elected leaders. Especially when their dishonest policy ends up making millions of honest, non violent, Americans criminals.

It boggles my mind how racism and corporate greed had influenced this current situation we see today. If someone like Harry Jacob Anslinger, who held office as the Assistant Prohibition Commissioner in the Bureau of Prohibition, before being appointed as the first Commissioner of the Treasury Department's Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) on August 12, 1930, if had said this kind of rhetoric today for justifying the creation for cannabis prohibition, he would of been quickly shut up and kicked out of public office.

Even though it was almost 80 years ago, Harry Anslinger is one of the main people responsible for causing the hysteria against marijuana on an national level.

Harry Anslinger is responsible for racial themes in articles against marijuana in the 1930s.

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others."

"Colored students at the Univ. of Minn. partying with (white) female students, smoking [marijuana] and getting their sympathy with stories of racial persecution. Result: pregnancy"

This kind of rhetoric may have worked 80 years ago to create cannabis prohibition, but if he was to say something like that in present time he would not of become the leader of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics.

Yet what motivated him to say what he did exists to this very day in the form of cannabis prohibition.

Even a former president, Richard Nixon, used race to justify cannabis prohibition. The Freedom of Information Act uncovered tapes that were withheld for years by our government.  The Nixon White House tapes from 1971-1972 held conversations between President Nixon and a special "Blue Ribbon Commission" he made to evaluate the pros and cons of marijuana.

Unfortunately the "Blue Ribbon Commission" did not come out the way President Nixon had anticipated due to its pro marijuana outcome. He essentially buried the findings of the commission, and set out on his own personal crusade against marijuana and minorities.


  • Jews and marijuana: "I see another thing in the news summary this morning about it. That's a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish. What the Christ is the matter with the Jews, Bob, what is the matter with them? I suppose it's because most of them are psychiatrists . . ."
  • Marijuana and the culture wars: "You see, homosexuality, dope, immorality in general. These are the enemies of strong societies. That's why the Communists and the left-wingers are pushing the stuff, they're trying to destroy us."
  • Marijuana compared to alcohol: marijuana consumers smoke "to get high" while "a person drinks to have fun." Nixon also saw marijuana leading to loss of motivation and discipline but claimed: "At least with liquor I don't lose motivation."
  • Marijuana and political dissent: ". . . radical demonstrators that were here . . . two weeks ago . . . They're all on drugs, virtually all."
  • Drug education: "Enforce the law, you’ve got to scare them." 
It is from looking back and questioning things, that will make us reevaluate where we should go from now.

I am honestly surprised that a minority hasn't opposed marijuana prohibition under the context that the laws were created to enforce marijuana prohibition, purposefully focused on targeting Hispanics and African Americans with racist intent. From the President all the way down to your local police officer on the corner the government encouraged enforcement against minorities.

Basically the law against marijuana should be thrown out if the primary reason for creating it was to control minorities.

Since this can be easily proven, why couldn't this be used for the minorities as a defense?

If we were to take out the racism and fear mongering from the equation back in the 1930's all the way through to the president from the 1970's, would we still have this negative attitude towards marijuana in this day and time?
  
I have the links to back up my research. (Located on the bottom of my blog section.) It is an ongoing project and will grow over the years. That is unless our country finally decides to reform marijuana laws once and for all. 
Peace,



 

Monday, May 3, 2010

Thumbs up for PA Senator Daylin Leach (D-17) on HB1393, The Compassionate Use Act,

According to an Examiner website post PA Senator Daylin Leach (D17) issued this statement:

"It's long past time we move beyond the misinformation and ancient wives' tales and allow people to have the medicine that will make them feel better. Medical Marijuana has been proven repeatedly to help people who are desperately ill. It is nothing more than gratuitous cruelty to deny it to them."

Here is the rest of the article. It also has some interesting video of Dr. Harold Swidler, at a hearing to explain the benefits of medical marijuana.  


Medical Marijuana To Be Introduced May 4th

I am an Independent voter, and I will never be confined to thinking about voting for any particular party line. I vote for who I hope will be the best person for the job.

I admittedly have certain pet peeves about prospective candidates. Such as mixing your religion into our politics. Keep the two fucking separate. Keep your prayers to yourself and take care of business.

That said I would be hard pressed to vote for someone with this type of ideology, however I would put prejudice aside and still possibly vote for you if you understood the compassionate consequences that would result from ending prohibition of marijuana.

I wish more politicians had the balls to say what Senator Daylin Leach said today in Pennsylvania.

Senator Daylin Leach is listening to the voice of the people he represents, and not throwing back redundant,outdated, anecdotes like so many other politicians do for the sake of playing it safe, and not pissing off their ultra conservative voters.

It's not a republican or a democrat thing, its just the right thing to do.

We do not have the same luxury in Florida though, no one running for high office at the moment is brave enough to push any sort of bill to legalize medicinal marijuana. At the rate we are going in this state we would probably be the last state in the union to ever get something passed. That really sucks big time...

Recently in my home state of Florida, a quadriplegic faces jail time for using medicinal marijuana.





 Check out this link from The St. Petersburg Times. They wrote a compelling story about this mans vital need for medicinal marijuana.

Quadriplegic Arrested for Using Medicinal Marijuana in Florida
John Haring has lived with the chronic pain since becoming a quadriplegic two decades ago. Then he found a way, he said, to ease his aching body, to lift his depression.

Now he's going to jail for it.

I really can not understand why he should be looking at going to jail, just because he is trying to do something to ease his pain.

He is going to end up on drug offender probation, and be subjected to monthly urinalysis until he completes however long his probation is. If he fails a piss test, he would end up violating his probation and more than likely going to prison.

This is just not right. I could never be a police officer if putting people like Jack Haring in jail was just "part of my job".

I expect the police to enforce laws, we need them to function in society. I just have a problem with them enforcing a law that so many people are opposed to.

On the side of my page is a link to a petition to get medicinal marijuana on the state ballot here in Florida.
I strongly encourage any Florida resident who can vote who reads this blog to click on that link and make a copy of the forms and mail them to PUFFM.

If the politicians want to drag their feet and make honest civilians criminals for possession of a plant. Then we will just have to get the signatures to pass it ourselves.

I really do not understand why at the moment they have only gotten around 10,000 signatures, but they still need almost 670,000 more to go.

We are trying really hard to get this petition approved for the ballot by 2012, and we need a lot of help to get there. So please even if you do not smoke marijuana support this endeavor anyways for people like Jack Haring, for all our elderly on chemo that need to gain weight so they can recover faster without feeling nauseous, and for other folks who are in pain and cant afford prescription pain killers.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Ed "NJ Weedman.com" Forchion Fighting for marijuana liberation: One toke at a time

I am pretty excited about getting an opportunity to interview NJ Weedman.com. He is an outspoken activist for ending the prohibition of marijuana. Outspoken to the point where his freedom was almost taken from him on numerous occasions. Sometimes all he has had to count on was just himself, and just his wits to overcome the odds stacked against him, and still he manages to come out on top.

NJ Weedman.com's story is about standing up for what you believe in, what you know deep down inside is right, and doing something about it.

If you would like to learn more about his past endeavors in his fight across the country for marijuana reform. Please go to his website or better yet pick up his book "Public Enemy 420"

NJ Weedman.com's knowledge of the law really comes through in it, and he explains how to make us more knowledgeable in defending ourselves against prosecution by the government for marijuana offenses. 

NJ Weedman.com explains in great detail on how to use an open advocation of JURY NULLIFICATION as a defense. A strategy that was similarly carried out in courts during the end of alcohol prohibition.

NJ Weedman.com's book is a useful tool and guide to being better informed, and knowing that there is something you can do about it.

NJ Weedman.com, is currently very active in the marijuana freedom movement. Lately he has been operating a medical marijuana dispensary in Hollywood, California, called Liberty Bell Temple, to fighting a legal battle for possession on the other side of the country in New Jersey. Considering his past endeavors in dealing with the system in New Jersey, using JURY NULLIFICATION, I'm sure he will come out on top this time too.

NJ Weedman's Theme Song mp3


Okay, so now I'd like to get this interview rolling, (pardon the pun) and ask NJ Weedman.com some questions.

(KB) Could you tell me a little back ground information of how Liberty Bell Temple came about?

(NJ Weedman.com) The Liberty Bell Temple is located at 5642 Hollywood, blvd., Hollywood Ca. I opened LBT in August 2008, naming it after a series of protest I did in Philadelphia at the Liberty Bell in 2003-04. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrGah9enZRQ 

It is the only Rastafarian Temple in Los Angeles, we are registered with the state as a “church/temple” and openly provide marijuana in compliance with prop 215 rules. We also provide marijuana to spiritual users.

The Freedom of Religion and Restoration Act of 1993 allows for the religious use of marijuana. Our temple is a religious facility and we provide marijuana to those who wish to use it.

(KB)  I was drooling a lot over some of the goodies you folks have at Liberty Bell Temple. From your fine selection of cannabis, to all the other different edible items. It is almost impossible for me living in Florida to imagine the freedom it must feel like to not have the weight on your shoulders of constantly looking over your back and getting busted. (Paranoia is such a buzz kill)

Could you describe what it is like for people in California to have the ability to enjoy marijuana without prejudice or harassment?

(NJ Weedman.com) It feels like FREEDOM to me, besides my use of marijuana I’m a pretty law abiding citizen. I don’t hurt anyone, never bother into other people’s lives and only wish to live and let live. Most of the time I have marijuana on me, like a tobacco addict has cigarettes on him. In a state like New Jersey the POLICE are always on a witch hunt for people like me. Just to leave my house, to drive on the highway or be in public is taking a risk on going to prison. The site of me may result in me in handcuffs in New Jersey. Not so in California. In California I don’t hide myself from the police and I carry my doctors note on me and don’t worry about the police.


(KB) If seems kind of strange how you can go from one state to another which has medicinal marijuana on the books, and laws could be so different, even contradictory. Do other states that have medicinal marijuana laws recognize cannabis prescriptions as valid from a different state?

(NJ Weedman.com) NO – as far as I know none of them respect each others marijuana laws.

(KB) Or do you have to get authorization from a Dr. in that state? (If so that's stupid)

(NJ Weedman) Yup, you get it. The laws are just stupid.

(KB) If I had a prescription of percocet, I could go to any other state and not have to worry about getting another prescription from a Dr,. matter of fact, I could see someone getting into trouble for doing that. It would be like Dr. hopping, but when your dealing with cannabis and the different state laws the legality seems a little fuzzy to me.

If you come from a state that legalizes medicinal cannabis, and you go to another state that has legalized it, they should respect the validity of your prescription and not get arrested.

(NJ Weedman.com) They should but they don’t. Ive detailed my opposition to New Jersey’s medical marijuana bill here:

http://njweedman.com/oppose_medical_marijuana_bill.html

(KB) In your situation in New Jersey, it seems like this kind of logic should apply and be worked out. Are you hoping to accomplish this with your case?

http://www.njweedman.com/challenge.html

(NJ Weedman.com) I hope that becomes a legal issue but Im hoping for a jury nullification verdict. I’m openly going to challenge my Jury to render a verdict inspite of the law. The law is wrong, based on lies and false facts. I wish to tell my jurors the truth about marijuana. I want to tell the jury that this law I’m charged with violating is wrong not I. The New Jersey Constitution specifically gives the jurors in criminal prosecutions the right to Judge the law as well as the facts. --- NJ Constitution ARTICLE I paragraph (6) -In all prosecutions …………, the truth may be given in evidence to the jury; ………. and the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the fact.

This is all I want to tell my jury the truth it is the Government and our politicians that lie about marijuana.

Hopefully more folks will become aware of how viable JURY NULLIFICATION can be in defending ourselves against marijuana prohibition laws.

 If you would like to purchase NJ Weedman.com's book "Public Enemy 420" then click on this link.


NJ Weedman's Public Enemy 420

Thanks NJ Weedman.com for taking the time for this interview. I wish you the best of luck with your case in New Jersey. Hopefully soon other folks wont have to go through what you have in the name of marijuana reform. In the meantime we need everyone to stand up and correct this unjust law, not just the few.
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