Summary:
A war is breaking out between the Cannabusiness Community, that hopes to profit from draconian regulation of Marijuana, and the pillars of the drug reform movement that insist that the self cultivation of Marijuana become an untaxed, unregulated sacred right. The first shots were fired by a speech by Jack Herer and the firing of Dennis Peron from Oaksterdam University. Could this be our "Concord" moment?
Over the past few weeks two things have occurred that should be of paramount interest to both the majority of American Citizens favoring the Re-Legalization of Marijuana and even those that don't yet support Marijuana Re-Legalization.
First on Saturday September 12th, 2009, Jack Herer made a short but historic speech at Oregon's HempStalk Festival. And despite suffering a stroke and heart attack, back in 2000, it is abundantly clear that he put every ounce of energy and anger into this speech. It is clear that this anger is directed at the Cannabusiness community as you will understand by the end of this article. Here were the most important words from that fiery speech:
"I don't want to f**king give the United States government one f**king dollar of taxes. I think that they should go to f**king jail for getting you and me and 20 million people getting arrested for pot. It is the safest thing you can do in the universe. And that is what we are going to do in California. Okay? Come over to my booth, over there, and I will see you next time."
In this video Jack Herer vehemently denounced the attempts by the Cannabusiness community to push for the government taxation and regulation of our Marijuana during his speech at the HempStalk Festival in Oregon (09/12/2009). Unfortunately he suffered a heart attack shortly after delivering what could become his most important speech.
Next on Tuesday September 15th, 2009, Dennis Peron was fired from Oaksterdam University. According to journalist Craig Canada, his firing was the result of Peron's opposition to his employer's state wide initiative to "tax and regulate" Marijuana.
Dennis Peron announced on Tuesday (09/15/2009) that he returned from Burning Man to discover he had been fired from Oaksterdam University because of his opposition to taxing and regulating medical marijuana. Oaksterdam University has announced it intends to spend a million dollars to promote an initiative that would tax, regulate and control marijuana by city and county, as well as at the state level.
What both Herer and Peron are reacting to is the great "bait and switch" on Marijuana policy by the Cannabusiness community and our very own government. In a nutshell what is going on is a reaction to the fact that a majority of American Citizens -- 52% according to a 2009 Zogby poll -- now support the complete Legalization of Marijuana for all citizens: not just the sick and dying.
What should also be made clear is that both Jack Herer and Dennis Peron are two of the most important and respected members of the Marijuana Re-Legalization movement. And despite this they have been demonized by groups that purport to support Marijuana Re-Legalization for many years: NORML, DPA and MPP.
Jack Herer is the author of the "Emperor Wears No Clothes" which was first published in 1985. This book clearly documented the censored history of Hemp (e.g., Marijuana or Cannabis) and essentially became the "bible" for the Marijuana reform movement. You can read (or preferably purchase) the entire book by clicking here:
Dennis Peron has also made incredible contributions to the movement towards Marijuana Re-Legalization as documented by journalist Craig Canada:
Peron has been hailed as the father of the medical marijuana movement and was the guiding force and co-author of California's Proposition 215. He became a marijuana dealer after returning from Viet Nam to San Francisco in 1969 and through the 70s he ran the Big Top marijuana supermarket from his home. In 1978 he organized Proposition W which directed the district attorney to stop arresting people for possessing, transferring, or growing marijuana. Though it was passed by 56% of the electorate, it was never implemented by the Feinstein Administration. In 1991 he organized Proposition P which made enforcement of laws against medical marijuana the city's lowest priority. It passed by 79%. In 1993 he opened the Church Street Compassion Center in San Francisco's Castro District. In 1995 he opened the larger San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club at 1444 Market Street where the medical marijuana movement was born. In 1996 he co-authored The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and organized the signature drive that put Proposition 215 on the ballot.
Dennis Peron sacked by Oaksterdamn U for opposing marijuana tax
Together they both were instrumental in the authoring and passage of the first Medical Marijuana Initiative in the United States which is now known as "Proposition 215," which was passed in California in 1996. It was the first palpable evidence that the American People had changed their minds about Marijuana and were now poised to do what really needed to be done: and that would be to completely Re-Legalize Marijuana for ALL adult American Citizens.
This sea change in attitude, by the American People, is unsettling to both, the Cannabusiness Community and the Government, because they both profit enormously by treating Marijuana (e.g., Cannabis) through a policy of prohibition or through a quasi-prohibition model known as the Medical Marijuana model. They both know that if adult Americans ever get the right to "grow their own," without taxation or regulation their profits will evaporate over night.
Who is the Cannabusiness Community?
First let us consider the Cannabusiness community. This community evolved after the first Medical Marijuana Initiative, Proposition 215, gave Californian citizens the right to consume Cannabis in November 2006. In the 13 years since Proposition 215 was passed 12 additional states have passed similar initiatives and many more states are poised to do the same thing in the next couple of years. It should be noted that many of the original supporters of this initiative - including it's authors Peron and Herer -- saw "Medical Marijuana" as but a stepping stone towards complete Cannabis Re-Legalization. And many activists use the term Re-Legalization to remind other Americans that for most of American history, Cannabis was, in fact, completely legal to both cultivate and consume. That ended in 1938 with the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act.
So in the 13 years since "Medical Marijuana" became legal a very predictable trend began to emerge. "Medical Marijuana" dispensaries began to open in all of the 13 states and enterprising corporations began to get in the business of offering "Medical Marijuana Cards" to distinguish the "real" Medical Cannabis users from the "recreational" Cannabis users. Of course the whole thing is a sham since in California you can basically pay your annual $150 fee and be given a "Medical Marijuana Card" for a stubbed toe. But that is not the point.
The point is that these Cannabusinesses were now making literally millions of dollars each year and the last thing they wanted to see is for these profits to evaporate in the wake of complete Cannabis Re-Legalization. They knew that, if American adults could cultivate their own Marijuana as they can presently produce their own "home brewed" beer and wine, their empire would quickly dissolve like castles in the sand at your local beach. So to protect their new empire they began using their money to steer the activist community away from the true Re-Legalization that both Peron and Herer foresaw. Because if Peron, Herer and other succeeded at allowing Americans to "grow their own" without taxation or regulation, their financial empires would crumble to the ground. And frankly, that is exactly what needs to happen right now.
And while a comprehensive analysis is beyond the scope of this present article I can provide a few examples that make clear this is exactly what the Cannabusiness community is up to.
* In early 2009 Rob Kampia, the head of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), began to embark on the 14th Medical Marijuana Initiative in Arizona. But their was something markedly different about this initiative. The last 13 initiatives granted the patient, or a caregiver, to grow at least 12 plants to provide "medicine" to the patient. But the Arizona initiative is actually structured to eventually prohibit all self-cultivation. It does this by insisting that, unless you are more than 25 miles from a dispensary, you will NOT be able to cultivate anything: you will be forced to buy it from the dispensary. Even an unabashed "stoner" would realize that eventually no one will be able to grow and your only option will be to buy your Cannabis from the "dispensary" at prices that range from $300 to $500 an ounce.
* In August 2009 Allen St. Pierre was discussing the great success of "Medical Marijuana Cards" on the radio show "Time for Hemp." Allen is the head of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). He was just ecstatic over the fact that Oregon now has 25,000 Medial Marijuana consumers who now pay a $150 dollar annual fee to the Cannabusiness community for the privilege of having legal access to Marijuana. It is insightful to recognize that the Cannabusinessman, currently making 3.75 million in gross profits, each year from the issuance of these cards, is none other than Paul Stanford who heads both the "Hemp and Cannabis Foundation" (THCF) and the "Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp" (CRRH). Basically the THCF is responsible for the distribution of "Medial Marijuana Cards" and the CRRH is responsible for making sure we adult Americans never get the right to grow our own Marijuana so that Stanford and his Cannabusiness buddies can continue to profit at our expense. Ironically THCF was a major sponsor of the HempStalk festival (09/12/2009) where Jack Herer spoke and succumbed to a heart attack immediately after walking off of the stage. At the beginning of the video of Jack's speech you will notice that it is the THCF banner that virtually dwarfs the stage.
* This week The 2009 National NORML Conference – “YES WE CANNABIS!” - is being held Thursday, September 24 through Saturday, September 26 at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco, CA. One of the panels at the conference asks "Has support for legalization reached a critical mass/tipping point?" One of the 3 participants on the panel is Rich Lee, Proprietor of ‘Oaksterdam University’ and Campaigner for ‘The Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010.′ You should be aware that I have already made reference to Rich Lee. He is the guy that recently fired Dennis Peron because Dennis is opposed to the "taxation and regulation" of Marijuana.
So then who comprises the Cannabusiness Community? It is comprised of "reform organizations" including the "Marijuana Policy Project," NORML and the "Drug Policy Alliance." It is also comprised of dispensary owners, "Medical Marijuana" growers and distributors of "Medical Marijuana Cards" such as Paul Stanford. And what do they all have in common? They do not want you to ever have the right to grow your own Marijuana: even as an adult.
Now all of these Cannabusiness people would argue that this is not the case. But even this short list of examples, above, make clear that they are all lying through their teeth.
And why don't they want you to ever have the right to grow your own Marijuana? Because if adults did have the sacred, inalienable right to "grow their own" Americans could grow all the Marijuana they needed for free in their gardens or they could grow it for about $20 dollars an ounce under LED lamps within their own homes. And that would put an end to "Medical Marijuana Cards" and drastically reduce the price that you currently pay for you Cannabis both on the streets and through these stupid dispensaries. For those that don't consume Marijuana let me give you an idea of what consumers are now paying for both "illegal" street Marijuana and Marijuana bought through the "dispensaries;" it is between $300 to $500 an ounce!
Now you can buy low quality "dirt weed" for as little as $120 an ounce, but you will only get a headache from smoking it and it is far worse for your health because you will have to smoke more of it. There is no reason that any American Citizen should have to settle for "dirt weed" when they could be growing their own for free.
It is instructive to consider that Marijuana, even according to the Cannabusiness Community, is far safer than drinking beer. And do you really think you should need to spend $200 a year for a "Medial Beer Card" to give you the privilege of drinking beer? So why should anyone have to pay $150 dollars each year for the "privilege" of consuming Cannabis? Is it really necessary to provide any additional information to make the claim that these Cannabusiness people are greedy, psychotic nuts that are really just out to screw us out of our hard earned money and liberties?
Their deceptive behavior reminds me of a favorite quote from Upton Sinclair:
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."
Upton Sinclair
Well, I can only hope that this essay helps these Cannabusiness "bait and switchers" understand the utter hypocrisy of their attempts to screw the American People. It is never too late to repent and change your stupid attempts to "tax and regulate" our right to "grow our own" Cannabis.
Why Untaxed, Unregulated Self-Cultivation Need to be Made Legal Now
And there are a number of other good reasons, for Marijuana consumers and abstainers alike, to demand that our right to grow (e.g., our Marijuana Rights). And this goes far beyond the "money" issue of the greedy Cannabusiness community.
By taking the "black market" profits out of Cannabis consumption and cultivation a number of great things would occur almost immediately:
* The Mexican Drug Cartels would go out of business in a matter of weeks.
* The sick and the poor would instantly have access to free, or at least cheap, medicine.
* The police would no longer have an excuse to invade you home in hopes of discovering a few Marijuana plants.
It should be understood that none of these things can occur as long as we allow the Cannabusiness community to push their quasi-prohibitionist "Medical Marijuana" model upon us. Under this model they are the only winners and the vast majority of non-violent Cannabis consumers become mere victims: just to insure that they make a profit.
The issues here are complex and not well covered in the mainstream media. To help you better understand these complexities I have authored the MERP Model which provides a justification for untaxed, unregulated self cultivation as well as a road map for implementing our right to "grow our own." In addition I have created a website where you can read and watch numerous videos where I explain the need to implement the MERP Model immediately. Here is the link to the website:
The Marijuana Re-Legalization Policy Project (MRPP) = "MERP"
What You Can Do to Help Re-Legalize Marijuana for all Adult Americans
Regardless of whether you consume Marijuana I encourage all that agree with this article to get on my mailing list so that I can keep you up to date on the progress of the MERP strategy to make "self cultivation" a right of all American Citizens. You can sign up for the mailing list for free by clicking here.
In the second part of this series I will explain how the government is also conspiring to create a "Government Marijuana Dispensary" system that will force you to buy your Marijuana from the same government that has been busting cultivators and consumers for 72 years because they insisted that Marijuana was too dangerous. Ironically they now want to become your new "Marijuana Drug Dealer" and force you to pay $300 to $500 an ounce for something you could be growing for free.
My feelings about that are very similar to Jack Herer. "The Hell with that. Let me "grow my own."
In addition to this there are other things that you can do to expedite the immediate implementation of the MERP Model and end Marijuana Prohibition once and for all:
* Denounce all 2010 Marijuana Initiatives other than Jack Herer's CCHH Initiative. This is the only initiative that conforms to the MERP Model. Here is a telling excerpt from the CCHH Initiative:
"No person, individual, or corporate entity shall be arrested or prosecuted, be denied any right or privilege, nor be subject to any criminal or civil penalties for the possession, cultivation, transportation, distribution, or consumption of cannabis hemp marijuana."
All of the other initiatives are "Trojan horse" initiatives that only benefit the Cannabusiness Community. Here is a link for more information on CCHH:
California Cannabis Hemp & Health Initiative
* Withdraw all financial support to NORML, DPA, MPP and the rest of the Cannabusiness community. This does not include local chapters of NORML that are also often in agreement with the MERP Model and at odds with National NORML.
* If you attend any convention for any "drug reform" organization challenge them to explain what they are up to and insist that they grant full support and funding towards implementation of initiatives and legislation that conform to the requirements of the MERP Model.
* Call the President and your elected Representatives on a weekly basis demanding that the MERP Model is implemented immediately. You can find more information for doing this by clicking here.
As I write this Dennis Peron is without a job at Oaksterdam and Jack Herer is now lingering in a coma for his 13th day. I cannot think of a better way to commemorate these great Americans than to make sure that their dream of untaxed, unregulated Marijuana becomes a right for every adult throughout the United States. It is high time to "just say NO" to the Cannabusiness Community and our Corporately Controlled Government.
The time for action is now!
Yours in Peace and Freedom,
Bruce W. Cain
Editor of New Age Citizen
Author of the MERP Model for Marijuana Re-Legalization.
Additional References
Dennis Peron sacked by Oaksterdamn U for opposing marijuana tax
Bruce Cain Discusses the MERP Model on "Time for Hemp" (08/25/2009)
Bruce Cain Discusses the "War Within the Marijuana Movement on "Time for Hemp" (09/24/2009)
The HempStalk Website for the Annual Oregon Pot Fest
Here are the two organizations headed by Paul Stanford whose THCF corporation makes millions each year by forcing "patients" to purchase a "Marijuana Card" at $150 per person, per year.
The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation
The Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp (CRRH)
Comments
I'm hesitant to forward this email to anyone due to its source. The veracity of Examiner.com has been seriously questioned by the erroneous report by Michael Stone that Jack Herer had died.
The false report on Jack Herer's death was unfortunate and was actually mis-reported by multiple sources. You would think that a responsible reporter would really double check on something as serious as a death. The only thing I can really say to bsarles is that I had nothing to do with that. On the other hand we should be grateful that Jack is still alive. Let's all say a quite prayer for his full recovery.
Good Commentary !!
Ah, yes, the great conspiracy theory. As someone who is proud to know Paul Stanford, Allen St. Pierre, and many of these cannabusinessmen, I can't remain silent through another Bruce MERPcain defamation of NORML.
First of all, Paul Stanford has given away more medical marijuana for free than most people have seen in their lifetime.
Second, patients in Oregon are paying $100 to the state, not the cannabusinesses. $1 million of that taxpayer money helped to fund state budgets for health care for the poor. Now some patients do have to go to a clinic like THCF to get a doctor recommendation, but that's a fault of people's doctors who won't recommend. What's Paul to do, let people who can't get cards just suffer?
Richard Lee understands that even if people can grow their own at home without taxation, as NORML has always supported (and as Bruce MERPcain will never acknowledge), few will because it is a pain in the ass. Just like home brewing didn't bankrupt Budweiser.
I agree with bsarles. Examiner is home to John English, a notorious prohibitionist who writes horrible diatribes about how bad cannabis is and how law enforcement should do more to oppress cannabis consumers.
This article, while interesting, appears to be a "divide and conquer" attack on the entire pro-legalization community. I say take it with a grain of salt, keep your eyes open and read all you can, and stay informed.
I must say, however, that I too believe that anyone should have the right to grow the plant at home and use it however they see fit, without having to pay taxes on it or worry about law enforcement ruining their lives. But when it is legalized, there will still need to be taxes and regulation on commercial production.
Comment to Russ Bellville of NORML:
I harbor no enmity toward NORML, Paul Stanford or anyone else. But it is pretty clear that NORML is fully behind a "tax and regulation" model which will not destroy the cartels, provide free medicine or provide a counter balance to liberties lost since 911. It is also clear that a growing number of activists are becoming increasingly skeptical of NORML as an "agent of change." In a recetn interview with Jack Herer, Rick Simpson (Run for the Cure) stated he had no faith that NORML really intends to legalize Marijuana. I suppose my point is . . . "I ain't just me that questions NORML's sincerity in REALLY supporting "untaxed, unregulated" self cultivation by adult Americans. NORML has been at this for 35+ years with very little to show and emphasizes "tax and regulate" non-solutions at ever turn. Though MERP allows commercial taxation it holds personal cultivation as a sacred, inalienable right: as it should be. Don't tax our Marijuana!
You're a joke!
This is how reliable your site is:
Jack Herer, Emperor of Hemp, marijuana hero, dead
Tagged with: Jack Herer
Friday, September 18, 2009, 18:24 Email This Post
This news item was posted in United States Cannabis News category and has 0 Comments so far.
According to a source close to the family, Jack Herer, much beloved Emperor of Hemp, is dead. The marijuana hero collapsed backstage on Saturday, September 15, at “Hempstalk 2009? in Portland, Oregon. Herer had just given a fiery speech to the crowd on the future of hemp when he suffered a heart attack and a significant loss of oxygen. Herer died today, September 18, at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.
Jack Herer was born June 18, 1939. A former Goldwater Republican, Herer became a political activist and the author of The Emperor Wears No Clothes, a book which is now a classic polemic in the effort to decriminalize marijuana. Herer was perhaps the world’s most famous activist for the decriminalization of marijuana and th
Herer was perhaps the world’s most famous activist for the decriminalization of marijuana and the utilization of hemp.
Herer argued for the decriminalization and utilization of marijuana because it has been shown to be a renewable source of fuel, food, and medicine, and can be grown in virtually any part of the world. Herer was one of the first to show that the U.S. government deliberately hides the proof of marijuana’s efficacy and utility. Herer devoted his life in support of cannabis, hemp and marijuana.
Herer suffered a stroke and heart attack in 2000 at another Oregon event. Although he had since recovered, the 70-year-old activist spoke with a stutter and walked with a limp. Just minutes before his speech, Herer looked fit and said, “I’m getting better and better and better. I’m healthier than I’ve been…”
Herer was a true American hero who spoke truth to power. He stood up for freedom while many others failed to do so. He will be missed.
We love you Jack.
Free the
weed!
Source: Clarity Digital Group
Link:
Author: Michael Stone
I just want to clarify that I have not published any article falsely alleging that Jack Herer had died. He had a heart attack on Sept. 12th and as far as I know is still with us. It is true that a number of publications falsely reported that he had died. However those stories have been retracted and I continue to hope for his full recovery.
Believe it or not, but not everyone wants to grow their own, now or ever. I for one would much prefer to pay a premium for a variety of high quality bud, produced by experts with state-of-the-art facilities. I suspect I am in the majority.
We can presently grow our own grapes to make wine, yet I don't think that makes much of a dent in the commercial wine business.
Also, it's hard to imagine that we'd have made so much progress towards legalization without the focused efforts of NORML, MPP and DPA. Seems rather foolish to fight or even undermine these orgs at this point.
To dw:
* MERP does not preclude commercial sales so be assured that you will always be able to buy your weed: and at a much reduced price.
* But for those that want to grow their own MERP gauruntees that right. And with LED light arrays this can be done much ceahper and safely since LEDs only get up to 100 degrees farenhiet.
* MPP's AZ initiative ultimately prohibits personal cultivation. That IS a problem. The whole idea since the 1960's has been that we want to be able to "grow our own" and not have to buy it from the government as it turns into our new Marijuana Drug Dealer.
This article is disturbingly misleading. More than half of Richard Lee's Oaksterdam U. curriculum involves hands-on growing and cultivation technique, clearly empowering students to grow their own. Go to the Tax Cannabis 2010 website, and read the proposed legislation: it absolutely promotes legal cultivation for personal use.
I respect and admire Dennis Peron, who states, unequivocally, that he is personally committed to never financially profiting from marijuana sales. It is understandable that he would have problems with Lee's politically practical approach. That doesn't make either of them wrong.
Please get your facts straight.
Russ,
as someone who has been around the cannabis legalization community for almost 30 years and having spent time with Jack Herrer and as someone who lives in Potland Oregon and knows paul also i can without a shadow of a doubt say this article is SPOT ON! national norml has ALWAYS been a bunch of shady folks, not truely on the peoples side. THCF, well their doctor straight up lied to me when i used their clinic, good thing i already knew the laws.
profiteering off the sick and dying in our country is sick in and of itself.
it's not $150 to the cannabussiness. it's $180 to paul stanford if you are low income. more if you have money. THEN it's $100 to the state or $20 if you're on food stamps or SSI
Tax revenue is NOT and never has been the main reason to Legalize weed. This is just one of the MANY reasons to do so. Tax on seeds and business should be allowed but homemade personals should be exempt. Their is still plenty of money to be made from dispensaries or stores for those with no land and others who have no brains to grow a plant right. I like Russ but I must disagree that only a few will grow there own. I would imagine most people think the biggest pain in the arse of growing herb is the authorities. Many people may just be willing to learn, given that the threat off jail will be gone.
I emailed Michael Stone when his article posted - What sources? He emailed a retraction the same night.
Not even one reader has questioned the "veracity" of my journalism as a result of any other Examiner's mistakes.
Re: John English, I had a conversation about him with Allen St. Pierre a couple weeks ago. If you write in to argue with John, you fuel the furnace and provide him with a podium. If you argue John thrives on the vine.
I try to present all sides of the Cannabis Revolution - though don't agree with all of them. My intention is to provide balance, and provoke curiosity.
Bruce - this article expresses so many things that I have been unable to put into words. Things I've wondered but didn't have time to research. I hope it is OK that I post a link to this on my NORML article tonight.
I never delete any reader comments from any of my stories. No editor has ever asked me to do so. Comments are encouraged & often become the subjects of interesting feature
First off, there is no need to create any new tax on cannabis due to the simple fact that at the present time, and for the last 70+ years, it has been a completely underground economy which has borne ZERO TAX REVENUES, while consuming vast amounts of money and time resources, while yielding ZERO positive benefit to society as a whole.
Should cannabis finally be relegalized, taxes will instantly go up, even if the people ALL decided to grow their own. "How so?" you ask? "Simple!" say I!
If everyone started to grown their own cannabis, be it for medical or recreational purposes, they would need supplies. They would buy fertilizers which are taxed. They would buy gardening implements which are taxed. They would buy composters to get rid of what they consider waste...those are taxed. They would buy garden twine or yard waste bags to dispose of what they don't compost...those are taxed.
NEW taxes are not needed...they're built in to nothing more than relegalization. WAKE UP!
For those interested in the current status of Jack Herer, he has been opening his eyes for short periods over the last week, and his foot has been tapping to "The Greatful Dead" which they have been playing 24/7 in his hospital room.
Unfortunately, this does not neccessarily constitute "a change in status", as he doesn't actually seem to have come out of the coma, although the signs are hopeful.
Marc Emery is planning on submitting himself for extradition to the US Federal Prison System on Monday, September 28th, for the heinous crime of selling seeds via mail order...in Canada. The Canadian government has decided that to keep a non-criminal in Canada is not as important as appeasing the great political gods of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...even though common sense tells you that he did nothing wrong in helping people get a non-toxic, natural cure for cancer & other diseases...even if some used it for recreational reasons.
Let's hope Jack & Marc make it home safe, and SOON!
Examiner articles are in need of some serious editing. Random Capitalization of things just to Make A Point is Poor Style. Also, the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was not passed in 1938. Proposition 215 was not passed in November 2006, it was 1996. A responsible reporter would really double check dates as well.
I understand the "No Tax Position" however once we re collecting Taxes on commercial production and sales for California not only will we be responsible it will be helpful to our State.
What we must avoid is the "Decriminalization" Lee wants for us. So sure if no taxes will pas I'm ready to vote for that but till then I support CCI CaliforniaCannabisInitiative.org We need volunteers since we are not sponsored by Big Business Capital.
I am sending positive vibes Jack's way. I have lost family to stroke.
Organizing a LLEP for marijuana in Kalamazoo MI. Also I am running this coming Nov. for our city commission.
www.KzooCPCL.org
www.LouisStocking.com
Please distribute this link widely, get on my mailing list and keep your focus on the prize: Legal, Untaxed Self Cultivation of Marijuana.
Just wanted to thank everyone for the intelligent responses. And yes I will correct those typo in the New Age Citizen version.
Kudos to Electropig. Electropig really restated my case as well as anyone:
"Should cannabis finally be relegalized, taxes will instantly go up, even if the people ALL decided to grow their own. "How so?" you ask? "Simple!" say I!
If everyone started to grown their own cannabis, be it for medical or recreational purposes, they would need supplies. They would buy fertilizers which are taxed. They would buy gardening implements which are taxed. They would buy composters to get rid of what they consider waste...those are taxed. They would buy garden twine or yard waste bags to dispose of what they don't compost...those are taxed.
NEW taxes are not needed...they're built in to nothing more than relegalization. WA
First, the article does nothing to show that the government is in a conspiracy against or for marijuana legalization. Marijuana is harmful to health and to youth and that's why it is illegal.
The article does point out the medical marijuana is a sham and those who profit are the dispensaries and a few unscrupulous doctors. The sob story of sick people needing marijuana is refuted in this article. Thanks for making my case.
Those of us who don't smoke marijuana, who are the vast majority, don't care about this infighting, and speculating about tax or no tax. If people vote for legalization (which is yet to be determined as last election drug law relaxation was voted down in CA), my guess is they would vote for taxation, as with cigarettes and alcohol. However, taxation of these other products doesn't pay for the increased health costs of abuse, so they'd be making a poor choice. But, keep up the infighting, it will just benefit our side, as we're not divided: keep mj ille
Great article. NORML is a bunch of lawyers who profit from marijuana being illegal. Keith Stroup of NORML single-handedly destroyed our chances of federal decriminalization of marijuana in the 1970's by deliberately outing Jimmy Carter's drug policy advisor. Read the book High in America. Most of the rich NorCal pot growers hated Dennis Peron for Prop. 215 because they saw that any legalization at all would harm their black market profits. Most of the people, and especially the media self-hyping "stars" of the cannabis movement, have been a lot more about getting rich off the black market than about true & full legalization. Money is the god of this world, and capitalism is the death of the earth and the ruler of most people's souls. Many many people want marijuana growng and sales to stay illegal. The police, lawyers, prison guards, urine testers and bail bondsman want it illegal too. The root of all evil is the love of money. That's the real problem here.
Bruce, we spoke on Friday night and you acknowledged that the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, which I wrote with the input of many, does just what you and your MERP model advocate for unregulated personal use cultivation. Yet your web page and Examiner article demonize me as a member of "the Cannabusiness Community," and, "Denounce all 2010 Marijuana Initiatives...All of the other initiatives are "Trojan horse" initiatives that only benefit the Cannabusiness Community."
Our OCTA initiative says, "The cultivation and possession of cannabis for personal, noncommercial use by an adult shall not require a license." OCTA defines, "Seeds and starts of all cannabis strains shall be considered hemp." And then OCTA would promulgate, "Hemp production for fiber, protein and oil shall be allowed without regulation, license or fee. No federal license shall be required to cultivate hemp in Oregon."
Bruce, your attacks are not reasonable. OCTA meets the MERP model criteria.
Please support OCTA.
I met with both Peron and Herer in 1997. I spent more than six hours with each man, face to face, discussing the pros and dismissing any cons related to the full legalization of marijuana. Peron espoused this while managing, operating and living in the Market Street location. His thoughts were coherent, and his story is solid. Anything less that full legalization is a joke, nothing more.
Oaksterdam "university" teaches people how to grow marijuana, yes, but not for personal use, but for use in the "collective" system, where end users are ripped off and gouged under the pretexts of "security", "insurance", and "overhead". When you really understand what is going on here, you will be angry... The drug dealers simply don't want to surrender their grab at gold. For their sake, I hope the law as written will not pass. If it does, they can accept the blowback for making millions remain criminals without committing a moral crime. Fluck them, and hard.
The guy that wrote this article is living in a dream world. Definitely not the real world that we all actually exist in.
Lets use his own words to disprove his point right off the bat. He claims that the evil Cannabusiness will fade away if only we can all legally grow our own in our backyards.
"if American adults could cultivate their own Marijuana as they can presently produce their own "home brewed" beer and wine, their empire would quickly dissolve like castles in the sand at your local beach."
So to follow through on his inept logic that must mean that Anhieser Busch and all the others were put out of business because of homebrewing. HELLO!!!!
I would say that possibly 1/10 of 1% of the people who presently are recommended to use cannabis medicinally would take the opportunity to grow their own cannabis, much less be good at it, much less have the time to grow it. The EVIL CANNABUSINESS empires supply the rest of us with much needed medicine. Tell this guy to sit down!
If a product enters the marketplace then it has to be TAXED AND REGULATED. Cannabis cannot exist in it's own little island of non taxation.
Is your home brewed beer taxed and regulated? No. Are your tomatoes that you grow in your garden taxed and regulated. No. Can you give those to your friends and not pay taxes...you bet.
Your acting like there won't be a legal marketplace ever again for cannabis. That's just not true. If there is a legal environment then there will be a marketplace And if there is a legal marketplace then it will be taxed. Please, grow your own all you want, but other people are at risk here. Grow with the movement. Don't stay stuck with old and outdated ideas.
Barry:
Please note that the MERP model (my model) does not preclude commercial taxation, licensing etc. It merely protect personal cultivation as an inalienable, sacred right that cannot be taxed or regulated.
I also think, with the advent of LED lighting arrays, that at least 20% will self cultivate. It is fun, it is educational and with LED arrays you don't have to worry about burning down the house with HID lamps.
But if everyone decides to buy commercially, I would have no problem with that. I just want people to have the right to decide that for themselves. Do you have a problem with that?
Just to be clear, the California Cannabis Initiative legalizes cannabis for personal use with no limits on grow space or amount one can possess. Tax is on regulated commercial sales to adults, like alcohol. Please carefully read our initiative, it is an easy read and covers all the bases. Grow it yourself = NO Tax, give to friends and family, no tax. No medical card, no doctors note, no limit, for personal use. The regulation and tax are for commercial sales. Industrial hemp is allowed and most importantly our initiative expunges criminal records of cannabis crimes and bans discrimination for cannabis use. This measure changes everything and is for The People, not big business. We need volunteers to circulate and funding to print petitions, please sign up to help at CaliforniaCannabisInitiative.org
Tim Castleman:
Is this Jack Herer's initiative you were referring to. In any case please send a link so that I can review it more thoroughly.
Bruce W. Cain
20 years working on this cause and thankful some are finally telling it like it is. This problem began when the money people decided to split the cannabis hemp plant into medical marijuana-v-recreational-v-hemp. All BS. Those of us with moral integrity must overcome the greedy people and get the truth out.
When the people (out of staters) with the money/language came to CO they met with activists who had educated our citizens for years. Those of us that did all the work (volunteers) and put CO at the top of the 'ripe for re-legalization' polls the money people paid for. We addressed the NUMEROUS problems with the language. They would not budge. They said they wanted sick people to be token guinea pigs with law enforcement and the courts and judges. Is that compassionate? or even sane? ANY language would have passed since most never read it and only hear--do you want to legalize pot? These liars take advantage of the ignorant public and mislead everyone. It's unacceptable.
Whats truly unfortunate is these liars now have most of the money and it looks like they can succeed via media. Makes me nauseous.
We need to be very careful in CO as to how we proceed. Greedy liars are moving in/stepping up and beginning to direct the media into thinking there way is whats best.
Cannabis is an herb. We pay sales tax on all herbs (or about anything) we buy in stores. Sales tax is the ONLY appropriate tax for cannabis and only when we buy it in stores. Any store should be able to sell it and any adult should be able to buy it or grow it. Just like any other herb, except most herbs can kill you and cannabis can't.
Why tax meds? Why are some 'privileged' with a license and others denied? Can you take non medicinal Tylenol? If u don't need aspirin and u take it anyway, is it recreational aspirin? Is there such thing as non medicinal chamomile use? And how can any of this MEDICINAL BS MATTER when we are speaking of the safest therapeutic substance known to
Funny that Infiniti would say the article is spot on when, as a an Oregonian he knows there is no such thing as a "medical marijuana card distributor" as the author of this article states. Paul Stanford's THCF clinics provide licensed, physician medical services wherein a person in need of a referral for medical marijuana can speak openly and honestly with an understanding doctor who will review their records and discuss the choice to use mmj for their condition.
What I find in criticisms of Paul Stanford is jealousy. While one group in Oregon seeks to find ways to profit from selling mmj themselves, all Stanford does is create access to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program with medical services. His THCF clinics are the only alleged "cannabusinesses" that profit without selling medical marijuana. Paul pours thousands each year into charities and events for the Portland marijuana advocate community, regardless of silly group, political affiliation.
Medical marijuana cannot be taxed!
Can't we all just get along?
I very much enjoy the banter, but if we don't all get together, the whole point of all this is to see that hemp, cannabis and marijuana become free and legal again.
All of the above statements have all equaled out to the same points:
*Personal and medicinal home use should be free and legal for all.
*Hemp production and businesses should be taxed like any other business
*Dispensaries and Clinics won't go out of business after legalization, they just won't hold such a monopoly.
*And no two people will completely agree on the proper taxation of industrial hemp, cannabis and marijuana, which is why each state and county should have the opportunity to decided.
If we don't like what our county and state governments decide, we need to vote in better reps to take care of the matters we find important.
Very interesting a controversial examiner article Bruce! I invite you to come share you're opinions on my radio www.blogtalkradio.com/nbp s
Steve of Oregon:
I'm not really jealous of anything or anyone. And I also have nothing personal against Paul Stanford. I've known him for about 20 years.
Here's the problem in a nutshell. NORML (e.g., Armentano) believes that Marijuana is LESS dangerous than beer. So why should I have to feign sickness and pay money for a "Marijuana Card?" Next thing you know these "greed heads" are going to insist we have to pay $150 a year to get a "Beer Card" so we can have the privilage of buying beer.
I don't thinks. And I also don't think anyone should have to have a card for Marijuana. It is safe. It is effective. And the profits do not belong to the Cannabusiness community.
I think that Upton Sinclair quote was spot on:
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."
That is the real problem here.
Steve of Oregon:
I'm not really jealous of anything or anyone. And I also have nothing personal against Paul Stanford. I've known him for about 20 years.
Here's the problem in a nutshell. NORML (e.g., Armentano) believes that Marijuana is LESS dangerous than beer. So why should I have to feign sickness and pay money for a "Marijuana Card?" Next thing you know these "greed heads" are going to insist we have to pay $150 a year to get a "Beer Card" so we can have the privilage of buying beer.
I don't thinks. And I also don't think anyone should have to have a card for Marijuana. It is safe. It is effective. And the profits do not belong to the Cannabusiness community.
I think that Upton Sinclair quote was spot on:
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it."
That is the real problem here.
This article is totally bogus and creates a division where there is none within the movement. BOGUS.
Hey Vivian M(cPeak), there is a division in the movement, and always has been. You've seen it in the Hempfest, and it's always been there. It's about the people who want full legalization versus people who want money from pot growing and sales. The marijuana movement is among the most vicious, gossipy and bizarre of all social movements. And yet, we have changed laws, changed public opinion, and started to put handcuffs on the police. Remember that the police want pot illegal because they love the easy arrests and revenues. I would say that by calling this article "totally bogus," you are showing the division in the movement, and creating it too. Bruce Cain has documented his points. There is division. But all of us can agree that the police are the real enemy, right?
From Dave,
>>> Marijuana is harmful to health and to youth and that's why it is illegal. <<<
Hey Dave, do some research; kids have UNREGULATED access to pot right now. As far as the health issue; put down that beer, cig, and fast food.
I am an Oregon Medicinal Marijuana Card holder. In my state, we can grow up to 24 plants and have up to 24 ounces of marijuana. I like that, however, I would like to have a dispensary to go to, during times that I was out of marijuana. There needs to be a system like that setup. Not just one or the other. Most people would rather just stop in at a dispensary and select from different varities, buy it and go home.
I personally prefer growing it. It can be fun and a learning experience. It takes time to harvest anything. We should have an option or growing or buying. With legal dispensaries, it removes a lot of the black market and would keep cardholders from having to resort to street dealers.
Both sides seem to have valid points. And that's what debate is about. So we'll work it out, just give it time.
This war is fake, made up. It's meant to disrupt and disturb efforts of the marijuana legalization movement with totally outrageous claims and fear mongering.
In my opinion, it sounds more like a government initiated program to disrupt the funding to marijuana legalization efforts of groups like NORML, MPP, and others who've been in the trenches for marijuana legalization for a long time.
It's almost Nixon-like.
Set up a fake "legalization" organization, use the media to get the word out, and then use this org. to dilute funds away from REAL legalization efforts while clawing at the social fabric of the marijuana movement.
The efforts of groups like NORML and MPP seek complete legalization of marijuana and the freedom to smoke at will. Regulation and taxation only occur at the commercial level as is the case with ANY product.
I would hope that people have the sense to read the words of this article and see right through it for what it is - NONSENSE.
Anthony Taurus:
I have been intimately involved in drug policy reform for over 20 years and you really need to do some research before making such accusations. The fact of the matter is that many of the elders (e.g., Jack Herer, Dennis Peron etc.) realize that the "movement" is attempting a "bait and switch" on the movement. And these organization (e.g., NORML, DPA and MPP) are largely financed by scumbags like Soros who only care about making money.
All I want to see is American Citizens able to "grow their own" without any taxation and regulation: just like we allow with home beer and wine production. The MERP Model is the only model that will destroy the Drug Cartels that have become a cancer in over 230 American cities: corrupting politicians and the business community alike. You can only achieve these results by taking all of the profit out of growing Marijuana.
Neither Obama or these "reform organizations" have any intention of doing this. Please wake up from your s
For Mr. Taurus and others, you need to read the book "High in America."NORML, MPP, etc. are not what they seem. It is naive and uninformed to say that there are not serious divisions and corruption in the pot "movement." There are plenty, and the responses to this article prove it. The divisions were not created by Mr. Cain. The fact is, marijuana is a plant and only a plant. It should no more be criminalized than any other plant. Any scheme to regulate its growing is a waste of time. If people want to buy it from other people, let them. If professional growers want to grow connoisseur marijuana and sell it retail, then the only "laws" that apply are the same laws that apply to all retailers. It is funny and sad to see people getting all huffy and accusatory and weird, and at the same time saying there are no divisions in the marijuana movement. One thing is for sure, for a plant that is reputed to produce a peace-love-chill vibe, a lot of marijuana advocates are quite angry men!
Jeff:
I just wanted to briefly elaborate on your accurate assessment about divisions within the Marijuana Reform Movement. I have been involved for over 20 years now. I now every major player and was quite active in Michigan till a few years ago.
Sometime around 2000 the Michigan reform movement seems to take a jarring movement toward the "Medical Marijuana" initiatives which is not bad in itself. But I began to notice increasing intolerance, especially from new emerging "leaders," for a concurrent push for our original goal: legal self cultivation for all adults.
Around 2003 I was actually threatened by a Hispanic activist during a conference at Wayne State University. This was the first such incident over 17 years of speaking throughout Michigan and the Mid-West. Looking back I am more and more convinced that the movement has been infiltrated. At the same time support for my ideas has never been greater. Thanks for those that support the MERP Model. Victory is in the
We can all agree that this sort of thing can be easily worked out through a good medium.
So come to our blog talk radio tomorrow and voice your thoughts or concerns. Talk to bruce through chat or as a guest caller!
Just make sure to sign up to BTR and hit the Remind Me button on the show page!
www(dot)blogtalkradio(dot)com/NBP/2009/10/01/Hemp-Talks--War-Inside-the-Legalization-Movements
Tomorrow at 6pm Seattle time
so if i grow tomatos i my back yard do i have to pay taxes on them ?
sheep come in many forms but the worst kind of sheep is a lost sheep... America (West) is a lost sheep; misguided, misinformed and horribly overpowered in it's ignorance propoganda!
When I was growing up as a kid, I used to dream of understanding all the wonderful ways of the world where grown-ups worked, played and innovated!
Today, in my mid 40s - I need weed to stay sane in this corrupt 'free' world!
I'd like to burn clean weed but the government forces me to use herb that's been ... god knows where!
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