At the dawn of the cannabis legalization epoch that was ushered in on election night when the commonsense-minded voters of both Colorado and Washington elected to end cannabis prohibition in their respective states, let’s not forget that the criminal justice system in the United States is still chewing up the lives of another cannabis consumer, seller or cultivator every thirty-eight seconds in America (based on approximately 760,000 annual cannabis arrests).
Almost 25,000 of our fellow citizens concerned with this kind of expensive and wasteful injustice have signed a White House petition asking President Obama to pardon Montana medical cannabis provider Chris Williams, who is currently facing a potential eighty year federal prison sentence.
This presidential pardon petition is getting very close to the 25,000 signatures needed to be acted upon by the Obama Administration, please take a moment, sign the petition and send the clear message to President Obama and his staff: Stop arresting, prosecuting and incarcerating citizens involved in state-sanctioned medical cannabis programs!
Thank you in advance!!
Thank you.
Sorry everyone I have ended my crusade to fully legalize marijuana in the u.s.
Its amazing the things obama hasn’t done.
To President Obama and his Administration!! Stop arresting, prosecuting and incarcerating the citizens invoived in state-sanctioned medicl cannabis progams!! Sham on you and everyone in the Obama Administration!!
Thank you in advance!!
We did it!!!!!!!!!!!! 1:11 central time
wow… i think it took less than an hour to get the last 150 signatures
The people who are ok with sentencing a non violent cannabis offenders to more prison time than a murderer should be thrown into a volcano.
NORML, you might want to post this like what cannabisculture did. It’s a new documentary titled “Breaking the Taboo” and it’s an hour long with interviews from Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and other top officials. It’s also narrated by Morgan Freeman and I was surprised at how well they made this.
It released just in time to add the legalization of Washington and Colorado too! I really enjoyed it and its gaining a ton of views within a couple of weeks.
http://www.breakingthetaboo.info/view_documentary.htm
Happy Holidays~ ^_^
do what`s right mr. president
These online petitions are absolutely meaningless.
I held a small political office and I can assure you that petitions are not a waste of time. They don’t always have the intended effects, but any communication from constituents is noted and shapes decision making.
@ gweedo: Doing nothing is absolutely meaningless…
Why are you giving up John W?
Make sure this stays in the news. Public support for imprisoning a man trying to provide medicine to those in need will be hard to sustain. Especially when people learn that the sentence is 80 years !! It’s not like he has totally made up the medical excuse – it is entirely verifiable. I agree Chris broke the law so a fine may be in order – not 80 years in prison!! after all he is trying to save lives not kill people. Obama had better wake up to this no matter what the pressures are on him to maintain prohibition. These issues will not go away.
Breaking the taboo is an excellent documentary
http://www.breakingthetaboo.info/view_documentary.htm
Hey Mr.Boehner:
Wanna cut wasteful government spending? Legalize marijuana. doing so will decrease the DEA’s budget by 50%, will decrease costs to courts and correction systems wasted on victimless “crimes,” will decrease unemployment brought on by marijuana related criminal records, suspicionless workplace drug testing, decrease social service costs incurred by children losing a parent to jail time, will increase the tax base, create jobs, decrease health care costs, etc.
I just signed the petition even though it is already over the needed 25000 votes. I am not optimistic that this petition will persuade the Obama Administration to take any action beyond having the Drug Czar give a response on their behalf…
I once saw the CEOs of the major tobacco companies all swear before Congress that they did not believe tobacco was addicting. This was 1993. All these guys with the moxey to rise to the level of CEO still thought in 1993 that tobacco was NOT addicting???! Yeah, right.
Yet Congress did nothing. Now this guy gets 80 years. Damn straight I signed this petition.
You couldn’t consciously design a more wasteful, ludicrous policy than the Drug War zealots have imposed on the country.
The bribe money he got from the Alcohol & Pharmaceutical industry has a huge bearing on his decision making .
@Anony
Thanks for sharing the “Breaking the Taboo.” Very cool.
dennystrausserjr@gmail.com
Simply, people are beginning to *Wake Up!*
Gov says. Lets lock up non-violent people, and then let some Violent criminals go. Not only some, but many get released every year.
That makes perfect sense in many parts of the world.
People are realizing, that’s what’s going on. We leave violent criminals out, and then they go and kill someone. Well, great job… at least we locked up a bunch of people for smoking pot.
I hope that sounds dumb, cause it’s what the laws are doing just now.
Lets keep this up…. Thank God For Washington and Colorado. I hope their example will spread about the country.
Thanks for sharing, NORML. Please do what you can to spread the word about Chris Williams before he is sentenced on January 4.
Best wishes to Chris Williams. These egregious sentences must not stand. White House Petition -Relieve Five Elderly Federal Prisoners of sentences of life without parole sentences for marijuana.
Found at this link.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/relieve-five-elderly-federal-prisoners-life-without-parole-sentences-marijuana/nRkGWXx6
Please sign and share this as much as possible. The wording makes it very difficult for them to give us lip service as its really about the legality of alcohol and tobacco according to the controlled substances act.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/please-explain-american-people-why-marijuana-illegal-while-alcohol-and-tobacco-which-kill-millions/95csbdMf
The I in FBI stands for investigations not incarcerations. Perhaps all those precious souls would still be with us if they were not out chasing harmless cannabis and the users of cannabis. Put them back on track or step down so this nation can truly begin to heal. Cannabis is not the enemy, insanity is.
“The time has come,” the walrus said, ” To talk of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax.
Of cabbages and kings. Or why the sea is boiling hot
and whether pigs have wings.”
I have a neurological disorder I am ready to act like Cheryl Miller now & chain myself to city hall. No, I am not pretty or terminally ill. However, I’m fed up. There is a man, a father, still in prison in Trenton. This state of NJ, one of the original 13, has passed the medical mj bill 2-3 years ago and has only recently opened it’s 1st + only med. mj. clinic in Montclair after much heal dragging and gnashing of teeth!
And he’s still in jail!!!
i repeat—- HE’S STILL IN JAIL. WHY?
just 1 more comment. i have yet to get a med. mj. card as 1 am unsure if i even want one. with all the restrictions chris cristy has slapped on it, i am unsure if it is even worth the time and energy involved. right now i have neither. furthermore, i’m sick of being depressed and refuse to turn my frustration and anger inward. gracias.
oh well, #2- for those of you concerned about protecting all living entities- i share your concern and i care a lot about people, children and all living creatures on this world. i believe that time is cyclical and that the planet will survive. Muchos Gracias and thank you for your time.
I suffered an accident which resulted in Brain Surgery. I have taken many different pharmacutical medications that either do not help or make me sick. I am also afraid of becoming addicted to these medicines. The only relief is the use of Marijuana. I have a RX from CA but live in NY. Gov.Cuomo made a statement that he was in favor of legalizing Pot. Haven’t heard anything since. Legalizing marijuana would help countless people who need it and boost the ecomony and possibly balance the Budget!!!Legislators wake up!!!People are smoking it anyway!!! Why not follow suit like CANJ, etc.
Hey Gweedo, Every vote counts!!! We must bring attention to this situation. “The content of a society is based on the character of it’s individuals. I have been a member of NORML since I marched down Fifth Ave. from Washington Square to Central Pk in 1977. We must keep this issue alive and support our beliefs. The more people voice their opinions pro or con the better. Let’s keep this discussion alive.