“No Victim, No Crime”- Smoke Down Prohibition

Have you ever heard of Smoke Down Prohibition? Well, for those that live under a rock in the North Eastern Part of America, Smoke Down Prohibition is a Pro-active/Inter-active Civil Disobedience Protest for the full Re-legalization of ALL cannabis (including industrial hemp, medicinal and social use of marijuana), thus making it one of the most important events to happen each month (since December 2012). They have been currently held at Independence Mall in Philadelphia right next to where the Liberty Bell is showcased and it is being to talked about around the nation. The event is sponsored by The Panic Hour and Philly NORML, links listed below. Once the rally date is announced (usually the 3rd or 4th Saturday of each month) it starts at 3:30pm rain or shine, where everyone listens to a few activists, local politicians and comedians. The goal is to educate and spread awareness while having a good time…and of course there is a countdown to 4:20pm, where people who choose to fully participate will light up a joint to make their stand. WARNING: Some people WILL get taken to the “Freedom Cage” to receive a citation for $175, but the goal of Civil Disobedience is not to get cited…so mingle.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0asGeY-g4qs

We all know the “War on Drugs” and the “Just Say No” approach has done nothing, except waste billions of dollars each year fighting against something the Government will never win. Although, for some reason they will continue to try. The act of indoctrinating people to grow up thinking they need to fear a plant that actually has THOUSANDS of years of recorded medicinal use is the highest level of ignorance. What could be more confusing than that? The US Government has a patent on the two main compounds, Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which are found NATURALLY in the plant.

Patent: Noun- a government authority or license conferring a right or title for a set period, esp. the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an INVENTION.

U.S Patent 6630507 issued October 7, 2003:
“Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia. Nonpsychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil, are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful in the method of the present invention…”
Source: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6630507.PN.&OS=PN/6630507&RS=PN/6630507

Call me crazy, but there are claims that Cannabis was used first as medicine in Chinese pharmacopoeia as far back as 2727 BC and America declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 AD… you do the math… then in the 1970’s Cannabis was listed as a Schedule Class 1 “drug.” By the way…how did they invent something that comes from nature?

“Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence.”
Source: http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/ds.shtml

Sorry, I will be doing a more in depth blog about how absurd it is to place cannabis in that class of “drugs,” but on a simple note I have 3 words to debunk that…. Medicinal Marijuana States. These are States that recognize that this PLANT has multiple medicinal uses, so it would be nice if the Federal level would look at their research again to realize the least they can do is to reschedule the plant.

My friend Vanessa wrote a post about the situation of what is going on with our good friend N.A. Poe.

“Today, one of my best friends, N.a. Poe goes to court to fight fascist pre-trial release conditions
in which the US attorney is asking that he be banned from ever going to National Historic Park
to protest anything and that he not have contact with any Smoke Down event organizers…
which means me, his girlfriend and all of his closest friends. Pretty insane penalties for someone
who was arrested for smoking a joint at Independence Mall. What happened to 1st amendment
rights in this country…freedom of speech and freedom to associate with others? This is not about
cannabis, this is about suppressing social movements and using threats and intimidation to stop people from organizing. Well, I don’t care what that judge says, no one is going to stop me from talking to my friend. And with or without N.A. Poe, these smoke downs will continue. And these oppressive laws WILL get changed! Much love and good luck to ya, my friend!! Justice will prevail.”

That to me is the definition of an insane corrupt government. Seriously, N.A. Poe (along with everyone else that comes out to support these Smoke Down Prohibitions) are some of the NICEST people you will ever meet. This just goes to show if THEY are going to step it up, WE should step it up! Let’s merge the 1960-70’s Counter Culture Movement of marching in the streets mixed with our New Age technology of social networking to set up more places to meet. “We cannot take the foot off the pedal,” lets not make the same mistakes they did in the past. Let’s get this Re-legalized! There are far more important issues than literally a HARMLESS PLANT that actually heals. I will stand by anyone’s side that feels as strongly for a positive future.

WE the PEOPLE do not wish to fight with the Local and/or Federal Officers over using or growing a plant. The amount of manpower, which was counted up to 50 officers to babysit and harass a peaceful gathering of protesters were taken off the streets or were called in for overtime instead of going after REAL criminals. Now, think about how much money was spent to have those officers there…it could be $6,000 dollars (or up to $21,000 reported back  in June to support a full riot geared strike force) for an HOUR. We know that they [officers] know there are more important things they can be doing than watching a bunch of potheads burn a flower.

Do you want to come to the next Smoke Down Prohibition in Philly and stand next to those that share the same interest that this plant should be re-legalized?

Get updates for upcoming events:
FB The Panic Hour
FB PhillyNORML
FB Nomadic MedHunter

Who comes out?
Surprising to some that it is not just a bunch of young potheads that come out. It is a group of PEOPLE who fall within a wide variety of ages, patients, politicians, races, and religions.

What to Bring:

See you all out there! Don’t forget to spread the awareness, and tell everyone since we are standing up for everyone!

“Never Underestimate the POWER of Persistence.”

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End Unemployment With Jobs People Will Enjoy

Everyone please take the time to soak in the positive possibilities that this industry can provide. Think of all the new jobs. Most people that are currently Middle-Class and lower could all be on top! The list of job opportunities are basically endless. Colorado and Washington State are paving the way, and I don’t want my State (New Jersey) to fall too far behind! The video linked belong is the closest thing to proof that ending the prohibition will only lead to more positive opportunities than we have been led to believe in the past.

I could simply move to a re-legalized State, but how would that help move this country forward? I am hoping we could all jump on board and at least give it a try to see how it works.

This doesn’t mean everyone will have to participate in this new genre of jobs, but it will provide an increase to the market. There will be companies looking for new ideas for this medicine/plant/flower/food/material.

Re-Legalize ALL cannabis medicinally and socially, including industrial hemp, which is claimed to produce anywhere between 10 thousand to 50 thousand products from food, bio-diesel, fibers, clothes, construction, cleans up radiation, paper, and the list continues!

We could be using this to clean up the radiation from the nuclear Fukushima disaster, by planting Cannabis (along with mushrooms for myco-restoration).

There is a reason that Popular Mechanics February 1938 named it to be America’s First “Billion Dollar Crop”….they were right!

I will be a Certified Holistic Health Coach by July 2014 and YES I plan on starting an Alternative Treatment Center that will incorporate everything by teaming up with others: Health Coaching, Chiropractors, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Cannabis (once re-legalized) etc. Again, the jobs are endless, because we will need farmers, teachers, bakers, trimmers, promoters, etc.

Please pass this along to everyone you know and have the person sit down and think in a logical way to how this can truly save the world! Also, start thinking on the creative side for how YOU can contribute to making the world a better.

“Never underestimate the POWER of Persistence.”

Some Police Think Prohibition is Pointless

Lt. O’Brien of Philadelphia Police Department, had to be by far the nicest/funniest Officer at the Philly Smoke Down Prohibition VIII. I respected him because he acted like an actual person while debating a few questions that were brought up. While interviewing we should of brought up the organization, L.E.A.P (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition).

“Law Enforcement Against Prohibition is an international 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization of
criminal justice professionals who bear personal witness to the wasteful futility and harms
of our current drug policies.”

If you know of any Law Enforcement Agents that also believe the War on Drugs is wasteful, tell them they are not alone and shouldn’t have to hide.  Let them know there is a huge organization for them.
LEAP website : http://www.leap.cc/

Interview with an Iraq Vet About Syria and Cannabis

Linking up with my friend Tom, we got a chance to talk with Combat Vet Mike Whiter about the rallies in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday August 3st. The two rallies that took place at where the home of our Liberty Bell is at Independence Mall,. The No War With Syria and the Smoke Down Prohibition VIII.

First, he talked about his time in the military as a Staff Sergeant of the US Marines and how the war in Iraq effected him. After being prescribed over 40 types of pills (many being opiates for depression) for 5 years and suffering from PSTD, he started looking to proven alternative medication. He decided to try Cannabis and by the second time of using it for a medicinal reason he went cold turkey on all the prescriptions that were making things worse.
Along with kicking the pills to the curb he also started to see life and situations through the eyes of an “awakened” citizen. He started to see the connection between the war that he participated in and the possible war with Syria.
Mike was also there for the Smoke Down Prohibition VIII as a representative of being an Executive Director of Philly NORML, Pennsylvania Veterans for Medical Marijuana and The Panic Hour. He started to go over how he and Chris Goldstein (another Executive Director of Philly NORML) will be helping to make that organization more active. They will be working on more appearances to spread awareness, creating a podcast (I will post once it is up and running), etc.