cannabisnews.com: Rally Calls for End To Pot Prohibition Rally Calls for End To Pot Prohibition Posted by CN Staff on May 04, 2008 at 05:06:47 PT By Emily Heffter, Seattle Times Staff Reporter Source: Seattle Times Seattle, WA -- When Cindy Roemer started using marijuana five years ago to treat her chronic arthritis pain, she was plagued with guilt. "I felt like I was breaking the law," she said.The former school-bus driver from Longview still worries about the stigma medical marijuana carries, even though it's been legal in Washington to use the drug with a doctor's approval since voters passed a 1998 initiative. Roemer, who uses a wheelchair and a cane because of the pain in one leg, was among more than 100 people who marched from Capitol Hill to Westlake Park in downtown Seattle on Saturday in support of liberalizing marijuana laws. She thinks it should be legal for anyone to use.In Washington, doctors can authorize patients with certain conditions to have a 60-day supply of marijuana for medicinal purposes. After much confusion over just how much marijuana constitutes a 60-day supply, the state Legislature passed a bill last year directing the state Department of Health to set the amount. That determination is expected this summer.Marijuana use is still illegal under federal law.Saturday's event coincides with similar Marijuana Liberation Day events in as many as 200 other cities nationwide, according to organizers. After the march, the group rallied at Westlake Park in front of a banner that read, "Munchies saves lives."Seattle City Councilman Nick Licata was among the speakers.Seattle's march was organized largely by people who use medical marijuana, and it comes just two days after the death of musician Timothy Garon, 56, who said he had been denied a liver transplant because he used marijuana to ease the nausea and abdominal pain of hepatitis C.Organizer Vivian McPeak said the goal of the march was to "end the prohibition" on medical marijuana, eliminate jail sentences for nonviolent marijuana-possession charges and legalize the production of industrial hemp.Marijuana activism is associated with hippies and the 1960s counterculture, McPeak said, but "the reality is, people from all walks of life support this law; people from all walks of life know people who need medicinal marijuana; people from all walks of life know someone who has been needlessly incarcerated" for marijuana use.At Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill, an eclectic mix gathered — middle-aged people with long hair and tie-dyed shirts, families with children, groups of young people drinking Red Bull and smoking. The smell of marijuana smoke wafted from a stand of trees.On the outskirts of the rally, Margaret Denny, 57, rode in a wheelchair that her son had decorated with jail bars. She is fighting a drug-possession charge after an arrest at her Maple Valley home last October. She said the police found more pot in her possession than she's allowed with her medical authorization. They took her to jail in an ambulance.She said a 1979 car accident left her suffering from various, painful problems with her hip and foot."I just think, what a sad waste of the taxpayers' money, putting the sick and the dying in jail or trying to arrest them," she said.Source: Seattle Times (WA)Author: Emily Heffter, Seattle Times Staff ReporterPublished: Sunday, May 4, 2008Copyright: 2008 The Seattle Times CompanyContact: opinion seatimes.comWebsite: http://www.seattletimes.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #12 posted by SamFox on May 08, 2008 at 21:47:39 PT: Breaking the law. Hurst & Anslinger beat ya to it! How legal is it to make a law based on lies, deception & misinformation campaigns to protect the $$ interests of a fat cat? Reefer Madness any one??As a Christian I once wrestled with the same Q. But once I had internet capability I learned WHY cannabis was criminalized. There was & still is not, any good reason to make cannabis illegal. Check out Jack Herer's website for the history of cannabis prohibition, jackherer.com. His book The Emperor Has No Clothes is a great read in this regard. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Hope on May 05, 2008 at 21:34:03 PT John Tyler I saw that article, too. It's what Kaptinemo always said would happen. Some of them are trying to claim it's not really the money... it's rethinking laws. Funny, not too much rethinking and humanity and stuff before the costs and shame of constant imprisonment started coming home to roost. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by John Tyler on May 05, 2008 at 19:31:21 PT thoughts I saw in the Washington Post that some states with sever cash flow problems are starting to rethink their cannabis possession laws. Even prohibitionists types are realizing that it doesn’t make sense to keep locking people up endlessly for using a plant. So some states are being forced to do early release and unsupervised probation just to keep their spiraling prison cost down. They can’t afford to lock everybody up.We should note these holidays that are special to us. 4/19 Albert Hoffman’s (discoverer of LSD) birthday, of course 4/20, then 4/22 Earth Day, and now 5/4 the Million Marijuana March. Lets see if we can’t fill the calendar with celebrations and/or holidays. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on May 05, 2008 at 19:11:16 PT I Couldn't Resist Posting This Video I saw a little of this on the news and then watched the whole thing. Enjoy.The Empire Strikes Barack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8lvc-azCXY [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by afterburner on May 04, 2008 at 20:24:17 PT More from Toronto CN ON: Column: This Soccer Mom Admits She Was Out of Her League at a Marijuana Smokefest, Toronto Sun, (04 May 2008) http://www.mapinc.org/newstcl/v08/n459/a06.html?176 [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on May 04, 2008 at 20:02:26 PT mykeyb420 My goodness that was big. Only in SF. LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by mykeyb420 on May 04, 2008 at 19:48:26 PT 1/2 pound joint video this is how we do it in SF. 1/2 pound joint 4:20 [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on May 04, 2008 at 16:27:21 PT Gone To Pot: The Phoenix Global Marijuana March May 04, 2008 http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2008/05/gone_to_pot_the_phoenix_global.php [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by mykeyb420 on May 04, 2008 at 11:16:59 PT: San Fran's MMJ rally If I did not see it myself, I would not believe it. At the Cannabis freedom day yesterday in SF, we had a joint that contained 1/2 POUND of pure cannabis. It was the size of a BASEBALL BAT. It made its way around the huge crowd,,everyone got a hit,,IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. If you want a pix,,,email me and ill send you a copy. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Had Enough on May 04, 2008 at 09:07:18 PT They took her to jail in an ambulance “On the outskirts of the rally, Margaret Denny, 57, rode in a wheelchair that her son had decorated with jail bars. She is fighting a drug-possession charge after an arrest at her Maple Valley home last October. She said the police found more pot in her possession than she's allowed with her medical authorization. “They took her to jail in an ambulance.”A real threat to society...what a waste to mankind...This crap needs to stop, and NOW!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by afterburner on May 04, 2008 at 08:59:25 PT Toronto's Global Marijuana March Pot fans rally in Big Smoke. Thousands pushing for legal weed peacefully mark Freedom Festival, 10th Global Marijuana March. May 04, 2008 04:30 AM. Paul Irish, Staff Reporter. Queen's Park may have been soggy from yesterday's rain, but sparks were flying as thousands spent the day smoking pot just north of the Legislature. http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/421228 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 04, 2008 at 08:58:18 PT Colorado: Supporters Rally for Marijuana May 4, 2008Supporters of legalizing marijuana gathered in Civic Center Park behind the Larimer County Justice Center on Saturday.The event in Fort Collins was part of the Global Marijuana March; 239 cities across the globe also held events. Supporters also set up shop in Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs. "We believe it's time to stop the prohibition on marijuana," said Gregory Stinson, president of Front Range Norml, a group that advocates the legalization of marijuana. "It's senseless and needless."Marijuana is a safer alternative to many prescription medicines and alcohol, he said.While many people a year die from prescription and over-the-counter drugs, none die from marijuana use, said Tim Gordon, a member of Norml who helped organize the Fort Collins event. Snipped:Complete Article: http://tinyurl.com/3mqppb [ Post Comment ] Post Comment