Since its founding, NORML has advocated that statewide legalization efforts – whether through a ballot initiative or using the legislative process – should ideally include provisions that permit and protect the act of home cultivation by marijuana consumers. This advocacy has resulted in more than 16 states now allowing home cultivation, including in six of the eight voter-initiated measures passed in 2016.
But although there has been a tremendous amount of progress on this issue, it appears that home cultivation is now at risk in several municipalities across Colorado and California. Local and state lawmakers in both jurisdictions are revisiting the issue and are moving toward unnecessarily limiting adult’s home cultivation rights.
Most recently, representatives with Denver’s Office of Marijuana Policy revealed a plan to, “limit unlicensed recreational and medical grows in private residences,” throughout the city of Denver. This decision came after months of closed-door meetings between regulators and leading marijuana industry interests such as the Marijuana Industry Group (MIG); which together, form what’s being called the, “Non-Licensed Marijuana Grows Inspection Team.”
Although there has been little to no mention of specific details regarding this proposed program, many are anticipating the new regulations to resemble those that have come under fire in Indian Wells, California. In that city, lawmakers are pushing for regulations mandating that anyone who wishes to cultivate marijuana in their home must purchase an annual permit and must also allow inspectors into their residence. This amounts to an absolutely unnecessary burden for responsible, law-abiding citizens.
In recent days, Denver NORML became inundated with emails, messages and comments on social media demanding a response to what many believe is a blatant overreach by city government officials. In response, members of Denver NORML, led by Executive Director, Jordan Person, began mobilizing volunteers to contact members of the Denver City Council with the goal of defending the rights and privacy of marijuana consumers in the city of Denver.
“With all of the uncertainty we are expecting in 2017 at both the local and state level our goal at Denver NORML is to help maintain our rights as residents of Colorado to grow in our homes,” said Person. “We will keep our members and supporters informed and part of the conversation as it happens.”
While it’s obvious that there’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into regulating Colorado’s legal marijuana industry, most marijuana consumers would never support any effort that would attempt to bring similar regulations into the privacy of their homes. Not to mention the fact that the creation of a task force or any other bureaucratic process to approve and/or oversee the cultivation of marijuana in a private residence amounts to a severe misuse of tax dollars and violation of privacy when those limited resources could be dedicated to combating actual problems in our communities.
Without providing any data points related to the correlation between home cultivation and out-of-state diversion, those advocating for tighter regulations deserve to fail in their attempt to convince marijuana consumers that allowing regular visits from government officials in their homes is a good idea. Adults who brew their own beer are not subject to inspections by the state and neither should those who choose to grow personal use quantities of marijuana. Furthermore, criminalizing the personal cultivation of marijuana is an arbitrary prohibition that has absolutely no basis in public safety. Therefore NORML will continue to support the right of individuals to grow their own marijuana as an alternative to purchasing it from licensed commercial producers.
To join the fight to protect home cultivation, check out NORML’s action page by visiting http://norml.org/act or for more information, please email Chapters@NORML.org.
No way they should be allowed in your home, and no way should you have to buy a permit for home cultivation! If the city government has evidence on someone then they should investigate a commercial operation masquerading as a personal home grow. City just wants money, and they can get that off the tourists and cannabis coffeeshops. You want money, allow consumption on the premises.
Just follow the money.
They want to control production and sales.
They want to maintain high prices and tax revenues.
Home growing is not easily taxable and threatens their control and tax revenues.
The reason we grow is because we can afford high black market prices or legal black market prices. An oz costs about 20 bucks to grow and if you’re retired you have no choice.
And so it starts.
I understand that they are concerned about home grown contributing to the black market, but reducing the number of plants homeowners are allowed to grow, is just totally illogical. How could anybody in their right mind think that someone selling home grown marijuana whom could face a fine $5,000 and up to 2 years in jail, would think that type of person would deter by reducing the limit plant which holds of $300 for the violation of the limit. Hopefully the legislators make decisions that are more rational than what is being considered, otherwise they have no right to be running our government.
It is illogical to have a thing, “government” use systemic force as it’s primary means and then think it can also be the thing that will protect you from people who coerce.
Coercion is the back up tool (or the primary tool) of every government effort.
Some government appears necessary. The less the better. Has Prohibition taught us anything?
I agree. It’s a little like being told “The beatings will continue until morale improves.” It’s a darkly funny threat, because the illogical absurdity of the threat reveals the true nature of the hostile relationship. It reveals the bully who intends to dominate you by force.
It’s important, when faced with such cruelty, to stand up to the bully, isn’t it?
Yet, we need to see our options clearly. One option we all would prefer to avoid is that of being a coward. Yet it’s human nature to be cowards, as well as bullies — two sides of the same coin.
Bullies use force — that’s the problem. Tell them “no”, and you get a bloody nose! (Or in the case of marijuana prohibition, they shoot your dog, take your house and car, and send you to federal prison. And that’s if you’re white!)
So standing up to them is easier to say than do. The bully says, “Might makes right, as fear makes clear.” If a punch in the nose doesn’t ensure your compliance, chopping off your fingers one at a time, will do it. Get the picture? Now you’re ready to give them whatever the hell they want!
This is what I expect from Trump: cruelty and violence. Remember, he openly endorsed torture. “A hell of a lot worse than waterboarding” is what gets him off; we all saw him say it during the campaign. That’s real — you can’t have a human soul and say shit like that.
By legalizing marijuana, we do not eliminate the bully; but via harm reduction, we remove many more people from his cruel reach. This, I believe, makes legalization worthwhile, despite the lack of resolution of the underlying problem, the existence and nature of the bully himself.
What are the laws in the different legal states.. If you’re allowed to grow for personal use,,, there’s a reasonable number of plants… If they’re growing 200 plants, they’ve got a business going that probably is subject to taxes and business regulations… And large grows, especially in residential homes can be hazardous..
If I just had a plant or two on the back porch I wouldn’t worry about this…
There’s going to be a lot more to worry about very soon.
I fondly remember growing my own back in my hippie commune days.
Forgive my language, but I really hate the fuckers that push for this kind of imposing and un-American legislation. Are we a free people living in a democratic society or not?
As far as I’m concerned, these small minded jerks should leave the country and live somewhere their thoughts would be shared by those around them; perhaps China or Iran!
If you’ve ever had to depend on a shit job from Corporate America, and had to endure the wage thefts, verbal abuse, write-ups and suspensions, and other heavy-handed tactics used by Corporate America to take whatever they want from their bullied workers, one thing you may notice is how similar these companies are to Donald Trump, with their thuggish, “pussy-grabbing” sense of entitlement. Money, pussy, whatever — I want it, I take it.
It seems this arrogance extends to much of our political class, too. We’ve no longer even real people anymore to these sick bastards!
Miles,
One of the canards of modern America is that we are such a free people, the freest, too many of us actually believe, in the world.
International groups that monitor democracies around the world consistently rank us 15th or 16th or such among the 30 Tier One democracies. It is our voter suppression, voter ID laws, questionable voting machines, corporate media, etc, that warrant such rankings.
The second time I went to Amsterdam, my mother-in-law picked us up at the airport, and one of the first things she asked was how did it feel to be back in a free country? I had to suppress a hard laugh.
In actuality I felt a freedom in Amsterdam I’ve rarely felt here in the U.S. Among the refreshing things there were their non-confrontational police.
Their evening news was so different that it took me a while, since I don’t understand Dutch, to realize I was watching a news program. (They didn’t bombard the viewers with criminals or crimes, but instead reported on ISSUES and city projects, etc. Totally different mindset.) Here, our press keeps the citizens constantly terrified of their own shadows. Part of the corporate control–keep ’em scared. That illustrates in part how someone like Mussolini–er, Drumpf got to the White House.
Well said, Bud.
Its hard to stay focused on local and state government marijuana legalization when the federal government has the orange Joker entertaining the mainstream media.
I keep reposting this link to wake people up that while the corporate media sends us the scare bait of Drumph’s wild, psychotic, self-obsessed accusations that “millions” of illegal immigrants voted illegally only independent news is reporting about the Koch-funded voter caging that won Drumph the election:
http://Www.thebestdemocracymoneycanbuy.com
not going to happen I am terminally ill and will exercise my right to die and I will take everything on my property with me before they can break my door with a battery powered voice activation system I built, when I execute my right, they cant persecute the dead, I own my body they can fuck off we are the terminally will with nothing to lose, don’t mess with us, you never know which of us practice this right, there are more of us than you think.
Wow. That’s some front-line shit, right there. Thank you for commenting. I’m sorry about your illness. Respect & solidarity.
Prohibitionists should remember that these legalization and taxation experiments are experimental on both sides. We have been served well by the black market for generations. We can go back to it. If the trend is going to be that legalization passes and then the prohibitionists regulate consumers to death, maybe we will reconsider our advocacy. We could as easily spend our time reinforcing and protecting the black market. It is a market we have created ourselves, and it’s good enough.
“The Black Market served us well”?
The Black Market serves to finance the campaigns of our Congressman who support prohibition, mass incarceration and divisive methods to oppress us.
Profit from the Black Market purchases our Department of Justice and allows organized crime to infiltrate the agencies sworn to protect us from harm.
The Black Market empowers violent, unregulated cartels that kill priests and defeat law and order to subdue entire nations of people.
The Black Market does not even serve those who create it; Theyre souls are traded for profit. Where no land is sacred, churches are converted into money laundering business and the managers of black markets such as Casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson and Patrick Kennedy bare witness to their own families fall victim to the predatory addictions they are designed to profit from within the black markets they maintain through supporting prohibition and the Controlled Substances Act.
So the informants, the double agents and the cartel leaders from seemingly ordinary citizens to US Congressman all eventually see a coworker, a loved one, a family member or close friend fall victim to the treachorous violence of the unregulated market, to the family chaos of living secret lives. And from these traumatic events a choice is made… smoke a bowl, look within what remains of one’s soul and make the LEAP to legalization… or deny the root cause of one’s self inflicted tragedy and become enslaved to the sin, false idols and false ambitions of a predatory, unregulated market. Marijuana can help make this choice but only ourselves can free our own minds.
This is so stupid. You can grow any other plant you like at home and some do have a commercial value – so why not cannabis?
I suppose they would argue you might pass it on to some one out of state or under age but that could happen if you bought it at a dispensary or obtained it in any other way. I know there are limits on brewing alcohol but that is because you could make a poison that is instantly lethal (as opposed to a properly manufacture alcohol product which will take years to kill you)
Just more persecution !
Cannabis people are treated like the Jews in Nazi Germany – oh and now they tax us as well !!
Sometime people make things out to be harder then it really is, i see these new led grower going really deep in the tec. A year ago i snitched from HID to LED and the LED i got was about 60.00 usd i got my seeds and grow this amazing plant. the HID was just to much to deal with paying 150.00 usd a month just to run it. Now i got a full higher priced LED saving money on my electric bill and growing happy healthy plants. Anyway if you would like read my seedbank reviews and try a cheap LED to see if you like it. Happy Growing!!
“Non-Licensed Tomato Grows Inspection Team.”
Makes as much sense.
Anonymous 3:24-am is probably right, not to worry if you have a plant or two.
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Another probably safe way to experience growing is not to worry about expensively lighting up to induce flowers, just raise dwarfdown-edited, maybe male plants, as many as you like, clip daily to keep height under a foot, add the leaves to the daily veggie smoothies which I assume you already make with your el cheapo blender which makes cookaholism obsolete.
This is starting to sound somewhat analogous to Prop 19 in California (the legalization effort there that failed after many “marijuana industry” voters voted “no”.)
Obviously, legal marijuana businesses can only exist as a result of marijuana legalization; but ironically, just by becoming a legal business, and thus being driven by simple profit motive, these businesses now face financial pressure to oppose anything that might interfere with their profits, like — more legal marijuana! Because the more legal it gets, the cheaper it gets, until it sells for pennies on the pound! And at that price, most dispensaries go out of business. And so they oppose further legalization, and in so doing, become, ironically, marijuana prohibitionists!
That’s the dynamic that turns growers and dispensaries into traitors to Stoner Society.
Sad to see that happening in Denver! We’re supposed to be marijuana-friendly here; but for some people apparently, money is God.
“Non-Licensed Marijuana Grow Inspection Team”? WTF? That’s some creepy Orwellian terminology! Somehow I don’t think people are going to be happy to see the “NLMGIT” pulling up in front of their house!
Probably best to just not register, I’m guessing.
I agree with Mark’s analysis. Spot on. This is going to backlash into people not registering and diminishing revenue from a fairly taxed and regulated market, which legislators will take quick notice of. Citizen lobby and explain that we dont license homebrewing or growing home gardens: No reason to start with marijuana. Worse, this kind of prohibition will strengthen black markets which in turn will target homes in gang warfare, increasing violence. Licensing homegrow is a terrible waste of resources when Drug War III is already going to stretch the limits of state and federal enforcement.
I think this might be prohibition trying to sneak it’s way past the legality of home growing. Police can’t search without a warrant, but you have probable cause if someone else “an inspector” leaves a tip. These findings could be used to redefine the modern day stoner and be used as ammunition to fuel the prohibition machine.
…And reinforce asset forfeitures, the primary goal of Sessions as USAG. For too long marijuana possession has been an unjust excuse to break the 4th amendment.
If more young cannabis supporters simply give up their dreams and goals for a few seasons and join the ranks of cops and soldiers etc, then more cops and soldiers would resist the war on drugs, while gaining converts to our cause and using one’s leverage and job platform to gain trust and respect from the community and their peers. I was a soldier funded by both non-cannabis supporters and cannabis supporters paying their taxes and have used my veteran status as leverage for our cause. But I am not legally capable of becoming a cop and for young cannabis supporters to become cops is the most important way of defeating the drug war. If a cop won’t arrest you for drugs or cannabis, then are you going to be arrested by the cop who won’t arrest you? The answer is no. Why do Marine Snipers dress like the grass and jungles they are hiding in? The movement is ready for us to dilute the system from the inside because I’m a firm believer there are more than just 100,000 cannabis supporters, thus we are capable of diluting the system from the inside. The best way to win in a chess game is to play chess and doctors should not prescribe Viagra for a broken leg or breast cancer.
I’m from NJ, where you can have 60% of the population embrace legalization; but, our governor knows better——–it’s a gateway drug. Think of the permits you need as a homeowner. Soon, you’ll have to have permits to replace your refrigerator. Colorado is talking 10% increase in tax at the state level. El Chapo is in New York, marijuana wholesale prices are going down, the Feds still have their heads in the ground. Hopefully, the integrity of ones’ home can remain that way. If I’m making wine, or beer at home…….and there aren’t tractor trailers leaving the premises, why do I need a government official in my house for cannabis?
They just want another excuse to stop or really restrict the “we the people” I thought we were still living in a free country sort? Where I live they have the right to inspect your apartment without you even being at home. That is in the city I live in and other cities around us have adopted the same policy. The code enforcement/police
kick-ass squad.
Explain THIS one to me:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/a-possible-cushion-for-trumps-cabinet-nominees-democrats-with-elections-in-2018/2017/01/19/ab248626-ddd6-11e6-918c-99ede3c8cafa_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-cards_mhp-card-politics%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.8ed7febe4c80
State and Federal Congress is stuck full of contradictions aren’t they? But so are the voters. As one anonymous post pointed out, the same states that voted in prohibitionist Congressman voted to legalize marijuana, at least medicinally, like North Dakota, Arkansas (and how do we explain Feinstein from California?) This contradiction of voting in prohibitionist Congressman while voting for legalization is how we end up with this backlash from voter initiatives.
The one that captures my attention is Senator Manchin, D-WV. He recognizes the threat from Price as Sec of Health on rampant opiate addiction in his state, but he supports Sessions for USAG. WTF?
How does the Republican leaning Democratic Senator from WV, Manchin, get all chummy with a Sessions confirmation on one hand, then oppose the Sec. of Health and Human Services on the other when he stumbles on dealing with the opiate epidemic? Of course West Virginia is dealing with an epidemic of opiate addiction of epic proportions, but how can anyone who knows Sessions well and calls him a “friend” not see the forest from the trees on this issue? Sessions will reverse the Cole memos, day one. States where marijuana is legal see a drop in opiate addiction. Can Manchin be so blind? How the hell do people not get that marijuana legalization, of which Sessions opposes, helps curb our opiate addiction? Or is he counting on the people of West Virginia not knowing any better to save themselves?
Once again, our NORML Board Adviser Bill Maher echoes our thoughts on West Virginia, Republicans who voted for Trump, and the opiate epidemic;
http://youtu.be/1QrWJBetDO8
The good news about opiate addiction reduction in states with marijuana legalization has not yet reached our Republican states that voted for Trump. It all makes sense now:
North Dakota, Arkansas, Florida; Hurry the fuck up! Start dispensing free marijuana in counties that voted for Trump! We have a heroin and opiate epidemic to stop! And a Democratic Republic to save!
Maher makes an interesting point about using drugs that “grow from the ground” besides “push and twist.”
But I know from experience that until we get desperate and need a remedy, and only if we are fortunate enough to try a pure, homegrown, whole plant remedy, do we finally get rid of the stigmas and propaganda we have been consuming unwittingly about marijuana and all types of whole plant treatment.
I remember a few years back when I was a week into one of the worst stomach infections I ever had. Im adamantly weary of pills but I took antibiotics in desperation, only to end up feeling more consumed with deadly pain. The antibiotics were taking the good bacteria too. My Mexican wife brought me some water with a tincture of “estafiate” or mugwort with drops of an alcohol concentrate. I rolled my eyes and moaned, “Sure, next you’re gonna tell me to put an egg under the bed to ward off the evil eye.” But she ignored my ignorant resistance and I was pretty desperate so I drank it.
After a week in lethal pain, the mugwort took effect and Four hours later I was CURED.
It was then that I realized that its gonna be the same way with marijuana. America, we are so saturated with bull$#!+ propaganda that the only way we are going to end this drug war is for everyone to pass a joint, throw the pills away, get high, and detox all the lies, propaganda and Drumph and everyone infected by him.
http://supplementsos.com/herbal-tea/mugwort-tea/
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Interesting to find that mugwort is in the same gen(I)us with controversial, allegedly psychoactive Artemisia absinthium alias wormwood. Both those herbs can be handgrindsifted through 1/16th-inch strainerage and 25 mg Vapetoked in a flexdrawtube oneheater (just like guess Who).
How do they get away with saying marijuana leads to heroin yet we give people opiates when they get a cavity filled.
We had a heroin epidemic in the early 70’s because we were allied with drug lords in Laos.
We had a cocaine epidemic in the 80’s because we were allied with drug lords in Central America
And now we have an prescription opiate epidemic because we were allied with drug lords in Afghanistan.
Just imagine if Trump/Sessions invade Mexico,, or the Netherlands, or Washington Oregon California Nevada and Colorado… after all, none of those states voted for him. This means WAR.
Jokes aside,, I fear Sessions will soon unleash federal forces on this, and only this one issue of States Rights.
I find that totally mindblowing as well, that any Democrat would even consider confirming Sessions. Well, all I can say, Senator Manchin (D-WV) is now the first name I’m putting on my Democratic Traitor Shitlist!
From now on, I consider any Democrat who votes to confirm Sessions, no better than Sessions himself: a racist cracker-ass motherfucker. They might as well be Republicans!
They can all go crawl back up Trump’s asshole, for all I care — at least they’ll feel at home!
http://hightimes.com/news/politics/toke-grenades-dc-activists-pull-off-marijuana-fueled-trump-protest/
Gotta hand it to DCMJ… I would have said no long ago that this style of protest is outdated in a time when we should be citizen lobbying our Congressman both state and Federal… but handing out free weed to Trump supporters? In DC where people cant buy commercial weed but they can grow their own? Thats exactly what the doctor ordered.
I think paying for a permit for home growing is somewhat reasonable but annually I am not so sure about, I get it they want there money but maybe an option to buy multiple year permits at a lower year to year cost would be acceptable. As for inspection if they must do that it should be based on the length of your permit and the level of your grow. Obviously their is some sort of safety standards and pollution policy that must be upheld. The better you meet these requirements than the less another inspection is necessary.So an annual permit will have one inspection granted it meets the requirements, more inspections will be warranted till requirements are met. A 5 year permit will require 1-3 inspections If requirements are met on first inspection and the house hold falls under certain qualification say if you don’t have children living in the home, you would be less likely to see the inspector 3 times in those 5 years if you live far from playgrounds parks and schools you will be less likely to see the inspector more than once if you have met the safety and pollution requirements
All young Cannabis Supporters who legally can, need to join the ranks of cops, soldiers, fire, Park Rangers etc and dilute the system from the inside. If 100,000 of us quit our lifestyles and dreams for a decade, we’d have this War on Cannabis done and over with real fast . . . with each boycotting the war on drugs as best they can from inside the machine–acting like a virus. I have and I’m but one person wondering why there are so few cannabis supporters supporting legalization from inside the machine. Being a Veteran, I have a bit of influence and leverage for my community. Imagine if I was still legally eligible to be a cop? I would pretend I didn’t smell anything on black kids or white kids and I wouldn’t search them. Evil Prevails when good people do nothing. I use my Iraq war platform to preach about all the drugs funding the war and how drugs are illegal so U.S. soldiers can have an enemy worth fighting and thus a nation to exploit oil sold to China and repackaged as plastics bought by tax payers and marijuana activists alike. That’s my leverage and my mouth is a bit louder in my community than the stoner who did nothing with his life but protest, vote, go to college, sign a few petitions etc. I love it when people sneeze in my face, making me sick . . . that’s how viruses work, so all young cannabis supporters need to quit their dreams and join the rank of police and soldiers and dismantle the machine as best they can. How hard is it to give up a PhD and scholarship for the greater good?
There’s a great show on Amazon called Man in the High castle. In this show Germany won WWII and now occupies the eastern U.S. What’s so striking about the plot is how soon the populous became acclimated to the new regime.
In the 70’s I used to smoke with a lot of people who swore they would be toking in the old folks home.
Then Reagan launched Drug War II
One went to law school, eight years later he was a Prosecutor with the Federal Drug task force specializing in Marijuana eradication.
There were two high school sweethearts who got married shortly after graduation, I gave them 4 grams of hash as a wedding present to take on their honeymoon, 16 years later they put their straight A daughter in rehab after finding a joint in her room.
There was a guy I smoked with every day in high school, he now owns a drug testing firm.
Money warps the mind.
Check out NORML Board Advisor Willie Nelson in this documentary about the voter purge and how Trump STOLE the election with the help of the Koch brothers and Republican Secretaries of State;
amp;utm_campaign=29545
Its worth every Badpenny of $10 to purchase or $4 to rent.
After all of Trump’s bull$#!+ about not accepting money from the “Koch brothers” he was sucking Koch cock after all. Charles and David Koch own petroleum patents for everything from stainmaster carpets to asphalt that would compete with an open source, US industrial hemp market. US small farmers would be back on their feet with legally regulated hemp, breaking up the value of synthetic “medicine” and patenting. Worse, these healthy, independent minded hemp consumers would become capable and intelligent voters, able to see through the dark money from evil corporate special interests. (In other words, they’d stop taking pills and meth and vote Democratic).
Yet too many Democrats and corporate media remain silent on the issue of voter caging. Some, like Sen. Manchin, D-WV are voting FOR Sen. Sessions to USAG. Clearly, the hush money has gotten more plentiful since Citizens United.
The Koch brothers must have a deep-rooted fear for legal hemp… such as the timber and petroleum patents they purchased from DuPont in 2004 that helped originally outlaw hemp in the first place. (Continued)…
Trump may have stolen the election. But I voted for him. I paid into health system for 42 years, then, under Democrats, my insurance went from $150 mo to $700. I have had 2-3 simultaneous jobs or companies since I was 9 years old, under Obama (Democrats) I was unemployed for 2 1/2 years of the last 3 of Obama’s reign. Hell yah I voted for Trump, did he steal the election? I don’t care. Obama sent $10 Trillion to other countries. It’s time we took care of our own.
Congratulations, you just fucked yourself good!
That was a coherent and helpful response for everyone (50 million voted for Trump btw). Why comment if you have no constructive input. It’s interesting to me that I asked one question about Nevada Law conflicting home grower regulations, and made one comment about Trump. Not one reply to my question that is relevant to many, but a dozen haters replied to my Trump comment.
Because you Trump supporters just won’t be honest.
I didn’t say “fuck you”; I said “you fucked yourself” which is making a valid political point: you Trump supporters voted against your own interests in a big way. And you dragged the rest of us down into your shitpile, as well.
It would be “helpful” if you would come clean, un-fuck yourself, stop defending the con-man and traitor Trump, and join with the Resistance against Trump!
If there wasnt enough evidence in the video or from anything Trump is doing already to undermine our liberty, please at least realize that, in the words of Sen. John McCain, “Insurance runs the Republican Party.” …and the vultures who prey upon the cost of health care donate more heavily Republican. Cost of health should be set by doctors and patients, not politicians, Big pharna and insurance. Legally regulated whole plant marijuana cuts right to the core of inflated costs… its an antinflammatory for predatory health care price gouging.
So Sessions wants to take that away from us. He was appointed by Trump. But you still “don’t care.” Are you on meth?
(Part 2)
Cellulose oil producing Hemp competing with a petroleum patented US market is part of the reason the Kochs shut down the government and slipped legislation into the Farm Bill that outlawed the use of hemp for fuel or plastics when they realized the hemp research amendment would pass. Canada is preparing to market a strain of cannabis rich in cellulose oil that could threaten Koch patents. So if they cant win by the rules the Kochs purchase our US government instead.
While Trump was ridiculously conspiring that “millions of illegal immigrants” for allegedly “voting illegally” the liar often reveals his own guilt with blame; it was Republican state attorney generals purchased with Koch money and Trump advisors that used the gutted provisions of the Voting Rights Act and Citizens United to purge more than 7 million black, American Indian, Asian and latino votes from the polls. Check the link above. This really just happened, just like Florida’s AG and Jeb Bush did to us in 2000. If they cant stop legalization of marijuana the Kochs bet they can keep prohibitionists in power. So maybe Bill Maher is partly right with the answer for why so many Republicans voted to legalize marijuana then voted for prohibitionist Republicans; because theyre on meth.
(Continued)…
(Part 3)
But the other part of the answer is that everyone wants to legalize marijuana; its simply that Democratic votes were PURGED, CAGED and SUPPRESSED.
Part of the villainous Koch agenda is to open up the Artic for drilling and pump oil pipelines down to their refinery in Chorpus Christi Texas. (BTW, dont drink the water in Chorpus unless you wanna be a corpse). But why is corn still being subsidized for ethanol when Hemp uses less water than the Round-Up resistant mutant corn patent by Bayer-Monsantos? Why corn when Henry Ford built the first model-T’s entirely out of hemp, %100 fueled by hemp efficient fuel? http://www.hempcar.org Answer: who gets the oil subsidies? Starts with a “K.” No, its not “Kim Kardashian.” Bing! If you guessed Charles and David Koch you get a kewpie doll! Reason number two they like shutting down the government during a farm bill vote; laws revert back to the 40s when they get paid WAY more on subsidies until Congress passes a law.
So how does this history of facts relate to current marijuana or hemp policy besides Willie Nelson’s interview with investigative reporter Greg Pallast or Willie’s marijuana crusades and hemp policy?
Ive written here before how the Libertarian purchase of state and federal government developed by Charles and David Koch pretends to use marijuana decriminalization as a facade for getting away with decriminalization of white collar crimes which in turn hurt efforts for legalization.
Ive been tracking this policy with my own Republican State Representative Jason Isaac, who surprised me by supporting HB81 to decriminalize marijuana in the state of Texas, but mysteriously wont support hemp legalization,at least for now, even though it was voted for support on the state Republican platform. In Isaac’s defense, he has his hands full with decrim, which is not perfect, but a hell of a lot better than throwing sick and poor people in prison for minor possession.
(continued…)
(Part 4)
But still, likewise, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell supports a restrictive policy for hemp legalization but wont support marijuana legalization. So what gives?
Its a monopoly: quasi-prohibition so a few Congressman and billionaires can profit from an unfair control on supplies of “quasi-legal” hemp and marijuana. But how long can that last?
Well, lets see, the Marijuana Stamp Act was passed 80 years ago… but thats when farmers had no idea that by outlawing “Raping Mexican” marijuana they were outlawing the hemp their farms depended on. Surely, Americans could hear Anslinger’s racist prohibition policies when Trump began his campaign with the same racist rhetoric… if they put their spoons and pills down for a second, that is. But “Hey, thats not fair, Julian; what about Libertarian marijuana champions like Sen. Rand Paul?”
While I commend Sen. Paul on his previous cooperation with Sen. Booker on reducing mandatory minimums, yet his greatest cooperation for marijuana legalization remains to be seen. Libertarians like Sen. Rand Paul are poised to betray us and vote for Sen. Sessions as USAG. The only Libertarian left with any backbone, God willing, is Dana Rorhabacher, R-CA, who admits consuming marijuana while in office. Let’s call them to see how they vote:
202-224-2441
(Continued)…
(Part 5-Conclusion)
What the Kochs and Libertarians want is no law. No government. Anarchy. We here at NORML are advocating legalization through fairly taxed revenue from marijuana for fair representation. We have reached an impass where through voter supression, caging and unlimited purchase of our politicians; through bad Supreme Court decisions like gutting the Voting Rights Act, passing Citizens United or the persistent hypocrisy of the Controlled Substances Act we can not afford as Citizens of the United States to watch our Democratic Republic and every wannabe billionaire politician get continually purchased by billionaires like Charles and David Koch, John Paul or vulture capitalists. Its time to march, to get in our State and Federal Senators faces and demand that voter caging cease, that marijuana legalizes and our freedom prevail. Its time to pass the weed around, through civil disobedience, free the people from opiate addiction, fake news and help eachother free our own minds from the divisive and racist distractions that seek to illude our white brothers who and what really took their jobs. (Hint: automation mostly and the jobs that got outsourced? Check the link to find vulture investing Republican doners). It was the same people who take the freedom of minorities or send them to jail for possessing the same marijuana. What makes the poor white voter think these same bad laws wont be used against him?
Contact your Senators. Block the confirmation of Sessions. Get active. Its up to us and our partcipation.
Great research by @Julian– but one complaint: you misspelled $igarets United (as in Dark Lung Money). OK, you were just being polite, I understand that.
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PS. Lingo confusement: what’s the difference between Libertarian and Neoliberal? Are Kochs maybe Pseudoliberal? How about we launch the Liberative Movement– the biobizness of our herb is to Liberate (energies, courage, creativity), isn’t it?
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PPS. I think the worst mistake of the post-Raygun Democrat Party was to accept the color “blue” (bluesers as in losers), it’s not enough just to answer the Redcoat faction. The Dems should adopt Green as their/our color (and invite the as-yet-unelectable Green splinterparty to join in too).
This is the dumbest idea in the world. That would be like coming in here, and counting my gallons of wine, every-time I make some. And for what? To make sure I do not exceed my maximum limit for a years time?
How bout beer home brewers? We’re only allowed 100 gallons. To me, that is dumb.
6 plants. You know I would never complain if they let us grow 6 plants here in PA. I wouldn’t even try to exceed it. Depending how big just one plant is, you could almost harvest pounds off of one plant. Granted it takes like 4 months to get that large a plant going, but summer is long enough. If I was allowed, I would be happy with the six plant limit. But spending extra money to be sure no one exceeds it is dumb. If someone actually had the money for a large Grow-op might as well let them. If they are giving it away free, who cares. But the point is, for the few who will exceed the limit, it is dumb to waste more resources going after them.
My Two Cents.
Just delaying the inevitable future. I’d hoped I had posted a similar comment, hours, days, prior, but I suppose not. Legalization is inevitable, love us, or hate us, but we are coming. You can’t stop the FUTURE.
Hello, NORML. Like many regular posters and staunch, angry advocates of legalization, there is nothing that gives me greater pleasure than both posting here, and making my voice heard. I also would love to make donations ASAP. I am posting now, because I desire to continue to be able to do so in the future. I am working a demanding job right now, and, as such, sometimes I am not always able to do so. I also realize when or how it is appropriate to post remarks, and when it is NOT. As such, I want to continue to publish here. I am EXTREMLY passionate about legalization, I want to see more states onboard, and I also want to see NO opposition in the face of, frankly, the potential nightmare our new administration brings. I will give Mr. Trump and his friends a chance, but, of course, this new presidency is of immediate, and great, concern. I only ask that I may continue to be permitted to post here, I promise to keep my remarks and comments within the guidelines and expectations of this forum. Thank you. M.Bunker, proud NORML commentator, and legalization advocate.
So, NORML, I just wanted to post this post, as I do have to work soon, please delete this post. I just wanted, again, to say that I very much am passionate about legalization and I will NEVER stop fighting, and I appreciate you permitting me commenting here, I just wanted to say, er, again, I hope that I have not violated a policy, or something, I want to also say I would love the opportunity to continue to activly comment on this forum. I hope no rules were violated, as an activist and as someone who is so PASSIONATE about marijuana legalization, our friends, and our team here, well, every time I come here only reinforces my passion. At NORML, we are paving the way for a more enlightened future. I have often said that legalization is indeed the future, because, this is a fact. So, I hope I may continue to post here. I love NORML, I love the work we are accomplishing, despite this incoming nightmare that is now upon us. One fact remains indisputable. The cause of legalization. Legalization is inevitable. It is our future, it is what WILL happen. Some people choose to value the past. Intelligent minds choose to value the FUTURE!
I have a question if anybody knows, please reply. In Nevada, our law says it’s legal for 1 ounce of leaf, or to grow 6 plants in protected environment (locked area). But as soon as I harvest one good plant, I suddenly have 1+ pounds of leaf. I’m confused. Am I supposed to just pick from the plants and not harvest them? Or leave 6 plants chopped down to show they were plants I harvested? I know I sound stupid. Is there any precedent? How do I have 6 plants without violating the 1 ounce of leaf law?
[Paul Armentano responds: The law permits the possession of the total harvest of your plants.]
We are doomed, sucked down the drain of government that represents big banks and corporations by design. We can pull ourselves out like Switzerland, Mondragon and others have done through direct democracy. Encrypted online democracy is the inevitable future. It can free us from oligarchy, theocracy and hegemony once and for all:
http://www.onlinedirectdemocracy.org/about-us-intro/
Take a bong hit and watch the Pia Mancini video.
Interesting idea; thanks for posting that. It may indeed have merit. But, my first concern with the concept is that the internet itself represents a class divide — the digital divide. Most people in the world do not have access to the internet. I’m barely hanging on myself. A random twist of fate, and my internet “presence” disappears. The costs of an updated and compatible computer, plus the hefty monthly bills from internet provider, are out-of-reach luxury expenses for many working folks. Working full-time doesn’t pay the bills anymore. We are the working impoverished. Poor folks have to go to the library for internet, if there even is one, or just get by without it.
Still, it’s an idea worth considering. Thanks.
gotta love this BS disguised as legalization the dum bass voters fell for..
RESIST!
Sessions is $alivating!
Big Pharma…Big Tobacco…and Big Booze Dealers are waiting to line his pockets with gold…to fuck over Green!
Oxycontin is the opiate of the people.
Control/Punishment/Dominance is the opiate of Madmen…always.
” Beware of those in whom the desire to punish is strong” – Nietzsche ( or something close)
No one ever needs a law to grow, or use, corruption or hangups mean nothing to the sick, do whatever heals you best, it’s your one life, nobody is the boss of you…….
I don’t so much have a comment but a question. I’m a Michigan resident have my med marijuna card and want to know what I do to take on a patient . I can’t find anything in the rules .anybody know?