Before getting started I want to make
clear that I continue to have respect for both Allen St. Pierre and
NORML despite the fact that they did call me an "asshole."
Frankly, I've been called worse and name-calling rarely scores any
points in an honest debate.
I think where we differ is that I
want Marijuana Cultivation legalized for everyone "yesterday." As
for Allen and NORML I'm still not certain if they really support
"untaxed, unregulated" personal cultivation. I'm also not clear as
to when they think we might arrive at that point, should we allow them
to continue with this "incrementalist" strategy: a term I have heard so
often from these various "moneyed" organizations. And finally I
believe that a "no tax, no regulate" model for Re-Legalization (such as
the MERP Model) has the inherent advantage of destroying the Drug
Cartels and allowing potentially free medicine to the sick. I
don't see how the models that NORML and other organizations are pushing
could ever achieve these important goals.
And that is why I believe the time
has come to vigorously debate which model for Marijuana Re-Legalization
should be implemented. Because in 2009 a turning point was reached
where a majority of American citizens would like to see Marijuana
Re-Legalized. And how we proceed is of utmost importance to
everything from personal liberties to national security. This is
not a trivial matter.
This began as an email to
Allen St. Pierre
who is the Executive Director of
NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).
It began with my email to Allen basically asking the question: "To what extent does NORML support Personal Marijuana Cultivation by
Adults?"
NORML is actually the earliest
Marijuana reform organizations in the United States. It was
founded in 1970 by Keith Stroup, funded by $5,000 from the Playboy
Foundation. So asking Allen to expand on NORML's support for
Personal Cultivation seemed like a pretty tame question to ask.
But there were some developments that caused me to question whether
NORML and many of the other "moneyed" organizations were really favoring
"personal cultivation" any longer.
* Over the past 6 months I had
numerous phone conversations with Allen St. Pierre (NORML), Dave Borden
(Stop the Drug War) Dave Card
(Borden's assistant. In one conversation with Card it was made
abundantly clear that all of the leaders of the moneyed organizations --
Nadleman (DPA), Kampia (MPP), Borden, Stroup (NORML) -- were all of the
opinion that only an incremental approach to Marijuana reform was
possible. They thought the MERP Model was interesting but
"politically unfeasible." Furthermore none of these organizations
would even allow their readers to consider the MERP Model which
basically allows unrestricted cultivation of Marijuana by all adults
over 18: and does it without allowing any taxation, regulation or other
forms of government interference for personal cultivation.
* Then I began noticing a change of
direction which seemed to begin around 2000 - 2001. I first began
noticing that the Michigan NORML chapters began focusing more on the
Medical Marijuana issue that the Personal Cultivation issue which had
been the main focus of the grass root activists since the mid-60's.
Other organizations with which I had affiliations also seemed to be
changing focus as well.
* Then in early 2009 my research
seemed to indicate that Kampia's organization, the Marijuana Policy
Project (MPP), had changed directions in their Medical Marijuana
Initiatives. Instead of allowing personal cultivation it became
clear that what they really wanted to do was outlaw personal cultivation
and substitute it with what I have termed a, "Government Marijuana
Dispensary" model where personal cultivation would actually become
universally illegal.
Here are links to some of the first
articles that I have written on this apparent rise of the "Government
Marijuana Dispensary" model.
So given this background I sent my
email to Allen St. Pierre (NORML) asking the following:
* Please cite a few recent
NORML articles that describe to the extent that NORML supports the right
for adults to cultivate their own Cannabis without taxation, regulation
or other forms of government interference.
* Please cite me a few recent NORML articles that criticize the MPP
Arizona initiative which will effectively eliminate a Medical Marijuana
users option to grow their own Marijuana.
* Please explain to me why NORML will not even debate the efficacy of
alternative models for Marijuana Re-Legalization such as the MERP Model.
At any rate the responses from Allen
and other NORML members amounted to a lot of childish name calling.
But there was some interesting discussion, especially the copious
writings and links from NORML's "Radical Russ." But as much as we
seem to agree on many points, he says things that leave me questioning
how serious NORML really is about insuring our inalienable right to
cultivate and consume Cannabis. For example he writes:
How are you going to “bring the
tribes together” when you want one of the tribes’ leaders to “rip Kampia
a new one in an NORML Op-Ed piece”? While I may personally disagree with
MPP’s Arizona initiative and will “rip” on it at length on the Stash, we
can’t really take an official position “ripping” another one of the
tribes. We agree on far much more than we disagree and we have enough
enemies in the ranks of prohibitionists without making new enemies who
are basically on our side.
I'm sorry but, when one of "the
tribe" gets so far out of line that he (Kampia, MPP) jeopardizes what we
have been fighting for, the last 40-plus years, you have a duty to put him
back in line. I'm not advocating violence certainly. But
does Kampia need to be put in line for attempting to prohibit any
further personal cultivation? I don't think so. I know so.
Furthermore, what he is attempting to do needs to be exposed throughout
the activist community. And NORML should most definitely be taking
a lead role in that effort.
But my most significant problem with
NORML is one of focus. They don't emphasize an adults right to
cultivate at the NORML website and it is definitely not explicitly
stated or supported by their mission statement. And that is what I
find most disheartening. Because if NORML, MPP, DPA and other
moneyed organizations would get behind a "No Tax, No Regulate" Model we
would all be able to grow by years end. Yes, I truly believe that
is possible if the "tribes" could be united behind this effort.
Instead we might as well hope the "Weed Fairy" is going to leave a joint
under our pillow.
And I will let you be the judge, but
I don't think any of my questions and concerns ever got answered.
I have tried to put these emails in order for your enjoyment and
certainly urge you to follow the links as there is a lot of interesting
information to be gained.
But here is the bottom line from my
perspective. I have been involved in the "Marijuana
Re-Legalization" since I smoked my first Marijuana cigarette in 1967.
I was 13 at the time and that was also the year that the Beatles posted,
what I believe to be, the first petition calling for the Re-Legalization
of Marijuana. In 1989 I began publishing a magazine on drug
policy and nearly had my career destroyed because of it.
Throughout this journey my goal has always been both focused and clear.
I want every human adult on this planet to be able to grow their own
Marijuana without any form of taxation, regulation or other forms of
government interference. This is "Mother Natures" gift to all of
us and government has no right to intercede. This is a view held
by John Sinclair, Bob Marley, and thousands of other serious activists.
I would also argue that such a
position would have also been supported by some of the greatest writers
on personal liberties: Locke, Rousseau, Jefferson and Mill.
So whatever you conclude from reading
these transcripts here is the bottom line. I've stayed true to my
commitment to fight for our right to grow and cultivate Marijuana.
Can the same be said of NORML, DPA, MPP and other drug reform
organizations? And if these organization cannot even give voice to
alternative models for Marijuana Re-Legalization, such as the MERP
Model, do they deserve any further support: financial or otherwise.
If I could wave a magic wand
Marijuana would be legal right now. Would these other
organizations do the same, or do they have a different agenda? Could it
be that they support
imposing a "Government Marijuana Dispensary" model -- such as
MPP is attempting to impose in the Arizona and other states -- which will ultimately
forbid the right to personal cultivation.
I'm sorry but these transcripts offer
me little hope or clarification. In fact it almost appears that
they might support this "Government Marijuana Dispensary" model which I
would consider the ultimate betrayal. As I have stated before:
"Doesn't it seem ironic that the
same government that was busting you for smoking Marijuana now wants to
effectively become your Marijuana dealer?
And doesn't it also bother you
that these organizations -- that are masquerading as "Marijuana Reform
Organizations" -- would support such garbage? I have two words for
letting them get away with such a thing. No Way!"
Bruce W. Cain
Editor of "New Age Citizen"
Author of "New Agenda for America"
Author of "The MERP Model for Marijuana Re-Legalization"
Write-In Candidate for the 2012 Presidency
After reading through this Email
discussion with National NORML (National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws) you might actually want to know more about the MERP
Model, for Marijuana Re-Legalization, that we are "discussing" in the
middle of June 2009. You will find all past and future information
on the MERP Model here:
You will also find ways that you can
begin becoming a part of the "MERP Movement" to Re-Legalize Marijuana.
And you can start by posting this graphic on your FaceBook, MySpace or
other webpages. Let's get this done as soon as possible.
Please link this graphic to the following url:
+++++ To what extent does NORML support Personal
Marijuana Cultivation by Adults?
(06/16/2009)
Greetings NORML:
Before I get started I just want to say that I think Allen St. Pierre
and
other NORML leaders are probably great people. I have spoken with Allen
many times and, though we tend to disagree on many sub-issues of
Marijuana Policy, I have always found him to be amiable in our
discussions. But I have to tell you I really feel that NORML, DPA and
MPP are selling out the vast majority of people, throughout the planet,
that just want to be left alone to live their lives and grow their own
Cannabis.
I have a few questions that I would like to have answered so that I can
share it with my growing army of MERP supporters. John Sinclair is
probably the most notable of those at this time.
* Please cite me a few recent NORML articles (provide me the links) that
describe to the extent that NORML supports the right for adults to
cultivate
their own Cannabis without taxation, regulation or other forms of
government interference.
* Please cite me a few recent NORML articles (provide me the links) that
criticize the MPP Arizona initiative which will effectively eliminate a
Medical Marijuana users option to grow their own Marijuana. They will do
this by prohibiting personal cultivation unless a dispensary is more
than 25 miles away from their residence. Obviously, with enough
dispensaries there will come a time that no one will be more than that
distance and no one will any longer be able to grow. And of course Soros
funded MPP is behind this monumental "bait and switch."
* Please explain to me why NORML will not even debate the efficacy of
alternative models for Marijuana Re-Legalization such as the MERP Model.
I also want to say that I doubt any of you -- Allen St. Pierre, Paul
Armentano etc. -- could ever prevail in a debate over Marijuana Policy,
against me. All of you are most certainly equipped with the right
information. The problem is that you appear to be betting on the wrong
horse. A "Government Marijuana Dispensary" approach simply makes no
sense when it comes to a number of important issues:
* Destroying the Mexican Drug Cartels
* Providing Cheap Medicine for the Sick
* Promoting the Agricultural and Industrial applications of Cannabis
Frankly, it has nothing to do with my intelligence. The problem is that
you
are arguing for the wrong solution to this problem. Taxing and
Regulating
Marijuana is not the answer. So while you might be on the right side of
the
Global Elite (and Soros, Lewis and Sperling) are all mid-level members
of that club) you are not on the right side of representing the best
interests of
common everyday people. And hopefully you are not on the prevailing side
of history.
Yours in Peace and Freedom,
Bruce W. Cain
Editor of New Age Citizen
Author of the MERP Model for Marijuana Re-Legalization
And this was the comment I posted to the Armentano article:
Armentano and NORML are the real
problem
Posted by: bcainw on Jun 16, 2009 5:42 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Listen to NORML spokesperson Armentano talk:
"Of course, if Rep. Kirk (write him here!) was really concerned about
potential risks posed by supposedly stronger marijuana, he would support
regulating the sale of drug (as opposed to jailing first-time pot
sellers
for a quarter of a century) so that its potency would be consistent and
this
information would be publicly displayed to the consumer."
Why would we need to regulate Marijuana at all since, as he admits,
there is no HD50: the dose level that would kill 50% of the test
population: usually rats.
NORML, DPA, MPP and other "drug reform" organizations are controlled by
Soros, Lewis and Sperling who want to eliminate personal cultivation and
force you to buy your Marijuana from the same government that has been
putting you in jail for the last 71 years.
* How to Make Marijuana Free and Legal for For All Adults Within A Year:
Introduction to Your Involvement in the MERP Movement to Re-Legalize
Marijuana Throughout the United States and the Planet
http://www.newagecitizen.com/MERP/RelegalizeNowObama00.htm
Please stop funding these organizations and support New Age Citizen's
MERP Model to make Marijuana Cultivation Legal for All Adults throughout
the Planet:
Subject: Bruce Cain: You're either a bona fide
asshole or insane...which is it?
From: "Allen St. Pierre" <allen@norml.org>
To: bcainw@comcast.net
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 11:30:07 PM GMT -05:00 Colombia
Bruce,
After our absurd phone conversation two weeks, what strangely compels
you to continue to lie to the public about NORML?
What compels you to send a rant to every email address at NORML Do you
not possess a modicum of self-control? You couldn't just send me your
indignant rant?
I spent over an hour on the phone with you to make your case for MERP.
Has any other director of any chartered drug policy reform group given
you their time for direct questions?
On the phone you accepted my explanation that NORML has always and will
continue to ALWAYS support home cultivation, and yet you're either
obnoxious or insane enough to publish on the Internet that 'Armentano
and NORML are the real problem'....
>NORML, DPA, MPP and other "drug reform" organizations are controlled by
>Soros, Lewis and Sperling who want to eliminate personal cultivation
and >force you to buy your Marijuana from the same government that has
been >putting you in jail for the last 71 years.
You publish this b.s. @ 5AM and @ 9AM you're sending me questions to
answer as if you're a journalist or genuine NORML stakeholder?
I again ask: Why do you continue to choose to lie about NORML...when you
KNOW the organization receives no funding from the billionaire boys
club? You acknowledged this in person on the phone to me, but then
choose to disseminate a conspiracy-laden lie in response on the Internet
to a critical essay from NORML about a prohibitionist lawmaker.
With 'friends' like you Bruce...really, who needs the ONDCP or DEA?
They don't critically reply to NORML's essays, but you do....
What does that say to you? I know what it says to me...
You want to know why you and MERP are neither respected or credible in
my view?
Because you lie and purposefully mislead your reading audience! Which
makes your communication model closer to that of the DEA/ONDCP's than
NORML's...we have to actually answer to the public, a board of
directors, actual supporters and stakeholders, sponsors, media and
policy makers, whereas you just talk angry-at-the-world shit all day
from your personal computer, and it clearly shows in the lack of
organization under you, respect and attention you receive from your
fellow activists (example: about the only time any one hears about your
blessed MERP model, is after you've taken advantage of others' hard work
and talent by loading up webpages' comment sections with your MERP
propaganda).
>Before I get started I just want to say that I think Allen St. Pierre
and other
NORML leaders are probably great people.
>I also want to say that I doubt any of you -- Allen St. Pierre, Paul
Armentano >etc. -- could ever prevail in a debate over Marijuana Policy,
against me.
You¹re truly are as arrogant as you¹re alone in your ŒMERP¹ advocacy.
Why should anyone feel obliged to answer your holy-than-thou questions,
when all you¹re going to do is lie and misrepresent the facts?!
I¹ll readily answer your questions, again, as I have for 18 years, when
you
cease lying and purposefully misleading others about NORML,
-Allen
NORML
+++++
Subject: Reply from Bruce Cain to Allen St. Pierre
(NORML)
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 11:23 PM
To: Allen St. Pierre
Cc: norml@norml.org; foundation@norml.org; media@norml.org; chapters@norml.org;
support@norml.org; products@norml.org
Allen:
No need for the harsh language. And my question is pretty straight
forward. What is NORML doing to promote personal cultivation. Send me a
link or two from the NORML archives that support your position that
NORML is explicitly supporting personal cultivation and that this is a
high priority for NORML. I see nothing in your mission statement to
suggest that is what NORML's goals are. I have not come across any NORML
articles that support an individuals right to cultivate without
taxation, regulation or government interference. I'm just asking that
you show some evidence, because I do not see it.
And once again, MERP is really not that radical. It is essentially
asking the Marijuana be treated like home brewed beer. Yet in our last
phone conversation you said that you would neither support it nor would
you allow NORML member to consider it by giving it some airing at the
National NORML website. Why is it so verboten to allow the MERP model
some exposure so that the NORML activists can at least consider it.
And actually I do give you credit for alerting me to the Arizona
initiative. Had you not done that I may have actually failed to
understand what Kampia is really up to. Consider his latest letter
(06/16/09):
"Great news! Rhode Island just
passed a new medical marijuana law.
In landslide votes of 68-0 and 35-3, the Rhode Island General Assembly
today overrode Gov. Donald Carcieri's (R) veto of legislation to allow
the licensed, regulated sale of marijuana to seriously ill patients.
Rhode Island will now become only the second state (after New Mexico) to
license and regulate medical marijuana dispensing.
This expands the law that MPP passed in 2006, which protects medical
marijuana patients from arrest and jail. Under that law, patients were
allowed to grow their own marijuana or designate a caregiver to do it
for them, but many patients didn't have regular access, and some were
even assaulted trying to buy marijuana in the streets. Thanks to the new
law, patients will now be able to obtain medical marijuana safely and
legally from three state-regulated and licensed compassion centers.
MPP gives a special thanks to the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy
Coalition, an MPP grant recipient, for incredible organizing work. "
Rob Kampia
And here's the clincher in Kampia's
letter:
"Thanks to the new law,
patients will now be able to obtain medical marijuana safely and legally
from three state-regulated and licensed compassion centers."
Let me translate what Kampia is
saying into "English:"
"Thanks to the utter stupidity
of the activist community for remaining clueless to what we are really
up to in Rhode Island, Arizona and other states. Instead of medical
patients being able to grow inexpensive medicine (free if grown outside
and about $25 an ounce if grown inside under lamps) we're going to
monopolize the growing to 3 of our politically connected friends who
will be able to rip you off to the tune of $300 to $500 and ounce. And
we will put you in jail if you dare to continue growing your own
Cannabis."
Sorry to get under your skin Allen.
But if your are as incensed as I am, about this, than lets see you
publicly say something about it. If I've missed such an article from you
then please send me the link.
Look, I'd much rather have you as an ally than a mad detractor. But I'm
not going to be swayed by your assertion, over the phone that your
philosophically "with me" and then calling me a "utopianist" in the next
breath. The only thing I can really judge you on is your actions. And so
far you will neither support nor allow NORML members to consider the
merits of the MERP Model (or any personal cultivation model that
protects growers from being taxed, regulated or interfered with). And I
am also unaware of anything you have written that criticizes Rob
Kampia's obvious "bait and switch" from Medical Marijuana Models that
allow personal cultivation to Medical Marijuana Models that prohibit ANY
personal cultivation and then force users to pay outrageous prices at
"Government Marijuana Dispensaries"
Finally, NORML has had about 35 years to "get it done" and has not
delivered. That is not so much a criticism as ending Marijuana
Prohibition is much more difficult that I thought it would be when I
smoked my first joint some 41 years ago. But I'm not waiting another 35
years. Hopefully we can collaborate on a "no tax, no regulate personal
cultivation model" and get it implemented in the next year.
I will be the first to admit that I cannot do this without a lot of
support from people like yourself. But with your support I am quite
certain we can attain this goal in a very short period of time. And a
great first step would be to expose what Kampia is attempting to do and
concurrently moving forward to demand our right to personal cultivation.
That is the big issue.
But we need to stop arguing and start to mobilize. Frankly, I don't'
think the stakes have ever been higher. And for me, Re-Legalizing the
personal cultivation of Marijuana is but a first step. I do not want to
live in a Global Corpocracy. And that is exactly where we are headed.
Re-Legalizing Marijuana has incredible potential to disrupt the emerging
New World Order.
So, are we done arguing. I'd just like to see some action.
Yours in Peace and Freedom,
Bruce W. Cain
+++++
Subject: Reply to Bruce Cain from Russ Belville
From: "Russ Belville" <russ@norml.org>
To: bcainw@comcast.net, "Allen St. Pierre" <allen@norml.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 12:02:42 PM GMT -05:00 Colombia
Bruce, since you continue to send
your screeds to every publicly-published NORML email address, including
mine, let me take a moment you don’t deserve to respond.
NORML Introduction (http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5442):
“NORML supports the removal of all penalties for the private possession
and responsible use of marijuana by adults, including cultivation for
personal use, and casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts.”
About Marijuana (http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7305):
“NORML supports the removal of all penalties for the private possession
and responsible use of marijuana by adults, including cultivation for
personal use, and casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts.”
Now, I suspect you’ll say, “Aha! You support ‘cultivation for personal
use’ but you don’t specifically say ‘untaxed and unregulated’!” I’d
argue that “personal use” by definition means “untaxed and unregulated”,
since in context it counters “commercial use”, which we’d assume would
be taxed and regulated. I’d also assume that there would be some
definition as to production volume that would separate “personal” from
“commercial”, and that in itself would be a “regulation” on the
“personal” production, wouldn’t it? Unless you’re one of the freaks who
seriously believes that marijuana, unlike every other agricultural
product from alfalfa to zucchini, is something that shouldn’t even be
taxed and regulated on the commercial scale.
If you take a moment to check out what I’ve been writing on NORML’s
Daily Audio Stash, you’d find we go into much more detail on these
discussions. For example:
http://stash.norml.org/cnns-anderson-cooper-360-looks-at-marijuana-all-week-in-americas-high/#comment-26305:
“I’m not in favor of a monopoly in any product. I think marijuana should
be treated like beer - if you want to brew it at home and drink it, have
at it But if you want to brew it for the public and sell it, you have to
check IDs and follow the same type of laws beer distributors and
breweries do. The government still seems to make a lot of tax money on
beer with this scenario.”
http://stash.norml.org/is-it-time-for-oregon-to-legalize-pot-and-tax-it/#comment-19174:
“Yup, just like how paying sales tax on beer eliminated everyone’s right
to brew beer at home, untaxed and unlicensed. Remember how after alcohol
prohibition ended, everybody permanently lost their right to use alcohol
responsibly without harassment from the government? And how all the hops
fields became nationalized by the “Big Monster” and how “Big Media”
engaged in that campaign to opposed responsible use of alcohol. Just
like that, right?”
http://stash.norml.org/marijuana-consumers-demand-to-pay-taxes/#comment-15811:
“Absolutely. Every adult American who wants to grow a pot plant and
smoke its flowers has the right to do so as free from government
interference, licensure, or taxation as one who home-brews beer. If that
American wants to sell pot to someone, it shall be as subject to
taxation and regulation as any other commodity in America.”
http://stash.norml.org/the-dr-drew-transcript-debunking-the-drug-czar-and-drew/#comment-565:
“I live in the real world where every people in every country in every
society that has ever existed in the world at any reasonable size within
limited space have made the trade of taxation for general welfare, not
Ayn Rand’s science fiction novels. In that world, consumer commodities
are taxed and regulated That’s never going to stop anyone from growing
their own or giving/selling it to friends and family - hell, I have a
friend who home brews craft beer and sells it to his friends, even
though there is taxed and regulated alcohol.”
Now, as for the activities of activist groups and legislatures
curtailing the right of medical marijuana patients to grow at home in
favor of non-profit dispensary monopolies:
http://stash.norml.org/new-jersey-medical-marijuana-has-a-good-chance-of-passing-assembly/:
“First, a patient can’t grow their own medicine or have a caregiver grow
it for them, but they must purchase it only from “alternative centers”.
So, how potent will that marijuana be? What strains will be grown? You
do know that a strain that works for nausea may not work for pain,
right? So, is New Jersey ready to supply multiple strains of marijuana
at varying potency levels, or is this going to be like the
one-size-fits-all seeds-and-stems-included, low-potency schwag that Dr.
ElSohly and the University of Mississippi supply to the four remaining
federal medical marijuana patients?
Second, how much will this medicine cost? If experience is a guide,
California dispensaries are selling medicine at $10-$15/gram or
$45/eighth. I know patients who go through a quarter ounce per day,
because they need to cook with it. Let’s see, that’s $2,700 in marijuana
expenses per month - a patient could buy lights and ballasts and equip a
grow room with that kind of money and then spend maybe one-fifth that
amount in electricity and supplies per month to grow a supply of
medicine — the exact strain and potency of medicine that the patient
needs, too.
Third, the reason this “doctor shopping” goes on is because a great
number of primary care physicians still believe reefer madness about
medical marijuana and won’t recommend marijuana for their patients. Then
there are those who believe in marijuana’s efficacy, but cannot
recommend because of workplace policies at their clinic, from their HMO,
or from their insurance. In states like Oregon where 3/4ths of doctors
won’t recommend and medical marijuana clinics are allowed, a doctor
reviews the medical records from the primary care physician, performs an
examination, verifies the qualifying condition, and recommends
marijuana, so in essence, two doctors have verified that a patient
suffers from a qualifying condition.
Fourth, the bill requires the marijuana sold through these state
dispensaries to be tracked in a database Yes, just what every medical
marijuana patient needs, a record of their violation of federal
controlled substance laws that could be used as evidence at a trial.”
http://stash.norml.org/new-hampshire-medical-marijuana-bill-amended-to-take-away-home-growing/:
“Imagine if cities turned off their water facilities and the next time
you went to the faucet, nothing came out. You call the city and they
tell you, “Sorry, from now on you must purchase your water in bottles
from one of three licensed water dispensaries. And you can only get a
gallon per day. And it costs six times more than what your old water
bill used to cost.”
You’d scream bloody murder, right?
That’s what it feels like to a medical marijuana patient who is told she
cannot grow her own medicine. You cannot live without water, she cannot
live without medical marijuana. She could easily grow the marijuana at
low cost at home, but we’re going to force her to pay six times the cost
to leave her house to get it at a dispensary or pay to have someone
deliver it.
(OK, maybe that water/marijuana comparison is a bit much. After all,
these patients can live without marijuana, it’s just not the kind of
life you’d want to live. Also, drinking too much water can actually kill
you, unlike marijuana.)”
http://stash.norml.org/mn-gov-pawlenty-vetoes-nations-strictest-ever-medical-marijuana-bill/:
“This bill would have forbidden patients to grow their own plants and
would have denied medical marijuana patient status to conditions like
cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, cachexia, gastro-intestinal disorders, chronic nausea, and
chronic pain. Only terminal patients would have been able to use it.
It’s a strange situation when there is a silver lining in a medical
marijuana veto, but this may be it: at least when the legislature gets
around to putting a constitutional amendment to the voters to bypass
Pawlenty, the amendment can provide broader medical marijuana
protections.
The down side, of course, is that the terminal patients who could’ve
gained relief from this bill will probably die before the next
legislature can help them.”
http://stash.norml.org/new-push-in-ariz-for-medical-marijuana/:
“What is with these medical marijuana bills and initiatives lately that
eliminate the right of patients to grow their own medicine? This
initiative states that a person who lives within 25 miles of dispensary
would be forbidden from growing their own, which essentially sets up a
government monopoly. I too want to see more medical marijuana states,
but capitulating to the fear mongering of law enforcement regarding home
cultivation is a step in the wrong direction. Go ahead with the
dispensaries, but don’t eliminate the patient’s right to produce their
own medicine at a far lower cost and with complete control over strain
type, growing methods, and pest control.
This is that “box canyon” trap of medical marijuana that I fear. As
people become more accustomed to the medicalization of cannabis, it will
become more and more restricted like a prescription drug. There won’t be
concepts of “medical marijuana” vs. “recreational or social marijuana”,
it will become “cannabis medicine” vs. “abuse of cannabis medicine”.
Legalization has to happen now before medicalization becomes the only
way people think of marijuana.”
Now, as to “so far you will niether support nor allow NORML members to
consider the merits of the MERP Model”, you may have noticed our website
is N-O-R-M-L.org, and not M-E-R-P.org. You have as much First Amendment
right as we do. Throw your MERP into the marketplace of ideas, and if it
is the superior idea you claim it is, cannabis consumers will naturally
flock to it. You could, like we have, solicit average cannabis consumers
for donations, build a respected brand over decades, study deeply the
policy of prohibition and the science of cannabis, cultivate personal
relationships with lawmakers, business leaders, attorneys, and other
activist groups, and broadcast to the world your strategy for ending
adult marijuana prohibition
Oh, wait, I get it. You just put up a web site expecting the world to
beat a path to your better mousetrap, and yet NORML.org still kicks your
ass in web hits, so you want NORML to hand over its megaphone to you
(and all the decades of work and millions in donations from its
supporters it took to build that megaphone) so you can shout “MERP!” You
remind me of the drunk jerks in my former career who would demand to
jump on my stage in the middle of my band’s set so they could sing “Mony
Mony”. You may be Billy Idol himself, but I’ll tell you like I told
them, get yer own fuckin’ band.
Though I do have to admire the elephantiasis afflicting your testicles,
to simultaneously continue to lie about NORML’s mission (“NORML, DPA,
MPP and other "drug reform" organizations are controlled by Soros, Lewis
and Sperling who want to eliminate personal cultivation and force you to
buy your Marijuana from the same government that has been putting you in
jail for the last 71 years.”), to imply NORML is a pawn of billionaire
Illuminati (or is it the Bilderbergers?), AND to demand we provide you
with links, declare yourself a superior debating intellect, and turn
over our various media platforms for you to self-promote MERP – now
that’s balls of Cheneyesque proportions.
You’re welcome to use the comments sections at blog.norml.org and
stash.norml.org to post a link (A LINK, not LINKS) to your MERP. We
provide an open forum for all stakeholders in cannabis re-legalization.
Some of our commenters may even engage you in a discussion about it. But
if I see one lie about NORML in those comments, you’ll be banned from
the comments.
Wishing I saw even one dime from a billionaire and ALWAYS defending the
right to personal cultivation…
Subject: Reply to Russ Belville from Bruce Cain
From: bcainw@comcast.net [mailto:bcainw@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 12:58 PM
To: Russ Belville
Cc: allen@norml.org; norml@norml.org; foundation@norml.org; media@norml.org;
chapters@norml.org; support@norml.org; products@norml.org
Russ:
I'm pretty busy now and will respond further once I've reviewed your
citations, which I do appreciate.
This wasn't quite what I had envisioned when I asked to debate the
various models of Marijuana Re-Legalization: but it turns out to be a
decent start.
First of all I don't ever recall labeling either you or Allen as insane
or an asshole. Do you really think that is necessary? Allen, you really
think that is necessary?
Secondly, I'm not trying to make a career out of Re-Legalizing
Marijuana. I just want people to be able to grow it as they did in early
America where, instead of being taxed on our Cannabis, perhaps we could
simply pay our taxes in Cannabis. I think Allen would agree that Soros
does fund MPP and the plan (e.g., the 2009 Arizona Initiative) is to
eliminate personal cultivation. Perhaps Allen could rip Kampia a new one
in an NORML Op-Ed piece. I'd love to see that.
Thirdly, I'm really just attempting to bring the tribes together to get
this done in a timely manner -- perhaps within the next year.
The clouds are gathering in terms of losses of civil liberties on so
many levels right now and Incrementalism is simply not going to do it. I
believe Obama is turning out to be somewhat of an "anti-christ" figure.
I'm not religious in the common sense of the term. What I mean is that
he came into office promising fresh people-oriented solutions and has
instead turned out to be a minion for globalists such as Bryzenski and
Kissinger. We are in a phase that might be described as the "End Game"
(e.g., Alex Jones) or the implementation of the ""Shock Doctrine" (e.g,
Naomi Klein). In short I don't think we have a whole lot of time:
perhaps less than a year to derail this process. And for reasons I don't
have time to enumerate, I believe that full Marijuana Re-Legalization
will help derail this process by destroying the Drug Cartels and robbing
the International Banks of one of their greatest sources of new money
and capital: drug profits.
Re-Legalizing Marijuana is only one of 10 primary planks on my wider
agenda. And no I can't accomplish any of these without the help of
individuals and groups such as NORML. But with or without NORML's help
this agenda will be pushed forward. I'm not going to allow my children
and your children to become slaves of a globalist corporate order
without an honest fight.
(1) Universal Health Care for All American Citizens
(2) A 20-year moratorium on all immigration into the United States
(3) Legal Marijuana for all Adults and Medical Patients
(4) An immediate reversal to the Offshoring and Inshoring of American
Jobs
(5) A strict enforcement on issues of Separation of Church and State
(6) An immediate move from so-called Free Trade Agreements to Bilateral
Trade agreements
(7) A major R&D project to bring energy independence to the United
States and the World through recycling, reuse, ending hyper-consumerism
and investing in the development of sustainable energy sources (e.g.,
solar, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal)
(8) No further ownership of US Assets (businesses, homes, ports, stock
exchanges) by foreign governments or individuals!
(9) Replace the Federal Reserve with a People's Reserve which allows
public oversight
(10) Absolute support for Net Neutrality
Yours in Freedom,
Bruce W. Cain
+++++
Subject: Reply from Russ Belville to Bruce Cain
Sent By:"Russ Belville" <russ@norml.org> On:Jun 06/17/09 4:01 PM
To: bcainw@comcast.net
Cc: "Allen St. Pierre" <allen@norml.org>
How are you going to “bring the
tribes together” when you want one of the tribes’ leaders to “rip Kampia
a new on in an NORML Op-Ed piece”? While I may personally disagree with
MPP’s Arizona initiative and will “rip” on it at length on the Stash, we
can’t really take an official position “ripping” another one of the
tribes. We agree on far much more than we disagree and we have enough
enemies in the ranks of prohibitionists without making new enemies who
are basically on our side.
I’m from Idaho originally, and I’ve heard these types of globalist
corporate order / Illuminati / Bilderberger / black helicopter / New
World Order conspiracy doctrines before. And certainly, any capitalist
with half a brain is going to want to find a way to profit immensely
from newly re-legalized cannabis. But unless you’ve got a magic way to
wipe clean 120 years of American jurisprudence on the nature of
“corporate personhood” since the 1888 Santa Clara Railroad decision,
you’ve got a much bigger battle than NORML can help you with.
Here’s what I don’t understand. Right now, the “globalist capitalist
corporate New World Order” ALREADY mandates prison and ruins lives over
personal home cultivation of cannabis AND absolutely prohibits the
commercial cultivation of cannabis. YET, even under the thumb of the
Bryzenskis and Kissingers and Soroses and Sperlings and Lewises,
clandestine personal home cultivation of cannabis thrives.
So how is it that when the black-hearted New World Order supported by
MPP and DPA takes over and taxes and regulates commercial production of
cannabis, and maybe even stomps on personal liberty and forbids or
severely taxes personal home cultivation, how does that wipe out the
clandestine personal home cultivation that occurs now? AT WORST your
nightmare scenario of forbidden home growing and highly-taxed commercial
sales means I can go into a store and buy cannabis and use it without
fear of arrest OR I can go back to growing clandestinely just like I did
when it was prohibited in every respect.
If you think cannabis will be the one and only product in America that
is not taxed and regulated to some degree, you’re crazier than I
thought.
Subject: Reply from Allen St. Pierre (NORML) to
Bruce Cain
Sent: Tuesday, Jun 06/17/09 5:45 PM
Bruce,
Thanks for your typically caustic-toned replies.
Maybe, you’re just simply an insane asshole? Heh?!
Russ, 1) please don’t waste any more of NORML’s members’ donations (or
your valuable time on earth) replying to Bruce, because 2) as you have
likely gathered, Bruce is an insufferable malcontent, who conciously
lies to the public to further his beloved and obssessed-over MERP.
Ever meet a stranger One-Note Johnny before?! I sure have not...
Maybe Bruce is the planet’s only MERP savant or has Aspergers? Who the
hell knows what is the source of his defect?
In the world of business (or REAL journalism) Bruce’s MI
militia-inspired, radicalized pot politics, he’d be toast for his
obvious slander and liable. If one gave a shit, NORML (and other drug
policy reform groups) would own his house and computer by now...
I guess it is better that we’ve got bigger fish to fry in ending
cannabis prohibition than this single, never-stop-complaining spammer
(talk about consistent, or untreated mental illness, 18 years of nothing
but conspirary-laden, paranoid complaints. Bruce’s inarticulate rants
are found in letter form, faxes and emails in NORML’s archives going
back to atleast 1992.).
Ya know Russ despite your best efforts, you sometimes can’t communicate
with the crazed and arrogant-minded, they in affect suffer from double
delusions, and they are often best left ignored.
There Bruce, now you can place me in your Panthenon of other leaders of
drug policy organizations who you officially dislike, disrespect,
distrust, conspire against, shit on and can launch another of your
conspiracy theories against so only as to stop you from having to
conjure up and read your self-evidently feigned sincerity when
communicating with NORML.
Allen St. Pierre from Norml and and
Kevin Sabet discuss legalization of MMJ on CNN
Allen St. Pierre NORML Exec.
Director - 420 - Part 1/3
In this video Allen is asked if
Marijuana should be legalized to which he answers:
"It should be legalized and treated with the same moral and legal
controls as we currently have for alcohol today."
This may seem like a minor point but
he does not clarify if he means like the "beer" model which does allow
personal production or the "hard liquor" model which absolutely
prohibits it. Despite being called an "asshole" by Allen I would
like to see some clarification in the future: especially since he is
about 15 years younger than me. Show some damn respect junior.
Most activists have always sought a "beer" model and I would hope that
is exactly what we hear him saying in future appearances. Because
of the recent more by Kampia -- to prohibit all personal cultivation --
this is now a very relevant issue.
Re-Legalize Marijuana Now Obama (Part
1)
This is the most viewed MERP Video,
to date, from Bruce W. Cain. Additional videos are available
through MERP Headquarters or at the following link:
Please send the link to
activists throughout the planet. The translation bar should allow
this to be read in any language. The 5-Point Strategy for
Marijuana Re-Legalization should be easy to implement in any country
throughout the planet. I encourage all groups celebrating the
Global Marijuana March to make the immediate implementation of the MERP
Model a primary focus of the event.
Call President Obama and your Representatives and demand:
(1) Immediate clemency for Marc Emery and
(2) Immediate implementation of the MERP Model through an Emergency
Session of Congress, similar to what was used to pass the TARP Bailout
on October 3rd, 2008
President:
U.S. Senate switchboard:
202-224-3121
U.S. House switchboard:
(202) 225-3121
The President:
Comments: 202-456-1111.
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Share
your views on whether Lou Dobbs should support Marijuana Re-Legalization at our
new discussion group
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