Oh Canada

Feds could learn a lot from Hickenlooper’s reasonable, moderate approach to marijuana legalization

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By Denver Post Editorial Board

The Denver Post opinion pages solicited commentary from various marijuana policy and industry leaders, as well as the public, for a special cannabis-themed edition of the Sunday Perspective section the weekend before 4/20. The Cannabist is presenting these op-eds throughout the week.

Earlier this month, Gov. John Hickenlooper joined governors from other states that have legalized cannabis consumption — both for medical use and just for fun — in a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Extending an olive branch, the governors reasonably ask the Trump Cabinet members to “engage with us before embarking on any changes to regulatory and enforcement systems.”

The letter asks for a continuation of the status quo as practiced by the Obama administration, and we completely agree. Overall, as we have argued many times in our pages, the legalization experiment has been a success. Gone are the bad old days of filling jails and prisons with users of a drug that’s shown again and again to be safer than alcohol.

Hickenlooper’s collaboration with his peers should matter to Sessions and Mnuchin, and not simply because he is the governor of the first state to open its doors to legal recreational cannabis sales. The former businessman certainly cannot be called a stooge for the weed industry. Hickenlooper was against the voter-approved Amendment 64 that legalized recreational sales here, and he maintains an arms-length approach to the experiment.

At the governor’s behest this week, lawmakers gutted a bill that would have paved the way for bring-your-own marijuana social clubs. Hickenlooper is expected to soon sign two other anti-marijuana bills: one will crack down on Colorado’s gray market by prohibiting co-op grows that allow cultivators to collectively grow their allotted plants; the second sets a strict limit on how many plants can be grown in residential areas.

When asked about his stance on expanded legalization by The Cannabist’s Alicia Wallace last month, Hickenlooper noted he tells other governors considering the change, that “they should wait a year or two, maybe three years. Get more data and make sure there aren’t unintended consequences. I don’t think there needs to be any rush towards a sudden nationwide transformation. Let’s make sure we get it right first.”

Hardly the words or actions of a pot zealot white-knuckling the armchair with fears of the feds.

And yet, Hickenlooper notes in the same interview that Colorado has not seen a spike in teen use, nor has it seen a big increase in people’s consumption of cannabis. The black market has largely been tamed here, though there are admittedly some lingering problems on that front: problems that would of course mushroom under at Trump administration crackdown. The state operates a robust regulatory framework that makes sure the product people are buying is safe. Tax revenue has benefited the state also.

“I’d say that the experiment — as it continues to move forward — has gone better certainly than I anticipated and I think certainly better than many people anticipated,” Hickenlooper said.

But the governor holds out no hope that a reversal of Obama’s policies in a state that now has a flourishing cannabis industry would unfold without great mishap. Lawmakers are working on getting an in-case-of-crackdown bill to the governor’s desk. It would allow recreational cultivators to transfer their plants to the medical side to avoid federal confiscation.

President Trump said on the campaign trail that legal-weed states should be left alone. It’s been truly odd seeing him allow Sessions to send jitters through the legal marketplace.

Trump, Sessions and Mnuchin should answer the governors’ letter quickly, and with kindness, as Hickenlooper appears to be on their side most of the time with his reasonable, moderate approach.

Open Letter to Vancouver Councillor Kerry Jang

Venerable Councilor Kerry Jang,

I am an East Vancouver resident with concerns regarding Federal Regulation of Cannabis.  In light of Trudeau’s Drug Futures Forum, I’d like to express a few words regarding the Culture of Delay within Federal government regarding British Columbia’s right to secure livelihood.  I’d like to end prosecution of local cannabis activists, Marc and Jody Emery.  They are targeted for their political activism, entrepreneurial spirit  and support of legalization.  Their cause has deep roots in North America and their voice resonates and represents many Globally.

“Paul Goodman famously wrote, “Suppose you had the revolution you are talking and dreaming about. Suppose your side had won, and you had the kind of society that you wanted. How would you live, you personally, in that society? Start living that way now!”

Growing up in the western suburbs of Chicago in the 1970’s, I learned of Cannabis as it grow illegally on unincorporated land, apparently sown by a the Catholic Italian neighbor.  It was an informal introduction by a 12 year old, to a line of siblings and friends following down a wild path along a creek.  By the time I was 13, I was reading my brothers secret stash of “High Times” Magazines, and marveling at the grow-op that he started secretly in his room under his bed!.  The plants were about 3” tall when my Mom and Dad ended my brother’s grow-op experiment.

The illicit nature of ILLEGAL DRUGS, kept the truth in plain sight with a thick stigma of embarrassment for my parents which was transferred to me in the stone silence of the forbidden.  Heavy enforcement would come to the Chicago area within decades.  In Spring 1995, I was nearly embroiled in a D.E.A. conspiracy plot which asked a University graduate, musician friend, to implicate associates in a web of conspiracy to traffic a “Narcotic”(Cannabis is not a Narcotic).  I remember the scenario.  I put my chattels in storage, and I left Chicago within days of the story of my friend’s plight with law enforcement breaking into the national news.  I was in New York when I spoke with my parents on the phone.  They said that they saw my friend on the “Busted” TV series.  This was the War on Drugs in action.  Black Inner City kids busted by the D.E.A., plead guilty, acquiring criminal records and jail time, losing their right to vote in Federal elections, while white kids had access to family lawyers or credit options which enabled quick exodus escaping charges.

With a 3 month study visa, I found a good  job in Vancouver, and secured a work visa in Dec of 1995.  By 1998, I found myself compelled to write an “avidavit” to Ann McLellan in the defense of a young woman who applied for Refugee Status in Canada.  Renee Boje, was being extradited to the United States on “conspiracy” charges stemming from a medical grow op bust in Los Angeles in 1995.  Renee, like myself, was a freelance artist, and we both headed for the Canadian border alone, horrified with the D.E.A. scenario.  You see, the 1995 Clinton Administration supplied funds to advance drug law enforcement and expand the private prison scheme. It was a time of heavy handed federal mandatory minimum sentences, where medical notes were not admissible in Federal trials, nor was word to be spoken of the benefits of Cannabis.

It is now 40 years after my civilian introduction to Cannabis.  The dream of growing legal cannabis  is nearly realized, but here in Vancouver, Federal influence on Cannabis “busting” is at an all-time high.

Why the Government culture of delay is bad Management

Pierre Trudeau and Justin Trudeau gained favor with the public by tapping into the call to “de-criminalize” and “legalize” the Marijuana plant within a gap of nearly 50 years.  In the time between  Pierre and Justine Trudeau’s leadership seats, the public has been a source of enduring, unrelenting, tenacious, political resistance for legalization of Cannabis against our own government’s prosecution.    The published literature supporting the historic culture of Cannabis, seed sales, and breaking the marijuana law lead to a public re-education, research, production techniques, and the creation of a network of people in a movement toward vindicating the majority who think that criminalization causes more harm than Cannabis use.

Trudeau spoke of immediately Decriminalizing Cannabis as a campaign promise.  Instead he doubled back, and under his administration’s “Project Gator” the most influential and articulate Political Activist and his equally outspoken wife, Jody, of the Cannabis Legalization movement are barred from their own business and charged with crimes.   Trudeau delays meaningful change while prosecuting the leaders on the Frontlines.

It looks like “Project Gator” is a politically motivated operation by Bill Blair of the Legalization Task Force with the aid of local Police aimed at shutting down the public voice of the Cannabis movement, so corporate entities can co-opt the market.  It has become apparent that slow Executive and Legislative management, sets international corporate interests above Canadian interests.  This has been happening for decades as Pharmaceutical lobby to keep Cannabis illegal.  For instance, in Arizona, L.P. Insys,  spends $500,000 on the prohibition of cannabis in 2016, while releasing synthetic cannabis pills.  The Insider/Outsider attitude of Insys Theraputics is to operate it’s business, strictly within Government, while the people are dying from their patented drug Fentanyl.

Anne McLellan, who served as the Minister of Justice, Attorney General and the head of the Legalization Task Force, has affiliation with a Law Firm central to managing government backed Cannabis Licensing Producers (LP’s).  This is a conflict of interest which makes her ill-fitting of her job in public service to citizens.  I believe Licensed Producers will turn cannabis into a weapon, just as Bayer manufactured the first amphetamine and heroin used on the frontlines of the First and Second World Wars.  The Cannabis hypocrisy is aweapon used against citizens Marc and Jodie Emery.  Cannabis plants are better off in the hands of the people, because L.P.’s have a capital intent to profit their shareholders over the interests for public good.  Just look at Insys THeraputics as a stand alone patent, responsible for the Fentanyl Crisis and tell me that insider drug peddling in the Lobby hasn’t been a factor for 20 years of Government.

Legislators have been backing corporate synthetic drugs to the exclusion of natural plant based medicine because a corporation cannot patent a plant, and big legal business loves patents.    Poppy production has been pushed to the corners of lawless Afghanistan because the governments and drug companies have banished the flower.  Synthetic drug fentanyl is causing an overdose crisis in North America, and the patent holders seem to bear no responsibility for their monstrous chemical creation.   Millions of people have died on patented opiate drugs produced by Licensed Producers.  3-Methylfentanyl has even been used as a biological weapon by law enforcement on a crowd with lethal effects.

It appears that the 50,000 people who die every year in North America from overdose are overlooked. While Trudeau’s “project Gator” is looking to prosecute citizens, Marc and Jodie Emery.  The government delays legalization of Cannabis to get Licensed Producers of Cannabis modelled like Pharmaceuticals companies who buy influence with government with lobbying power.

The world drug market is a $4 Trillion dollar industry, and Ottawa is looking to control the cannabis market and punish Canadian producers who are not accepted by the corporate Health Canada agenda.   The insiders control Ottawa legislation.  Jodie Emeryrespectfully asked to be included in the Task Force, but is barred fromher business instead.  With a corporate model in mind, from McLellan down, the monopoly of the supply side of Cannabis through L.P.’s is being set in motion.   The legislators and investors are checking the stock market, and watching their pension futures as the legalization of Cannabis favors big business, and prosecutes our championed voices for Legalization.

This “War on Drugs” as announced by Nancy Reagan in 1982, puts the innocent civilian at the center of a war in which prison, fines and criminality is a penalty for using Cannabis.  The war as I see it has been between legislators, corporations, cops, and unions with good dental care, extended medical benefits, free prescription drugs, padded retirement packages and private futures options, and the punished under-pensioned worker who doesn’t get free prescription drugs, but bears the burden of finding relief.

Canadian’s are overprescribed opiates and anti-depressants.  Health Canada secure their pensions in the stock market,  investing in Licensed Producers of Pharmaceutical drugs, while the masses fell into an addiction to oxycodone, morphine, Ritilin and anti-depressant.  The true benefit of drug  L.P.’s is that they have teams of lawyers who craft contracts, secure patents and clauses within Government which obscures the liability of overdose death and injury from side effects.  The financial profits and tax breaks go to the big business and the liability is often death to the public user.

The most vulnerable in our society come from families broken by racism; intergenerational foster care, residential school and systemic childhood abuse often lead to addiction and poverty issues.  These children are the most likely to be introduced to Ritalin as children by health care workers then seek illegal amphetamine or escapist drugs.  Without extended medical benefits, those with chronic pain will seeks their drug on the black market.  My concerns are for the people who have been on the wrong side of the pension scenario.  These are the people who want freedom and choice in a heavily regulated nanny state.  They have been hung down with “narcotics” federal charges in their late teens for possession of Marijuana.  Or, Young Adults who left the Rez, and found themselves under employed, then, swiftly end up on the street with free government needles and a job running drugs.   This is the welcoming to the heart of Vancouver on unceded Musqueam /Salish/Squamish territory to Aboriginal youth in many cases.

The bottom line: Let humans grow Cannabis plants, and end the prosecution model for small growers and the public at large.  It shouldn’t cost $10 million dollars to become a licensed producer to grow plants, and make Cannabis infused oil.  Nor, should Bayer/Mosanto or other L.P.’s be allowed to monopolize Cannabis seed.  Free the seed.  Grow your own.

On closing, please consider the points which I have made.

IF you’ve read my public litany,

Thank you for reading,

And thank you for your service to community,

Debra Hay

Photo Courtesy Vancouver Media Co-op

It Could be Legal to Carry up to 30 Grams of Marijuana Under Bill to be Tabled Thursday

Highly anticipated pot plans will be made public on Thursday.

When marijuana becomes a legal recreational drug in Canada, the Liberal government wants Canadians to be able to hold up to 30 grams without fear of running afoul of the law, Radio-Canada and CBC News have learned.

That is just one of several details about what will be included in the federal government’s marijuana legislation, which is expected to be introduced on Thursday, according to a senior government source.

Other elements that will be contained in the upcoming bill include:

– Read the entire article at CBC News.

A Raid on a Pot Shop Draws the Ire of the Public Stationed on the Sidewalk

As police and city officials raid another weed dispensary operating outside the law, prospective customers have just one question: “Why?”

“Another one?”

A steady stream of exasperated, would-be customers standing on the sunlit sidewalk outside the Toronto Leaf Dispensary on Queen St. E. and Jarvis St. on Friday afternoon share a common refrain.

Just after 1 p.m., uniformed police officers and the city’s by-law enforcement officers walked up to the frosted glass door of the as-yet-illegal weed dispensary for a second go at raiding it.

– Read the entire article at The Star.

Cannabis Culture Stores Remain Open Across Canada Despite Toronto Closures

CANNABIS CULTURE – They arrest our staff and leaders. They raid our stores and lounges to steal and destroy our property. They try to kill what our company represents and erase our existence – but no army, politician or police force can stop an idea whose time has come.

I am sad to announce that all of our Cannabis Culture locations in Toronto and Hamilton have been forced to close their doors. Unfortunately, repeated raids, arrests, and threats to our landlords by authorities in Ontario have made it impossible for us to remain there until the laws have changed.

However, all of our Cannabis Culture stores outside of Toronto and Hamilton remain open for business! See the complete list of Cannabis Culture locations for more info.

The arrest of Jodie Emery – Cannabis Culture’s Chief Executive Officer – and the rest of the CC Five has been a hard hit for us. Jodie and Marc have been forced to remove themselves from the company due to restrictive bail conditions set by the Toronto police.

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, despite his promise to reform our cannabis laws, continues to destroy the lives of our citizens by waging an unscientific and disastrous drug war. Alarmingly, the government has promised to increase criminal enforcement of marijuana restrictions even after “legalization” .

Cannabis Culture lives on and will maintain our quest for real marijuana legalization.

We will continue to stand up and fight for the decriminalization of our cannabis community at home and abroad – a peaceful community that has existed internationally for decades, flourishing in business and culture despite the risk of stigmatization and imprisonment.

We will likewise continue to speak out against increasing attempts to hijack and monopolize the budding legal cannabis industry and lobbying efforts by stock market marijuana companies to criminalize their competitors.

Activists and medical patients have fought for years to reform draconian drug laws, and have made major gains by winning cases and overturning bad laws in the Canadian courts. Canada’s Licensed Marijuana Producers now profit heavily thanks to the work activists have done for years in opening the doors to reform. Sadly, many of these companies seek to close the door behind them now that they have made it through the regulatory crack.

Started by Prince of Pot Marc Emery over 20 years ago, Cannabis Culture has engaged in civil disobedience by breaking unjust laws and setting an example of what real, all-inclusive cannabis legalization should look like at our head shops, lounges and dispensaries – and we won’t stop until peaceful pot-lovers are truly free.

The staff of Cannabis Culture and Pot TV appreciate your continued support of our activist-run businesses.

See you at CC!