-----Forwarded email begins-----

 

 

To: greenpartydrugsgroup@...

 

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There are MMM 2003 reports scattered throughout this message.

 

The MMM 2003 city list is at:

 

The MMM list where this message originated from is at this link:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mayday 

 

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----Forwarded message begins------


Dana Beal <dana@...> wrote:

Post the info yourself while you still can! Or be a sheep. Post some MMM reports and links! Charts too! Note the top article in the right column below... :)

 

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-----Portland, Oregon Indymedia page on the Drug War----
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/topic/drugwar

THAILAND 03-Mar-2003 17:32 Police State Terror in Thailand From the open publishing newswire: I am a Portland activist that has been traveling in Southeast Asia for around three months. Recently in Thailand, the Prime Minister with the military elite who run the country have declared an open war against "drug dealers." This war has turned into a terror campaign that has already left over a 1000 people murdered by special police/military death squads, just within a weeks time. There are police and military checkpoints everywhere, searching for the people on the "death list." The military command of Thailand has just closed down the INN news service due to its reporting of the murders. [ Read More... ] WAR ON (SOME) DRUGS 19-Feb-2003 22:49 Mexican conference demands legalization of drugs, Portland journalist reports From the open publishing newswire: Many Indymedia readers have been raised on the “War on Drugs.” There were too many socialist-type gains in the 60s and 70s for the taste of President Nixon. With the mind-expansion help of drugs, people were uniting, racial and gender lines blurred and rights were won, communes that questioned land ownership were born, people loved freely and a war was stopped. From a United States perspective, what has this 30-year war given us? A booming profit-driven prison economy where half of those incarcerated are non-violent drug consumers? An expensive law enforcement system where one half of our “peace officers” are mandated to convict petty sellers and consumers? A drained economy that sends billions upon billions of US dollars to right wing paramilitaries in Latin America to stop drug production, which kills thousands of peasants. This war has fueled a violent black market, a savage capitalism that will never be diminished because of the enormous profits to be had. And, although our government professes concern for the consumer, thousands die each year due to no quality regulation. A friend of mine died last year because of this. The war has failed, violently and miserably, and its motivation now as in the beginning is clearly right wing government control. First to slap down US leftists and now to control all of Latin America so the literal superhighways may be paved through such devices as Plan Colombia, Plan Puebla Panama and the extension of NAFTA. [ Read More... ] HYPOCRISY IN ACTION 21-Dec-2002 11:51 'Liberal' Nation magazine publishes government anti-pot ad From the open publishing newswire: In the 12/30/02 issue at page 8, The Nation published this full page ad: Header: Picture of small bag of marijuana. Title: "Is it OK to Support Terrorism if it's only a Little Bit?" Sponsored by: Office of National Drug Control Policy The text of the ad states that if you buy drugs you are financing drug cartels, people who are responsible for terrible things. If you stop buying drugs, the dealers and violence would go away. It concludes by saying it doesn't matter if you only buy a dime bag... "you pick which side you're on by buying it in the first place." So pot smokers are on the side of the "terrorists?" Oh really... The Nation says that it blanketly accepts any advertising that does not impede the use of its editorial columns, unless the ads are "blatantly misleading" or purveying harmful products in which case they fall into the gray area of discretion. If the above ad is not blatantly misleading, what is? [ Read More... ] DRUGS AND POLITICS 30-Nov-2002 15:00 Reefer Madness From the open publishing newswire: We interrupt our coverage of the war\ on terrorism to check in with that other permanent conflict against a stateles\ s enemy, the war on drugs. To judge by the glee at the White House Office of Na\ tional Drug Control Policy, the drug warriors have just accomplished the moral \ equivalent of routing the Talibanb helping to halt a relentless jihad against \ the nation's drug laws. [ Read More... ] SOCIAL ILLUSIONS 03-Oct-2002 12:15 We're Jeff and Tracy. We're Your Good Neighbors. We Smoke Pot. From the open publishing newswire: We tried spending our own green money to publish the message that tens of millions of responsible, productive Americans smoke pot. Portland's largest newspaper, The Oregonian, censored us. So did corporate heads at Portland's KUFO, KGON, KEX, KKCW, KSTE, KNRK, KKRZ and Seattle's KISW. Even the mass transit system, Tri-Met, banned our message. Sooo...we are taking our message to radio stations in other parts of the country, to college campus radio stations, indie stations, even internet stations in the hope that they will play it over the air waves! Help us spread the message that regular Americans smoke pot, you just don't know who they are because they are afraid to talk about it. [ Read more... ] [ jeffandtracy.com ] NEWS FROM THE STREET 21-Sep-2002 15:21 How to love and care for a crack dependent person From the open publishing newswire: i posted a while back that i wanted to produce something here on indy relating the tale--along with some logically moralistic crap--of my close friend who has been binging on crack-cocaine for the entire summer (and who continues to do so). it has been bitter heartache from the very beginning when i met her, but we grew close yet though she was moving further and further away from me (and the world that she's known for 44 years). i met her on the corner of 6th and Burnside (NW), a corner that is a notorious congregating spot for crack users and the cool sha' hambone, young (and getting younger), mostly black drug dealers (and accompanying entourages). the police know this and have been taking action since a little after the summer began by making multiple day and night sweeps, being helped until dusk by the portland business supported rent-a-cops, Clean & Safe. [ Read more... ] U.S IMPERIALISM 20-Jul-2002 15:36 Committee for a New Colombia educates Portlanders at IWW hall From Committee for a New Colombia, Ramón Acevedo and Nathalie Alsop spoke at the IWW hall this past Thursday, to educate and inspire folks to work to end the violence in Colombia by recognizing that U.S. funding is what is perpetuating this bloody civil war, more than any other factor. The messages we are being asked to understand, are manyfold. It was emphasized that we need to fully look at the complexity of issues that face this resource-rich, but dirt-poor country; And that this war on drugs in Colombia is in actuality (as it is here) a war on the people. Studies show that fumigation abroad will not decrease drug use in the US. It was stated that there is now more coca growing in Colombia than ever before, mainly due to fumigation policies designed to destroy subsistence and market crops, forcing people to move to the cities. This cheap and desperate labor base serves to undermine formation and organization of labor unions, because there is an endless resource base of scab labor moving into the cities as life in the country becomes unbearable. There is evidence that corporations in the cities are using paramilitaries to crush unions. A story was relayed about a Coca Cola plant murder of a union organizer, by paramilitaries who were allowed onto the property by that corporation. DynCorp has been asked to leave Ecuador because of the human rights abuses they are responsible for. The violence in Colombia continues mainly because the paramilitary and government-backed military are all being subsidized by U.S. dollars to perpetuate the violence. 20% of the U.S. money going to Colombia is used for actual aid. The rest is used for arms. This money will be used by the incoming president, who will be inaugurated August 7th, to combine the U.C-trained armed forces, and the National Police to work more closely in the civil war. The internal conflicts that have put this country in a constant state of war would be more likely to deescalate were the U.S. not training the paramilitary and providing them with arms. Our government's interest is in promoting the interests of multinational investment, at the expense of the cultural and economic integrity of Colombians, and at the expense of their environment. Stopping U.S. involvement in Colombia is the first obvious step toward achieving peace in Colombia. To listen to the audio of these two speakers, go to: www.philosopherseed.org/audio.htm For more info on the training of paramilitaries in Colombia and Honduras, go to: www.soawatch.org To contact Committee for a New Colombia: email:cnc_sf@.... website: www.nuevacolombia.org. The touring group, Committee for a New Columbia is based in SF at: 2489 Mission St, SF, CA 94110, (415) 821-6545. Local sponsors here in Portland were: (PICAG)Peace In Colombia Action Group, (PCASC)Portland Central America Solidarity Committee, (CBLOC) Cross Border Labor Organizing Coalition. more features >>  ---Portland Oregon Indymedia page ends--

open publishing newswire images audio video all categories--------------------------------portland metrowillamette valleysouthern oregonoregon coastcentral oregoneastern oregonoregon & cascadiaunited statesglobal--------------------------------9.11 investigationalternative mediaanimal rightsannouncementsanti-racismarts and culturebikes/transportationcommunity buildingcorporate dominancedrug wareconomic justiceeducationenergy & nuclearenvironmentfaith & spiritualityforest defensegender & sexualitygenetic engineeringgovernmenthealthhomelessnesshuman & civil rightsimperialism & warindigenous issueslaborlegacieslegal & judicialmedia criticismpolice state & prisonspolitical theoryresistance & tacticssocial servicessustainabilitytechnologyyouth--------------------------------sacramento ministerialgop conferencemay day 2003week of bombingm20: day xm15: day of action U.S. state-by-state adult imprisonment rates. In descending order. Drug-war police states. 26-May-2003 00:17 Afghanistan is the No. 1 Heroin Producing Nation 23-May-2003 22:04 Free Weed Club 22-May-2003 12:04 Pot Shrinks Tumors; Government Knew in '74 18-May-2003 20:12 (5 comments) Is this the future of our own "War on Drugs"? 07-May-2003 07:46 (11 comments) opb looses funding? 06-May-2003 22:22 (16 comments) New Music Release: War On Terror (whatever happened to Bin Laden) 06-May-2003 12:52 (1 comment) Nomads for Peace 05-May-2003 18:16 (3 comments) U.S. war on Columbia and what it has to do with drugs 7 min 30 sec video 29-Jan-2001 17:28 (2 comments) newswire archive >>

 

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For many more MMM links, reports. UPDATED LINKS:
http://www.geocities.com/tents444/mmmlinks.htm  and 
http://members.fortunecity.com/multi19/mmmlinks.htm 

 

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-----High Times MMM 2003 report compilation begins-----
http://www.hightimes.com/htsite/news/content.php?page=news_03050821

2003 MILLION MARIJUANA MARCH
Voices around the world call for an end to the persecution of cannabis smokers.

Story by Peter Gorman

A total of 229 cities in 35 countries, including 134 in the US, took part in the fifth annual Million Marijuana March on May 3, letting their voices be heard against the war on marijuana. Some of the protests included thousands; others had as few as four participants, but from Abbotsford, British Columbia to Capetown, South Africa, from Dallas to Moscow, protesters gathered to call for an end to prohibition and the evil it produces worldwide.

HT.COM BONUS: Check out HIGH TIMES' extensive coverage from the marches in New York and San Francisco.

The march, held annually on the first Saturday in May, is the brainchild of longtime Yippie activist Dana Beal, founder of Cures Not Wars. It has been growing each year since its inception as an ad placed in HIGH TIMES by former Publisher John Holmstrom in 1998. At the time, “activists were being stepped on by all directions,” Beal says. “Even here in New York we were just banging our heads against [former mayor Rudolph] Giuliani and not getting anywhere. So we had to take a new direction, and that direction was to take the protest against the pot laws worldwide.”

Asked how he felt it went this year, Beal laughs. “It was a huge phenomenon. It was everywhere, and every year it’s getting bigger. It’s very impressive.”

Early reports from a number of the marches around the country and around the globe are in, and we are pleased to post them.

From London, Shane dropped a note to say that that between 20,000 and 25,000 attended that city’s MMM. “The March and Festival went fine and free,” he wrote. "We had 11 sound systems and three live stages. We also had 140 stalls, a Cannabis College, a hemp tent, and a kids’ area.” There were also signature-gathering drives and legal initiatives in circulation. London did produce three arrests—bobbies nab three—a result of too many police in attendance, but Shane added that except for that, there were “no problems, just a lot of people.”

From Reno, Nevada, Michelle Buck reports that 60 people took part in the MMM despite the weather being cold and windy. Key speaker on the day was Superior Court Judge James Gray of Orange County, CA, who, according to an AP wire story, said, “the Drug War has cost billions of dollars and resulted in the United States having the world’s highest incarceration rate—with no end in sight to rampant drug abuse.” Judge Gray, who has been interviewed twice by HT, has long supported controlled distribution of marijuana to adults. “We have made an illness into a plague. [This is] a failed and hopeless system,” he told the gathering. “I believe people should be entitled to do what they want to their bodies, but that they should be held accountable.”

According to Michelle, there were no problems except for perhaps a couple too many curious police officers, and that all in all it was “a nice gathering.”

From Barcelona, Spain, where marijuana is grown for smoking and hemp is grown to make US paper money, Ernesto Blume from Canamo magazine wrote that the march had an average of about 100 people throughout the day, all of whom had a good time with no problems.

From Mexico City, capital of a country with a long history of marijuana use, Tito wrote that 1,500 tokers took part in the day’s events and that everything went well. “In this new democratic era of our country, the media is starting to touch subjects that really matter to the people and the authorities don’t want to be looked on as repressors. Even a political party participated in the march, so we are really happy with the results.”

The event, which featured speakers and music, was covered by more than half a dozen papers and radio and television outlets.

From Tucson, Arizona, Mary Mackenzie reports: “Another beautiful day in paradise for the Tucson Third Annual Global March to Liberate Cannabis. According to ABC we were 75 strong, but CBS counted us at 200. We made the 6 and 10 o’clock news broadcasts just after a 1,500-pound pot-bust story. Both sides of the story: a bust, then us, the ‘antiprohibitionists.’

“Mary Burton from Scottsdale drove down with a photo of her departed sister, Darcy. ‘I wanted her walk in the March and to tell everyone that marijuana helped her live her last days with dignity,’ declared Mary, a retired schoolteacher.

“A young father with CMV retinitis, his wife, and son came out to meet AZ4NORML and promised support. He is the first speaker signed up for 2004.

“Whitedog, one of Tucson’s best-known medical-marijuana providers and my former cohost on Hemp for Victory TV, passed on April 21st due to Hep C and liver failure. He was represented by a family who knew him well with a dedication to him on their sign, and the Tucson Hemp Community will host a memorial service for him on Thursday, May 22, at 7 PM.

“Officer Friendly approached me before the march, just to make sure ‘we were on the same wavelength.’ Now I know we are not on the same wavelength, but assured her that while she would be protecting our rights to free speech, we wouldn’t disobey traffic signals. Though it’s been suggested I did, I did not invite the Tucson Police Department to the rally. The City Council is currently debating giving the police authority to approve protests and marches in the future. We are fighting this with the peace advocates.

“As we gathered to march, the audience began commenting on our event with constant horn-honking, cheers, hoots, and hollers. And the street continued—including a Tucson fire-engine crew that drove by honking their support—as we walked 1.5 miles to De Anza Park where we were entertained by Kevin McCalix. McCalix told the story of being stopped for speeding while traveling 5 miles over the limit two years ago. His car was searched without his consent and a pipe confiscated. The court postponed his case on three different occasions, forcing him to drive six hours each time to appear. He has been singing ever since about the continuing harassment of cannabis consumers.

“David Euchner, the chair of the Libertarian Party in Pima County, spoke about the next election and echoed AZ4NORML’s focus: It’s all about the vote. He registered voters and reminded everyone that if you value the privacy of your own body, even the Green Party will let you down.

“As a reward for the marchers I handed out Gertrude and David’s Hemp Bars and the last of the Hempzels we had.”

From Germany: Reports came in from six cities.

In Flensburg: “For the third time the Hemp & Action Day took place in Flensburg, in unison with many hemp actions worldwide. Participation was not high, yet of a good quality, and we were able to reach a great many people by passing along information about cannabis and hemp.”

In Bremen: “Two hundred participants, down from last year, came to the rally this time, which ran all day and into the evening when a MMM party was held—with live bands—at the Cinema Café. The only police incident occurred when two teenagers had a joint confiscated for public smoking.”

In Cologne: “How the event has grown each year! Club Cannabis spent a little money this year and put out an information table in the Fuessgaengerzone and the response was surprisingly large—even if not everyone understood what and why we were protesting. We got a chance to discuss the cannabis issue with straight citizens, many of whom decided to participate with us—which is obviously one of the reasons hemp legalization is taking a long time to arrive, but then with education we expect things to change slowly. Signatures for a ‘Dutch’ situation were collected, and a good time was had by all.”

In Berlin: “The Global March for Cannabis Liberation ran altogether well. We met at 2 PM in the city center and handed out handbills, posters and plans for our HANPARADE2003, which will be held on August 23 this year. There was music and cannabis cake and hemp goods for sale, as well as information from other groups. The crowd estimate was over 500 and looked every bit of it.

“During the evening there were three pro-cannabis concerts, which filled the café where they were held. All in all we were very satisfied with the day, with the only drawback being that the sun didn’t shine as much as we would have liked.”

In Loud Brook/Hessen: “Thirty cannabis friends, along with plenty of passersby, took part in the Free the Hemp MMM demonstration despite sporadic stormy weather. The protest, put on by the Green Party, demanded medical-marijuana delivery models along the lines of those in the Netherlands’ coffeeshops; an end to marijuana arrests; and equal legal status for cannabis trafficking and the selling of alcohol.

“To make our point we read political letters calling for an end of cannabis prohibition from federal ministers, and heard from patients who would benefit from legalized medical marijuana. Between the speeches and letter-reading was plenty of pro-cannabis music.”

In Frankfurt: “Over 1,000 visitors, despite poor weather conditions, speaks for itself on the success of our event in Frankfurt. Opponents numbered zero! Hemp initiatives were signed, flyers passed around, and speakers educated those not already in the know. Moreover we increased support from the public for our upcoming events: the July Smoke-In and the August Hemp Parade. All in all it was a great meeting and party and all we can say is thanks for coming! We are making progress!”

From Abbotsford, British Columbia, Tim Felger reports that only six participants showed up for the MMM, but “that was to be expected. We’re already tired up here in Abbotsford from the case we’ve currently got in front of the Canadian Supreme Court on cannabis reform.” Felger noted that the MMM was limited to the activists getting together and smoking a joint at 4:20 to participate in the global cannabis day. “Our attorney said we’d better not do any more than that, because we’re already not paying our legal fees, and he didn’t want us to do anything that would incur any more that he knows we’ll never be able to pay,” said Felger. “Still, small as it was, it was great to be part of the MMM.”

From Dallas, Paula noted that 20 people showed up in Dealey Plaza, the place where John F. Kennedy was assassinated, for the MMM. “We were on Elm Street, being warned by someone selling JFK trinkets that panhandling was against the law in Dallas. I explained to her that we weren’t panhandling, we were protesting. And the police never did bother us. I think the fear of them though kept a lot of people who promised to come from showing up. Still, we were up from just three last year, so that’s something. And we got a lot of honks from cars passing by and got a chance to educate a number of people on the cannabis issue, so it wasn’t a failure even though we didn’t have a large turnout.

From Washington, Toni, the MMM DC-area coordinator wrote to say that the event went well. “At peak we had close to 60 people, though perhaps only 30 went on the actual march portion of the event. We had representatives from other organizations come, and even some people handing out hemp pretzels. The only problems we had were minor ones with the sound system, but we had good weather, so people just chilled, got informed, and enjoyed the event. We had no arrests and no noticeable police presence. So all was good and we’re looking and hoping for a bigger march here next year.”

From Huntsville, Alabama, Corey wrote that “the global Cannabis Liberation March in Huntsville was successful. Below is a summary of our action review and lessons learned:

WHAT WENT RIGHT::

“1) We had a fairly good turnout for our small community. Thirty or so protestors stayed most of the entire rally, and all were fired up and enthusiastic.
“2) We had a large sign airbrushed with a weed leaf and the word Legalize. It was prominently displayed in front of the county courthouse for the entire afternoon.
“3) Participants came prepared with drums and music.
“4) There was no police intimidation at all. We had video cameras armed and ready and the bicycle cops couldn’t pedal away fast enough.
“5) The parade permit was requested well in advance and approved without incident.
“6) We were able to meet some really cool people who want to participate in a greater capacity in preparation of future events.
“7) Everyone had fun.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

“1) I only asked for one box of flyers from the Cures-Not-Wars folks, and we ran out way too soon.
“2) We did not get the media coverage I had hoped for.
“3) Some old drunk showed up early in the morning while we were setting up. He was clearly looking for a fight. He tried to rip up some literature. He was warned about how easy it can be to slip and hit your face on the pavement when you’re that intoxicated and belligerent. He left peacefully… and quickly. I saw him watching us later in the afternoon, but he didn’t approach with all the protesters present. Next time I think I’ll just call the cops.

WHAT WE CAN IMPROVE NEXT YEAR:

“1) We could use a lot more flyers.
“2) Supplement Cures-Not-Wars flyers with locally produced ones.
“3) Get a band.
“4) Notify television-station newsrooms of the event well in advance and repeatedly the day of the event.
“5) Provide food or food vendors.
“6) More signs and some large, professionally produced banners. They are not expensive and have a big impact.

“Here in north Alabama the government is routinely handing out brutally excessive sentences for marijuana. It’s sometimes difficult to convince people to take a risk and start standing up for their rights. The support we received from the Cures-Not-Wars people was a tremendous help.”

From Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, Kate Stepanski reports that the MMM “pretty much turned into a party where people were dancing, playing frisbee, eating, telling their stories about starting to use marijuana and why they are good citizens, and listening to music. There were about 50 in attendance and everything ran smoothly. The police didn’t even show up.”

From Ljubljana, Slovenia, Tina wrote to say that they had the week off and that the MMM has been scheduled for Saturday, May 10. She promises to report to HT following what she anticipates to be a well-attended event.

From Flint, Michigan, Rev. Happy reports that attendance at this year’s march was down slightly, to about 80, something he attributes to the tone of the era. The good Reverend suggests that given that even some of the attendees appeared too frightened to get out of their cars—at least one policeman was apparently hassling people—“I say SARS masks are the perfect advertising for this movement because it outlines the paranoia. NOW AVAILABLE: SARS masks with pot leaves on front, $4.20 each.”

He went on to say even though the thousands expected didn’t show up, the local media helped reach out and spread the word and that “thousands are now tuned into the events that shape our policies to the benefit of freedom and liberty.”

From Boone, North Carolina, N8 writes that “the march was a success. It was a gorgeous day with a smaller-than-expected turnout of about 25-50 people. Our chant, courtesy of Jean Marlowe, was ‘one, two, three, four, we don’t want this ganja war; five, six, seven, eight, open up the prison gates!’

“We enjoyed great performances from Bum’s Lie and Paranoid Outlaw, and our rally even made it onto the second page of the local paper, The Wautauga Democrat.”

From Des Moines, Iowa, veteran activist Carl Olsen wrote that attendance at his rally was down too. “I think we had 100-150 people, less than half what we had last year. The lower turnout might be attributed to May 3 being one of the few, bright, sunny days this rainy spring. There were no arrests and we had a good time.

“As I was leaving I found about a dozen beer cans in the Iowa capitol’s visitors’ parking lot where I parked. Next year we’ll probably say something about alcohol, since it is a violation of state law to possess alcohol on the capitol grounds. Just another reason we need legal pot…

“The Capitol police were friendly and we enjoyed talking to them. State Representative Fallon spoke to us about the difficulty he has had finding cosponsors for his medical-marijuana bills.”

From Colorado Springs, Colorado, Bob Melamed reported a small successful gathering of 100-200 people who listened to Jonny and the Jukes, and heard Melamed and Joe Peitri talk on legalization. “There was an information booth and numerous medical users were in attendance. Police were friendly and cooperative.”

On a personal note, Melamed reports that his wife went into labor that same evening and that they now have a new son. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Melamed!

From Missoula, Montana, John Masterson from Montana NORML reports that “despite wind and rain, a group of about 50 dedicated Missoula activists marched from the university to the Missoula courthouse on May 3 to demand an end of the failed public policy of cannabis prohibition. The march was organized by the Montana chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

“On the steps of the courthouse, Masterson told the dedicated, shivering crowd that ‘the time has come to end the war on the construction worker who chooses marijuana over martinis. End the war on the college student who smokes a joint with friends and giggles over Ren and Stimpy cartoons. And for God’s sake, end the war on the sick and dying who obtain relief from this benign plant.’

“Many attendees carried green flags in the familiar shape of oversized cannabis leaves, many of which were decorated with slogans such as ‘Legalize it!’ and ‘End the Prison State!’

“Masterson also outlined Montana NORML’s plan to run a ‘deprioritization’ initiative, which would instruct local authorities to make small-time cannabis crimes their lowest possible priority. Efforts are underway to pass a similar measure in Seattle.”

From Hamilton, Bermuda, Queen Selassie of the Rastafari Embassy writes that “the rally turned out to be a lovely picnic on an ocean front park. There were approximately 50 people in attendance beneath large, colorful, tie-dyed sheets, and the cannabis leaf flew from the trees. Sweet reggae music was enjoyed, and a petition to decriminalize ganja now has almost 3,000 signatures. A new petition for legalization already has 900 signatures, and it is expected that there will be a forum with government representatives later this month and a march on Parliament in mid-June.

“This was Hamilton’s first year of participation in the MMM and with this being an election year in Bermuda, activists are trying to get the political parties to look at the cannabis laws.”

From Moscow, the Moscow team wrote to say that their MMM was held on Sunday, May 4 as a Smoke-In for Human Rights. At noon, about 20 activists gathered on Pushkin Square in the center of the Russian capital, where they smoked up while posting stickers and distributing a petition to legalize marijuana and the MOZG harm-reduction magazine. Members of the reggae band Jah Division were in attendance, and passersby joined the festivities as well to listen to what was being said.

“At one point, Dima, an activist, was passing out literature and asked to leave his spot, an underpass, by a policeman. He refused and the policeman was joined by others until there were eight cops to the one activist. ‘Then we explained to them that legalization meant state production and supply of drugs, therefore controlling the drug trade. They understood it the way cops would we able to open their own shops and sell drugs, which actually cheered them up. But they still thought it unrealistic, so they asked us to leave the underpass, and promised that next year they would smoke with us.’”

From Finland, Sky reports that there were four MMM demonstrations around the country, in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Oulu. The Helsinki demonstration, 400-600 strong, was shown on the Finnish national broadcasting company during their main news report, and local channels included the demonstration in Turku as well.

“Arranged by the Finnish Cannabis Association, the march was a colorful and relaxing parade through the Finnish capital. Following the march there were speeches in the afternoon sunshine, and in the evening a concert drew more than 1,500 people and a number of bands and performers.

“In Turku only 150 marched, but they were joined by a great deal more in the park celebration, part of it due to the World Championship Ice Hockey games going on in Finland now. The whole center of Turku was covered by the Green Panthers’ Green Light-License to Hemp and Stop the Drug War posters, and the local radio helpfully announced the event. The local newspaper, Turun Sanomat, interviewed the local representative from the Free From Drugs organization, which is very influential in Finland.

“In Tampere, a group called Hamppukaupunki (Hemp City) arranged their first demonstration ever, and drew 150-200 young people for their MMM march. Police escorted the drumming crowd through the center of town. As it grew, the crowd spilled over from the sidewalk into the street, snarling traffic. Nonetheless, a good time was had by all but a few put-out drivers.

“In Oulu, local activists also arranged their first hemp march but this one was done by sudden inspiration, with no advertising but phone calls, and still drew more than 150 people. Local police generally treated participants like criminals, bringing in three dogs to sniff people before they could join the rally. On the other hand, the police had warned the organizers to pass the word of what they were planning, so that people would have time to discard anything incriminating. As a result no one was arrested, and a good time was had by all.”

From Dunedin, New Zealand, Duncan Eddy sent along the write-up from the local paper, in which it was noted that “Police did nothing to stop protestors smoking cannabis in the foyer of the Dunedin Central Police Station on Saturday.

“About 20 people, led by protest organizer Duncan Eddy, walked into the police station at 2:45 PM smoking cannabis joints as part of Dunedin’s J-Day… to protest against cannabis laws.

“They were met by Senior Sergeant Bruce Ross, who appeared briefly behind the reception desk and refused a statement offered by Mr. Eddy.”

An additional 50 protesters were gathered outside the station and they too were lighting up. Altogether about 300 people were estimated to have attended the rally, including about 70 who carried a large fake joint to the police station at the end of the 4th J-Day MMM rally.

Mr. Eddy was quoted in the paper as saying: “We have just had a few hundred people sitting here and smoking cannabis in the grand tradition of civil disobedience. There’s been a really good feeling here.”

One young mother who had brought her 20-month old daughter to the rally said she was protesting the “repressive and oppressive” cannabis laws. “You make rules in society to minimize harm. The harm of arresting people for using marijuana is so much worse than the harm of using it,” she said.

The rally was aimed at getting the police involved in the debate on cannabis law reform, but Sgt. Ross said he was not interested in getting involved with that. He said he felt that simply ignoring the protesters was the best way to deal with the situation at the time.

From Montpelier, Vermont, word from the Ramabahama network said that turnout was limited to a dozen folks who enjoyed some live music and conversation on a lovely spring day.

-----end of High Times article-----

 

-----------------

 

From: http://www.geocities.com/tents444/mmmlinks.htm#rep and
http://members.fortunecity.com/multi19/mmmlinks.htm#rep

 

1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 MMM-Cannabis Rally REPORTS.

*There are 2 publicly-archived MMM Yahoo Groups that will allow non-subscribers to post MMM-related messages, previews, photos, web pages, rally reports, questions, requests for help, etc.. No subscription is necessary for a few weeks before and after the MMM events worldwide the first Saturday in May. During this period of time you do not have to subscribe in order to post. Just use either email address below. The moderator will forward your MMM emails to the appropriate Yahoo Groups, people, etc.. Your email may take a day or two to show up in one of the public archives. It depends on how often the moderator checks his email. So post your MMM-related stuff to:
mmmworld@yahoogroups.com  or
mmmreports@yahoogroups.com
The 2 Yahoo Groups have public archives at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mmmworld  and
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mmmreports 

*Please send in personal or published MMM rally reports to Dana Beal 
dana@...  and to the MMM Reports email list and public archive:  
mmmreports@yahoogroups.com (normally you have to subscribe first to send in reports). Subscribe by sending email here first: 
mmmreports-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or by going to the homepage and clicking the "Join this Group" button. 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mmmreports  --MMM Reports homepage. Public archive.

*2003 MMM rally reports. Compiled by FoM of CannabisNews.com
http://freedomtoexhale.com/million.htm 

*2003 MMM rally reports. Rally reports from other years too. 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mmmreports 

*2003 MMM rally reports worldwide. High Times article: 
http://www.hightimes.com/htsite/news/content.php?page=news_03050821  and with comments: 
http://www.hightimes.com/htsite/news/content.php?page=news_03050821&tpage=1&cmnt=1 

*2002 MMM. Rally reports worldwide. Rally reports from other years too. 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mmmreports 

*2002 MMM. Freddie Freak (of Norway) has a compilation of links to MMM 2002 rally reports worldwide. You can also click his homepage page link below, and then click the MMM 2002 link there: 
http://freddiefreak.com 

*2002 MMM. Rally reports worldwide. Various compilations. 
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/million.htm  --FoM of CannabisNews.com compilation. 
http://www.schmoo.co.uk/world.htm  and 

*2001 MMM. Rally reports worldwide. Various compilations. 
http://www.schmoo.co.uk/cannabis/world.htm  and
http://www.hightimes.com/News/2001_06/MMMWRAP.html  and 

*2000 MMM, A16, J4J3. Drug war protests in around 100 cities worldwide. 
____Alphabetical rally reports for 2000. Photos, audio, video____ 
-- May 6. MMM. Million Marijuana March, Cannabis 2000. 100 cities. 
-- April 15. A16 prison industrial complex rally. Washington DC. 
-- March 2000. J4J3. Journey for Justice 3. Florida. Medical cannabis. 
http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/y/links.htm  and  
http://members.fortunecity.com/multi19/links.htm

*2000 MMM. Rally reports worldwide. 
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/mmnes20.htm  --FoM of CannabisNews.com compilation. 

*1999 MMM. London and around the world. Rally reports. 
http://www.schmoo.co.uk/cannabis/london.htm 

*1999 MMM. Rally reports worldwide. 
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/mmm99.htm  --FoM of CannabisNews.com compilation. 

----------------------------------------------

 

MMM search shortcuts. Google, Google News, CannabisNews, MAP, etc..

*Some Google News MMM shortcuts. Google News only archives links for around 30 days. So it is important to archive the actual media articles elsewhere on nonprofit sites such as CannabisNews.com or MAP-DrugNews or other nonprofit sites. 
http://news.google.com/news?q=%22Million+Marijuana+March%22  and 
http://news.google.com/news?q=cannabis+rally  and 
http://news.google.com/news?q=marijuana+rally 

*MMM search shortcuts for specific years. The whole web. 
http://google.com/search?q="million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=2003+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=2002+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=2001+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=2000+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=1999+"million+marijuana+march" and 

*MMM search shortcuts for specific years. Using Google search of MAP/DrugNews. Not many MMM media articles were sent in to MAP until 2002. Though there were many MMM media articles worldwide starting in at least 2000. 
http://google.com/search?q=site:mapinc.org+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=site:mapinc.org+"million+marijuana+march"+v99 and
http://google.com/search?q=site:mapinc.org+"million+marijuana+march"+v00 and
http://google.com/search?q=site:mapinc.org+"million+marijuana+march"+v01 and
http://google.com/search?q=site:mapinc.org+"million+marijuana+march"+v02 --Many articles. 
http://google.com/search?q=site:mapinc.org+"million+marijuana+march"+v03 and

*MMM search shortcuts for specific years. Using Google search of CannabisNews.com -- Note that the MMM phrase or the year may be from a comment, and not from the article itself. 
http://google.com/search?q=site:cannabisnews.com+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=site:cannabisnews.com+1999+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=site:cannabisnews.com+2000+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=site:cannabisnews.com+2001+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=site:cannabisnews.com+2002+"million+marijuana+march" and
http://google.com/search?q=site:cannabisnews.com+2003+"million+marijuana+march" and

*For more Google help, search tips, advanced search, and many more options: 
http://www.google.com/help/ and
http://members.fortunecity.com/multi19/search.htm

Some less specific search terms are used in these search shortcuts using the MAP-DrugNews Power Search form. These search shortcuts are set to search only the month of May in each year. From May 1 through May 31. 5-1-03 through 5-31-03, for example. 

http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2003&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2003 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2002&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2002 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2001&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2001 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2000&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2000 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=1999&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=1999 

http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2003&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2003 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2002&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2002 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2001&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2001 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2000&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2000 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+rally&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=1999&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=1999 

http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2003&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2003 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2002&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2002 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2001&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2001 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2000&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2000 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=cannabis+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=1999&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=1999 

http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2003&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2003 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2002&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2002 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2001&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2001 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=2000&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=2000 
http://www.mapinc.org/find?BK=marijuana+protest&BT=All+Words&MM1=5&DD1=1&YY1=1999&MM2=5&DD2=31&YY2=1999 

------------------------------------- 

 

CannabisNews.com MMM search shortcuts.

MMM search shortcut for CannabisNews.com archives. Results in chronological order. Latest on top.  Unfortunately, some results are for MMM mentioned only in a comment. 
http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=million+marijuana+march&PS=on&H=320 

*CannabisNews.com press and media archives. Expanded search form. 
http://www.cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl  

The expanded CannabisNews search form has a checkbox for phrase searching. Or you can add "&PS=on" to the search shortcut URL. In either case phrase searching is not perfect, because when searching for 3 or more terms, the search engine pulls up articles with any of the terms adjacent to one of the other terms. All the terms must be in the article or comments somewhere though. But not necessarily all 3 terms adjacent to each other. 2 adjacent seems to be enough. 
http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=million+marijuana+march&PS=on  

You can set it to pull up any number of articles up to the maximum number of articles allowed (320). Just add &H=320 (or a number under 320) to the search shortcut. 
http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=million+marijuana+march&PS=on&H=320 

Results are in chronological order. The default order for results is by date of the article (not the comments). So it is fairly easy to figure out the year of the article by running your cursor over the result URLs and noting the numbers. 

This sometimes produces better results than using Google MMM search shortcuts for CannabisNews, and with a specific year in the search shortcut. Google results do not arrive in chronological order of the articles. So it can be difficult to find the year of an article without opening the article. Because the search term for the year may only be found in the comments. Comments will sometimes mention years other than the year of the article. 

The CannabisNews search engine searches the articles AND the comments. So some pages are pulled up in which the search terms are found only in the comments. 

Open the article. You can use the "find" command in the edit menu of your browser to locate whether the search phrase "million marijuana march" is in the article or in the comments.

---------------------------------------------

More MMM LINKS, images, etc.

*For FLYERS and POSTERS  (by mail, download, or on the web), MMM-Cannabis history, reports, info, etc., go to 
http://www.cures-not-wars.org  and
http://www.cures-not-wars.org/gallery/ThumbnailFrame.html  --Click thumbnail images to enlarge.
http://images.google.com/images?q=%22million+marijuana+march%22  --Many MMM images worldwide!
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=million+marijuana+march

*Banners, web page images, etc..
http://www.millionmarijuanamarch.org/webmasters.php 

-----------------

-----------

MMM. Million Marijuana March. 236+ cities globally.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cannabisaction
1.3% of Texas adults imprisoned!
4.8% in jail, prison, probation, or parole!
666 Texas leads the world! Texas is EVIL! ;)
Texas = state-sponsored drug-war terrorism!
Please distribute widely.

 

Used Google News search shortcut to find this article.
http://news.google.com/news?q=%22Million+Marijuana+March%22&scoring=d

 

See also:
http://kyberia.sk and
http://mmm.kyberia.sk

 

------------------

 

------Slovak Spectator article begins-------

 

International Weekly

May 12 - 18,2003, Volume 9, Number 18

Subscription  Classifieds  Ad Rates

Search  Archive  Settings  Info  Comments

NEWS  BUSINESS  FEATURES Around Slovakia  OPINION  CULTURE

send this story printer-friendly reply to article Around Slovakia PROTEST calls for politicians to 'legalise nature'. photo:TASR Bratislava Bratislavans march for legalisation of marijuana THE FIRST ever march in favour of legalising marijuana attracted hundreds of mainly young people to the streets of the country's capital city on May 3. The march was part of a global event called Million Marijuana March 2003. Organisers of the event said they wanted to protest against the criminalisation of what they said was a soft drug. They also wanted to point out that the weed could be useful in medicine, the beauty industry, and other sectors. Coordinated by the US-based Cures Not Wars organisation, the march took place in about 200 towns and cities around the world. ---------end of article--------- -----------------

MMM. Million Marijuana March. 236+ cities globally.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cannabisaction
1.3% of Texas adults imprisoned!
4.8% in jail, prison, probation, or parole!
666 Texas leads the world! Texas is EVIL! ;)
Texas = state-sponsored drug-war terrorism!
Please distribute widely.

Dana Beal <dana@...> wrote:

To: greenpartydrugsgroup@...
CC: yerbanena@..., risto.mikkonen@...,
"Ken Gorman" , indianbud@...,
initiativ@..., Mojca Straus ,
ezpz@..., newagecitizen@..., hromi@...,
"Terry Mitchell" , pariah_mob@...,
jc0_66@..., "Irena" ,
legalizemichigan@..., "Matthew Jorn" ,
Newagecitizen@..., Xpu100 , mjmarch@...,
info@..., marijuanamarch@..., hempSA@...,
has.cornelissen@..., farid@..., inorml@...,
, Boris.it@...,
Chris Conrad , iowanorml@...,
duncaneddy@..., , RoadsEnd@...,
Chris Wright , rastapeace@...,
pdxnorml@..., hempSA@..., smuuthc11@...,
acididea@..., , andyganja2001@...,
"Melody Karr" ,
"Howie Hempalot" , ,
mmm@..., melacs42x60@..., rebelart@...,
pcornwell@..., martin@..., CAMPNC@...,
Blocpot@..., DennyLane@..., rappa@...,
, Hanfparaden Center Berlin ,
, mayday@yahoogroups.com,
"kathy kennedy" , ,
sokrates@..., , ,
"justin ballot" , Hempsters@...,
texasm5@..., "Roy B. Scherer" ,
helmut holtzheimer , phillty2@...,
steph@..., "Bill Downing" ,
"Dave Toaff" , mmm@...,
"Angela Goodhope" ,
Usersvoice.jmt@..., Michael Palmieri ,
PROBER13@..., StewMO1941@..., rmelamed@...,
chris@..., pakaloha@...,
werkhausen@... (M. Werkhausen), chairman@...,
bloom@..., pdr , aksh1@...,
fdb@..., , Hanf-tv@...,
blair@..., "Jay Statzer" ,
encimer@..., Skywolf@..., ,
cannabisal@..., globalpeas@..., emanuel@...,
dangssdp@..., fine_time909@..., Boris@...,
miriamwhite420@..., bud_jamesbud@..., mappnow@...,
xchaos@..., btm42@..., wachtel@...,
forml420@..., Michela Gesualdo ,
terryparkerjr@..., fjhc@hotmail, "Razor" ,
legalise@..., "Nelg Nella" ,
artworks@..., phillyweed420@..., info@...,
doncriss@..., Peter Bluhm ,
"Joe Wein" ,
"Bud Spliff" , info@...,
OCannabisSociety@..., "Catherine Jones" ,
writch@..., cannabisaction@yahoogroups.com,
mary mackenzie , hilary@...,
escandonavia@..., jipiando@..., leoparda_azul@...,
faenadub@..., don@..., ultra_plus_estrella@...,
helmcke@..., m_bandida@..., malcomska@...,
foroalici@..., earthfirstswt@..., dmcvay@...,
taudarknes@..., "The Happy Hemptress" ,
"New Paltz Norml" , hamppu.kaupunki@...,
bitchcrafts420@..., kendermag@...,
"melissa ann"
From: Dana Beal
Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 21:05:40 -0400
Subject: [mayday] GMfCL 2003 #32: Global Cannabis Wrap-up, 3rd edition; Join 19
2004!

So far,19 Cities Have Signed up for 2004 . MAYDAY IS J DAY! (The first Saturday of May falls on May 1st next year.)

ashland

cleveland

detroit

dublin

flint

frankfurt

kansas city

lansing

mexico city

montpelier

new york

nimbin

ogden

parkersburg
richmond

san marcos

toronto

traverse city

tupelo

wichita

--------

From:  "Hilary" <hilary@...>

To: "Dana Beal" <dana@...>

Subject:  Fw: June 4 National Action Alert!

Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 11:42:46 -0700     

National Day of Action June 4
on Ed Rosenthal's Sentencing Date
 
ASA's "Meet the 80%" Summer Campaign Launched
 
Ed Rosenthal is due to be sentenced June 4. (time still unknown) We are calling on all supporters of
medical marijuana & jurors' rights to join us in a national day of action Wednesday, June 4.
 
We have 3 suggested actions for that day. Please choose one that fits best, and for the madly active, join us
in all 3!
 
1) PROTEST IN SAN FRANCISCO: Join us for a rally and street theatre at the SF Federal Courthouse
before, during, and after Ed's sentencing hearing.
 
2) EDUCATE THE JURY POOL: Choose that day to do a banner action outside your local federal
courthouse while jurors are coming in. Suggested message: "Jurors: Acquit in All Pot Cases - It Could Be
Medical - www.jurors.info" Call us to get a supply of new jury education postcards.
 
3) CHALLENGE YOUR CONGRESS MEMBER: For those members who haven't co-sponsored the
Truth in Trials Act, MPP is coordinating a national day of leafletting outside of members' district offices.
To check on your rep and get flyers, visit mpp.org
 
Stand up for our rights!
Get out there & meet the 80% of Americans who support us, and let them all know they have to
Vote Twice for Medical Marijuana - Once in the Ballot Box and Once in the Jury Box.
 
(and do let us know if you'll be joining in this day of action)
 
Hilary McQuie
Campaign Coordinator
Americans for Safe Access
1678 Shattuck Ave. #317
Berkeley, CA 94709
Phone: 510-486-8083
Fax: 510-486-8090
www.safeaccessnow.org
 

---------------------

Pubdate: Mon, 05 May 2003
Source: Racine Journal Times, The (WI)
Copyright: 2003, The Racine Journal Times
Contact: opinion@...
Website: http://www.journaltimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1659
Author: Dr. Robert J. Melamede

MEDICAL MARIJUANA

The federal government appears to be unable to get sound scientific advice
from the peer-reviewed professional literature regarding medical marijuana.
I am concerned. I see two choices. They are incompetent or they have an
agenda that overrides their concern for suffering citizens.

All aspects of our health are regulated by the marijuana-like compounds
known as endocannabinoids. Every time Ashcroft gets hungry his body makes
endocannabinoids that give him the munchies. If he had a stroke, or simply
as he ages, they help protect his brain from damage. If he had a heart
attack, they would help repair his heart. They protect him from pain. They
protect him from immune disorders. If he is lucky enough to get by with
what his body produces, why does he deny those who need more, what he uses
every day?

Dr. Robert J. Melamede

Chairman, Biology Department, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colo.

*****!!! May 4, 2002 Cannabis Liberation Day: Updates,  Reports!!!*****

Pubdate: Sat, 03 May 2003
Source: New Zealand Press Association (New Zealand Wire)
Copyright: 2003 New Zealand Press Association

PRO-CANNABIS J DAY ORGANISERS UPSET AT VENUE BAN

Organisers of the pro-cannabis J Day in downtown Auckland today are upset
at being told they had to move from their publicised venue.

Weather permitting, the event was to start at noon at Albert Park instead
of Aotea Square, where the National Organisation for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws (Norml) has a stall at the weekend market.

President Chris Fowlie said Norml was told by The Edge, which manages the
square, in a phone call this week that the event did not comply with the
idea of "family values" for a public area.

Mr Fowlie said cannabis smokers were being treated like "second-class
citizens".

"Permitted Aotea Square activities include St Patrick's Day drunkenness."

J Day has been held at Albert Park in the past, and Mr Fowlie said speakers
today would include Green MP Nandor Tanczos.

A spokeswoman for The Edge said J Day organisers had not made a formal
application to book the square.

But she also indicated that any application would have been turned down.

"We have worked very hard to establish the square as a family friendly
venue," she said.

"We would not approve an event at which illegal drugs were being used."

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n665.a09.html

Pubdate: Fri, 09 May 2003
Source: Auckland City Harbour News (NZ)
Contact: edcl@...
Copyright: 2003 Auckland City Harbour News.
Website: http://www.inl.co.nz/publications/general/info67.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2910
Author: Benedict Collins
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

J DAY PROTEST SNUFFED OUT

A plan to hold a protest meeting in Aotea Square last Saturday was snuffed
out after a dispute between the event organisers and their potential host.

The J Day protest had been advertised to take place at Aotea Square, a
change from the traditional venue of Albert Park.

However, The Edge, the company responsible for managing Aotea Square,
denies the event had been booked.

Activist Jonathon Rennie says the venue change had been designed to bring
more attention to the cause.

"I guess by having it in Aotea Square we would have been a bit more in
people's faces than usual and gained more attention," Mr Rennie says.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n681.a06.html

------------------------

Date:Mon, 12 May 2003 09:01:20 +0200

From: risto mikkonen <risto.mikkonen@...>

Subject:some corrected figures/finland

In Finland there were hemp demonstrations 3.5.2003 in altogether 4
cities: Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Oulu.

The Finnish national broadcasting company (YLE) showed demonstration in
Helsinki in their main TV-news and channel four showed the demo in Turku
in their news. YLE estimated 400 participants in Helsinki, the biggest
newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, estimated 600. Arranger, Finnish Cannabis
Association, speak about one thousand. The march was a colourful parade
through the Finnish capital, the route passed Finnish parliament and the
feeling was relaxed. After the march there were speeches in the park and
people spent relaxing afternoon in the sunshine. TV-news showed people
rolling and smoking. In the evening happening there were 300 visitors
and a number of bands and performances.

In Turku there were fewer people than last year, 150 in the march and
more in the park, but there was a much bigger public because of The
Icehockey World Championship Games going on in Helsinki, Turku and
Tampere. At least in Turku Danish and Lettish icehockey fans seemed to
enjoy the scene and showed their support for the cause - or for the
parade. Whole center of Turku was covered by Vihreet Pantterit (The
Green Panthers) with Vihreää Valoa - lupa hampulle (Green Light -
Licence to Hemp) and Stop the Drug War posters for two weeks and this
time also local radio announced the event in their saturday sending.
Local newspaper, Turun Sanomat, told about the purpose of the march but
they interviewed also the local representative of the Free From Drugs

organisation, that is very influential in Finland. She complained that
freedom of speech can be used for something like this and that the
police is guarding the event. This comment shows well their basic
values.

In Tampere a group called Hamppukaupunki (Hemp City) arranged their
first demonstration and the event drew 150-200 mainly young people for
the march. The police escorted the drumming crowd through the center
first on the side walk but because of the number of participants it
spread on the street. The local newspaper wrote only about how the hemp
demo disturbed the traffic, our holy cow. After the march people held
speeches in the park and planned for the next year.

In Oulu local activists had arranged their first hemp march rapidly by
sudden inspiration with no other advertising but from mouth to mouth and

from phone to phone, and got together 150 young people. Local police in
that northern town had treated people like criminals, brought in three
dogs to sniff people before they were allowed to start. On the other
hand the police had stopped their car in the distance, asked the
organiser first to tell people what they are going to do so that
everybody had time to drop possible discriminating materials. Nobody was
arrested. In cold winds people had walked around the walking street area
of Oulu and returned back to the starting park to plan the real demo for
the next year.

http://www.sky.org
http://www.vihreetpantterit.org
http://www.hamppukaupunki


Ps. Next year it is impossible to have any extra demonstration in Turku
on 1.5. because of The First of May celebration that is a mass event at
least in Finland. The park where we have our party after the march will
be full of drinking and singing people then. So we'll have the MMM
happening on 8.5.2004.

Vihreet Pantterit

------

Pubdate: Tue, 06 May 2003
Source: Reuters (Wire)
Copyright: 2003 Reuters Limited
Author: Tom Armitage

PARENTS PROTEST SWISS CANNABIS DECRIMINALIZATION

ZURICH (Reuters) - Angry parents protested outside the Swiss
parliament on Monday over government plans to decriminalize cannabis
- - a step they say would make Switzerland a Mecca for dope smokers.

The demonstration organized by the Swiss Association of Parents
against Drugs was timed to pre-empt a debate in the lower house on
Thursday on relaxing the laws on cannabis use. Parliament's upper
house has already approved the proposals.

Despite Switzerland's staid reputation, it is not unusual to see
people smoking joints in parks, clubs or on ski lifts. The government
has proposed a Dutch-style decriminalization to bring laws in line
with the widespread social acceptance of the drug.

The laws would tolerate a certain number of registered cannabis
outlets. At the moment so-called "hemp shops," where cannabis
masquerades as herbal tea or pot-pourri, constantly run the risk of
being closed by the police.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n663.a03.html

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 09:21:36 +0200 (CEST)

From: "Even G. Helland" <evenwithall@...>

Reply-To: evenwithall@...

Subject:  Holy hollow.

To:  Dana Beal <dana@...>

I'm giggling here, and feeling a red sensation across my facial nerves, embarrassed.

So sorry, I thought I mentioned I reside in Norway, and am caving in, in this ignorant fight for legalization

up here, as our politicians copy every dumb american politician. So, in a not to distant future, I'll be enjoying
life in a Amsterdamned way, but that's in the future.
Now is here, I'm stuck in freekin' cold NOrWAY for a while.
 
And I believe that the legalization-effort here in Norway will blindly follow other countries, as my own
politicians refuse to answer my simple query: WHY? Why is it illegal?
 
I've tried to communicate with the authoroties here for the past five years now, and it hasn't changed a bit.
Frustrating, and it has a high price: I've lost everything. (Job, family, friends and so forth.)
 
So, I've dedicated the rest of my breathing to this cause; Help End Marihuana Prohibition.
And in every way I can assist, I will.

BTW: Did you know that the infamous Aleister Crowley wrote an essay about the Herb Dangerous?
( http://users.lycaeum.org/~sputnik/Ludlow/Texts/Rats/ )
Even though his acknowledge to this magnifique "herb", he went and founded his own bizarre religion...

So, thanks again for fighting on the right side, Dana. Let me know if I can add to your meaning of truth.
And do have an excellent day, eh?
 
Even Ganja Helland              Evenganja@...
P.O.Box 6825, Ulsberget 
4079 Stavanger
NOrWAY

-------

Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2003
Source: Independent on Sunday (UK)
Copyright: Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.
Contact: letters@...
Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/208
Author: Robin Stummer

AH, THE SMELL OF FRESHLY CUT GRASS AND THE FAINT WHIFF OF CONTROVERSY

High witness: They came (those who remembered to), they marched (well,
shuffled) and they smoked. Man did they smoke.

It began beside the grey block war memorial to the London Borough of
Lambeth's finest, who had given their lives fighting the Kaiser, and it
ended up two miles away in a big open space with thousands of new age
visionaries, trance-state guitar soloists, pathologically earnest students,
the occasional marauding hound off a leash, a fair slice of what used to be
called Middle England, and lots - and lots - of cannabis.

If ever a short march could trace the possible trajectory of 21st-century
Britain, the 2003 Cannabis March was it.

Like most organised offensives aimed at the heart of the state machine, it
began as an assembly of small groups of five or six scattered throughout
Kennington Park, small knots of denim and leather arranged in earnest,
inward-facing circles.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n660.a06.html

------------------------------

Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2003
Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
Copyright: 2003 Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Contact: letters@...
Website: http://www.telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/509
Note: only publishes letters from state residents.
Author: Chris Echegaray

SOCIOLOGIST ENDORSES USE OF MARIJUANA

Pot Backer Decries Law Enforcement Cost

WORCESTER- Money and resources are being depleted when more than 500,000
people a year are arrested on marijuana-related charges, according to a
sociologist who supports the legalization of the drug.

Keith Saunders, who is on the board of Directors of Massachusetts Cannabis
Reform Coalition, said yesterday that people support medical marijuana more
than voters supported President Bush and his opponent, Al Gore.

Mr. Saunders was one of several speakers at the Global Cannabis Liberation
Day Concert and Political Rally held at Green Hill Park from noon to 6 p.m.
More than 50 people went to see several music bands perform, with guest

speakers stepping in between sets.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n654.a13.html

Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2003
Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
Copyright: 2003 Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Contact: letters@...

Website: http://www.telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/509
Note: only publishes letters from state residents.
Author: Dianne Williamson, Telegram & Gazette Columnist

CANNABIS USERS FACE DAILY FEAR

Marijuana Supporters Seek Understanding

It's hard to ignore the humorous aspect - the sniggering side - of efforts
to legalize marijuana. A week before this city hosted yesterday's first
"Cannabis Liberation Day" rally, I received a press release from organizers
and called the person listed as the contact. Except that the man who

answered the phone wasn't the organizer - his number was mistakenly listed
with the contact's name.

"Her cell phone number got confused with my number," 22-year-old Yakov

explained, rather fuzzily. "Things got mixed up while we were putting this
stuff together." He later added that organizers tried to hold a similar
rally last year, but failed to secure the necessary permits "in a timely
manner."

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n653.a08.html

------------------------------

From: "preston peet" <ptpeet@...>

To: <drugwar@...>, <ibogaine@...>

Subject: photos of NYC MMM march

Date:Mon, 12 May 2003 14:48:47 -0400

Hi all,
    My High Times report on the NYC march has been reposted at DrugWar.com
(see link just below) with a bunch of here-to-fore unseen photos of the
day's proceedings.
Enjoy.
Peace,
Preston

http://www.drugwar.com/mmm03.shtm
-----------------

Pubdate: Thu, 01 May 2003
Source: Metroland (NY)
Copyright: 2003 Lou Communications, Inc.
Contact: sleon@...
Website: http://www.metroland.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1199
Author: Travis Durfee

BUDDING PROTESTORS

Pot is still illegal in all forms in New York -- and just about everywhere
else in the world, except Amsterdam -- but tomorrow (Friday, May 2),
hundreds will gather in Albany looking to change that.

Albany's rally, organized in coordination with the Global March for
Cannabis Liberation, will feature a variety of speakers, bands and
information tables discussing a number of marijuana-related issues,
including the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes,
decriminalization and the war on drugs. The perennial push for cannabis
liberation, now 31 years old, is being carried out this year in more than

200 cities across the globe--from Abbotsford, British Columbia, to Zurich,
Switzerland.

The New York state drug-policy reform group ReconsiDer organized the local
rally.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n688.a01.html

------------------------------

Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2003
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Webpage: http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/2b0313c4-512b-497f-873b-471a9a109459

Copyright: 2003 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.
Contact: letters@...
Website: http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274

MARCHERS URGE LEGALIZATION OF POT

About 300 people took part in a peaceful march through the streets of
Plateau Mont Royal yesterday for the legalization of marijuana. The
marchers said they are unhappy with the federal government's proposal to

decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot, and instead called for
the legalization of marijuana. Hug? St-Onge, head of the Bloc Pot, said the
proposed legislation is a step backward, allowing police to stop more
people for possession of pot. Under the new bill, set to be tabled this

spring, possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana would result in a
fine, but no criminal record. More then 200 cities across the globe held
similar marches as advocates push for the legalization of marijuana.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n654.a09.html
Webpage: http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/2b0313c4-512b-497f-873b-471a9a109459

- ---

Pubdate: Mon, 05 May 2003
Source: Lantern, The (OH Edu)
Copyright: 2003 The Lantern
Contact: lantern@...
Website: http://www.thelantern.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1214
Author: Sarah Snyder

STUDENTS ORGANIZE PROTEST TO END DRUG WAR

People driving past the High Street and 15th Avenue intersection on
Saturday afternoon might have noticed a group of protesters holding signs
with messages like "Legalize Freedom" and "End the Drug War Now." Or they
might have heard chants like "one, two, three, four, let's end the drug war."

This protest was held by the OSU's chapter of Students for Sensible Drug
Policy for their annual legalization of cannabis march.

"This is a worldwide event," said Russell Selkirk, a senior in political

science and member of SSDP.

"On May 3, 4 and 5, over 200 different cities internationally march for the
legalization of marijuana" Selkirk said. "Some universities also hold

educational workshops and video series. We get some help from Cures, Not
Wars, an organization that protests against the drug war. They made the
posters and advertising fliers we posted around campus.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n662.a03.html

------------------------------

From: "Melody Karr" <fiddlefoot420@...>

Subject: Re: GMfCL 2003 #31: March Tally Hits 231 Cities; Signup NOW for Jayday 2004!

Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 01:54:30 -0400

Dana,

Please add Traverse City MI to your list for the May Day is J Day 2004 poster. The contact info is all the
same: Melody Karr (231)885-2993 fiddlefoot420@..., PO Box 524 Mesick MI 49668,
www.michigancan.org.

This is my fourth request to be added. My march report seems to have gotten through all right, so I'm a bit
mystified as to why this message is not being received.

Please add Traverse City MI to the May Day is J Day 2004 poster. Thank you.

Peace, Melody

-----

Date:  Sun, 11 May 2003 13:20:08 -0700 (PDT)

From: Ben McKeown <a1cshowoff@...>

Subject:  Chicago MMMarch

 

I just have a quick comment on the Chicago MMMarch.
This year's march was horribly run.  For a month
before the march, I was writing EVERYBODY I could to

find out info for the March.  I never received a

reply.  Even the website, (www.windycityhemp) is not

up.  The only way I found out about it was a bum
giving me a flyer the night before in Union Station.
I might be nuts for thinking so, but if any success is
wanted in hemp/MJ law reform, people really need to

start getting involved, including the people RUNNING

the events.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

ben

----

Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2003
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2003 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.

Contact: yourviews@...
Website: http://www.oklahoman.com/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: The Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmjcn.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

CANADIANS PROTEST FOR POT LEGALIZATION

TORONTO -- Thousands of people anxiously awaiting changes to Canada's
marijuana laws marched Saturday in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in
support of the drug's decriminalization. Around 2,000 Toronto supporters
enjoyed a bit of the green stuff at Queen's Park as part of the annual

global Million Marijuana March.

"We're here to celebrate the many successes of the past year, and there have
been many," said Larry Duprey, chairman of the Toronto-area Marijuana Party,
who asked the crowd not to overtly provoke police.

"There's no reason to consume in their faces," he said. "Let's have some
discretion. Let's enjoy the day."

No problems were reported and police presence in the park was low-key.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n651.a04.html

------------------------------

Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2003
Source: Columbia Missourian (MO)
Copyright: 2003 Columbia Missourian
Contact: editor@...
Website: http://www.digmo.org/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2282
Author: Andrew Mouzin

SUPPORTERS OF POT LEGALIZATION HOST RALLY

Hacky sack players and live musicians scattered throughout Peace Park on
Saturday for the inaugural Global March for Cannabis Liberation in Columbia.
The rally, held during the first weekend of May, has been a global event for
30 years.

About 20 people showed up at the park around noon for the start of the
rally. Organizers expected more people later in the afternoon when local
bands Bockman's Euphio and Boone County Ham were scheduled to play.

Peter Ninemire, who received a pardon from former President Bill Clinton for
manufacturing marijuana and failure to appear in court, also was scheduled
to speak Saturday evening.

Amber Langston, vice president of MU's chapter of the National Organization
for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said the day is held to educate people

about cannabis and hemp.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n661.a05.html

------------------------------

Pubdate: Mon, 05 May 2003
Source: University Daily Kansan, The (Lawrence, KS Edu)
Webpage: http://www.kansan.com/stories.asp?id0305050034
Copyright: 2003 The University Daily Kansan

Contact: editor@...
Website: http://www.kansan.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2809
Author: Eddie Yang

MARCH PROMOTES MARIJUANA USAGE

As on most Saturday nights, drivers cruising on Massachusetts Street last
Saturday were encouraged to honk for cannabis.

But this time, the message was less about "honking for hemp" and more about
the medicinal and recreational uses of the leafy plant.

A group of about 55 people gathered to show support for legalizing
marijuana as part of the international "Cannabis Liberation Day."

The event, sponsored by the Students for Sensible Drug Policies, was one of
several such events around the world. Cities such as Kansas City, Salt Lake
City, Rome, Tokyo, New York, Moscow and Mexico City hosted similar marches
that usually occur on the first Saturday of May. This was the first time
that Lawrence hosted the 'Million Marijuana March.'

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n676.a08.html
Webpage: http://www.kansan.com/stories.asp?id0305050034

------------------------------

Pubdate: Sat, 03 May 2003
Source: Lawrence Journal-World (KS)
Copyright: 2003 The Lawrence Journal-World
Contact: http://www.ljworld.com/site/submit_letter

Website: http://www.ljworld.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1075

Author: Mike Belt
Cited: Students for a Sensible Drug Policy www.ssdp.org

PROTESTERS HOPE TO SNUFF OUT LAWS AGAINST MARIJUANA USE

They smoke marijuana, and they don't care who knows it.

Friday evening Chase Cookson stood along Massachusetts Street in South Park
and waved a sign that said "Marijuana User -- Not Criminal." Nearly two
dozen fellow Kansas University students stood with him, waving signs with

similar phrases.

"We're just trying to let people know there are different kinds of folks
who are consumers of marijuana," said Cookson, a Wichita junior. "We could
be your brother, son, father or next-door neighbor."

The students, members of the KU Chapter of Students for Sensible Drug
Policy, dubbed their protest of marijuana laws "cannabis liberation." They
later walked down the sidewalk along Massachusetts Street so people
downtown could see them.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n650.a03.html

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 20:04:11 -0300 (ART)

From:  Tato <foigras2002@...>

Subject: Report from México

To:  dana@...

Dana:

Fisrt of all please include us in the list of the next year march.
Report from México City:
 
Around 3000 persons met in the central park "Alameda Central" to claim for the civil rights of Mariguana
users. During more than 3 hours the croud walked  around this  historic park in a festivity mood with the
ambient of  drum music. We did  informative stops in the fountains of the park where Ricardo Sala, Jorge
Hernandez, Leopoldo Rivera, and Lobo talked about legalization, prohibition, actual legal situation and
alternative use of Marihuana.
 
We are glad to say that this march was more than 4 times bigger than last year and was covered by more

than a dozen of newspapers and television. Even a politic party participated in an historic day for the
mexican legalization movement.
 
No problems with police and authorities.
 
thanks and a hello to the activists of the world
Tato

-----

Pubdate: Thu, 01 May 2003
Source: Missoula Independent (MT)
Copyright: 2003 Missoula Independent

Contact: http://www.missoulanews.com/News/Letters/LetterTo.asp
Website: http://www.missoulanews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1534
Author: John Masterson

OPERATION ENDURING WEED-DOM

This week marks the beginning of Cannabis Liberation Week worldwide, an
event that demands an end to the failed public policy of marijuana prohibition.

Currently, the distorted market forces of the government-created black
market for marijuana have pushed its value beyond that of gold. Rather than

continue to subsidize this criminal enterprise, let's acknowledge the
social reality of marijuana and set up a safe, regulated, and

age-controlled market.

Taxing and regulating marijuana would also separate the consumers of this
relatively harmless substance from those of hard drugs like heroin and

methamphetamine.

The minor health risks associated with marijuana are inconsequential when
compared to the long-term effects of a criminal record. Montana law states
that you can go to prison for years for possession, and the rest of your
life for growing.

Montana NORML hopes you and your friends will join us in a march for
Cannabis Liberation, starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at Jacob's Island.

John Masterson
Montana NORML
Missoula

- ---

From:  "D. Paul Stanford" <stanford@...>

Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 23:16:42 -0700

Subject: [mayday] Video of Portland, Oregon march with Ed Rosenthal

Portland's MMM video is on-line at:

http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/video_misc.html
------------------

Pubdate: Mon, 05 May 2003

Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Webpage: http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/D9A4CE04-5E77-4FAC-8615-9906A7524DC9
Copyright: 2003 The Province
Contact: provletters@...
Website: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Jason Proctor

LIGHTEN MARIJUANA LAWS BUT REMEMBER, IT'S STILL ILLEGAL AT THE BORDER: U.S.

As Prime Minister Jean Chretien muses about decriminalizing possession of
small amounts of marijuana, authorities south of the border say Canadians

should remember that no matter which way the smoke blows, laws in the

United States are not changing.

County court officials in Bellingham say their system is already strained
by a string of border busts of B.C. truckers.

"It's a terrible situation. The judges don't like them. The jails are full,
and we wish they would stop," said Whatcom County prosecutor Rosemary
Koholakula. "It's my time. It's the judge's time. It's court time and
finding them a place in jail."

About 200 people in Vancouver joined supporters in more than 250 cities
worldwide on Saturday in a march for the legalization of marijuana.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n654.a07.html

Webpage: http://www.mapinc.org/cancom/D9A4CE04-5E77-4FAC-8615-9906A7524DC9

********************

*****BUSHWHACKED!!*****

************************

Pubdate: Fri, 02 May 2003

Source: Berkeley Daily Planet (US CA)

Copyright: 2003 The Berkeley Daily Planet
Contact: opinion@...
Website: http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1238
Author: Fred Gardner, Special to the Planet (05-02-03)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

MARIJUANA SPECIALIST DEFENDS HIS PRACTICE

Lawyers for Tod Mikuriya, M.D. - a psychiatrist who has lived and practiced
in Berkeley since 1970 - have filed a motion to dismiss the case against him
brought by the Medical Board of California (MBC). If the motion fails,
Mikuriya will spend the week of May 19 in an Oakland courtroom defending his
handling of 17 cases in which medical board investigators claim he "departed
from the standard of care."

Mikuriya, 69, is a leading authority on the medicinal use of cannabis. He

has edited an anthology of pre-prohibition scientific papers and reported
extensively on his own clinical observations. Since Proposition 215 passed
in 1996, legalizing marijuana for medical use in California, he has approved
and monitored its use by more than 7,000 patients, most of them seen at ad

hoc clinics arranged by cannabis clubs in rural counties.

(Many California doctors have been afraid or otherwise reluctant to approve
cannabis use by patients whose conditions are not terminal.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n651.a03.html

------------------------------

Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2003
Source: Chicago Tribune (IL)
Copyright: 2003 Chicago Tribune Company
Contact: ctc-TribLetter@...
Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82
Author: Gary Marx

COLOMBIAN MILITIA SCOFFS AT PEACE

End To Civil War Faces Rocky Road

In The Mountains Of Northwest Colombia -- As Colombian President Alvaro
Uribe tries to make peace with right-wing paramilitary groups, there is at
least one man who is determined to continue the war.

Sitting in a bush camp with two dozen heavily armed troops, Comandante
Rodrigo heads one of Colombia's most powerful paramilitary factions. He is

also one of the most defiant leaders, saying he has no intention of joining
peace talks with the government until the leftist guerrillas who he is
battling do the same.

"It's not a road to peace but a road to unconditional surrender," said

Rodrigo, who heads a faction known as the Metro Bloc.

"To abandon the fight without achieving our goals is to renounce the
future.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n655.a01.html

****!!!IBOGAINE TREATMENT NOW $1500 IN HOLLAND--CALL SARA, 0113134-624-1770 !!!****

From: paul jackamo <paul_jackamo@...>

To: ibogaine@...
X-Originating-IP: [213.122.75.159]

Subject: [IBOGAINE] ibogaine as an alternative to SSRI's
Sender: ibogaine-admin@...
X-BeenThere: ibogaine@...
X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.8
Reply-To: ibogaine@...
List-Help: <mailto:ibogaine-request@...?subject=help>

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X-Original-Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 03:05:38 +0100

Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 03:05:38 +0100
Status:  O

Brett wrote:

"There are people who use ibogaine as a mood enhancer
in place of SSRI's with good success."

I would just like to concur with this. I have been taking 25-50mg of
ibogaine hcl daily for the last month. It has certainly elevated
my "mood". Since it has now been nearly 8 months since taking 1500mg
of ibo hcl for heroin dependency and remaining clean, I can certainly

say it has helped with cravings as the noribogaine leaves the body.

This is just my experience, so I am not making any generalisations. I
realise there is no substitute for tripping in the death realms but small

daily doses as an adjunct to ibogaine therapy at a large dosage range
seems to work for me.

I ran out of hcl three days ago and my mood is still fine. Compared to
the depressive states i have felt coming off junk prior to my ibogaine
experiences (d1 & d2 dopamine imbalance?) the daily doses have kept
and strengthend my resolve and kept me clean.

I still havent stopped smoking which is why i originally started taking the
hcl daily but i am sure a large dose can open up areas in my mind that
stil contain addictive programs. The choice to stop is as always, mine.

best wishes

paul.

I hope those that attended the NYC conference had a good time and I
look forward to reading a report soon. Dana mentioned some video was
taken. It would be good to make that available to people interested in

ibogaine here in England and elsewhere.

Dear Paul:

As per the consensus at the end of the conference, I took my case to the New York State Assembly, which was holding a hearing on the heroin crisis. Drs. Drucker and Neuman were there and were testifying before me; Joe Lentol who with assemblyman Dinowitz were the two members physically present asking questions on behalf of that august body. Lentol, previously briefed by us, asked Neuman about Ibogaine, and to his credit (or perhaps more due to the work of Lotsof in NAMA), Neuman took no potshots, but repeated the mantra that the widest menu of treatments must be available, since "one size does not fit all." My presentation, below, was followed by a couple of remarks, i.e., about the incompatabiliy of AIDS drugs with methadone, and about the fact that maintenance might be much more acceptable, both to the addict or the community, if clients first had a chance to try ibo and fail a number of times before going onto longterm methadone.

Afterwards I talked  with Health committee head Dick Gottfried's aide Mike Rabinowitz, and he said it was good I'd involved this particular taskforce, since they had more staff time to deal with it.

He also said he would try to make the July 7 meeting with Gottfried.

Dana/cnw

Testimony to the Joint Assembly Taskforce on the Heroin Crisis:

IBOGAINE AND TREATMENT OF HEROIN DEPENDENCY


This month new articles about the use of Ibogaine in the treatment of addiction are appearing in DISCOVER, The New Scientist, the L.A. TIMES, the GUARDIAN of London, and DETAILS magazine.   Yet even after dozens of articles in the press and scientific journals, most people are not aware that a treatment exists which can get people off drugs overnight--painlessly.

This rainforest alkaloid has been reported to act as an addiction interrupter across a wide spectrum of abused substances, legal and illegal, in more more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers. A unique effect is the simultaneous loss of multiple addictions--for example opiates, meth-amphetamine, crack, alcohol and cigarettes--after as little as a single treatment.

In the last few years, through the work of John Stuen of the National AIDS Brigade, it's become clear that most of the heroin in the Northeast United States has been re-processed with lidocaine and novocaine for a "speedball" effect in order to "punch through" methadone. In 12 samples turned into the NYPD, the stimulant content ranged from .05 to 20%. The immediate effect in addicts is that they need more injections, share more needles, spread more HIV and hepatitis C. And the Gold Standard of current treatment--methadone--is rendered worthless.

Ibogaine, on the other hand, is the first pharmacotherapy where, when the treatment wears off, addicts are free of both physical withdrawal and psychological craving. Methadone has a significant problem of deaths due to diversion. There is also a significant history of deaths with Ultra Rapid Opiate Detox, the procedure where naltrexone is injected after sedation with valium-like drugs. Dr Lance Gooberman   of New Jersey was fined and lost his medical licence because he had 4 deaths out of 2350 procedures. And where opioid maintenance (methadone, buprenorphin) or blockers (naltrexone) fail to address the underlying dopaminergic disorder (craving), re-treatment with Ibogaine (should uncontrollable cravings re-cur, or in the event or relapse) is safe and easy.

With Ibogaine, the acute phase that requires bed-rest takes just two days. Even with a period to keep patients under observation in case you have to administer another, smaller dose after 4 to 6 days for residual cravings, folks can be back at work in just under two weeks. With 15 to 40%  of  treated subjects [depending on drug of abuse] remaining drug free for long periods of time after just one treatment, and more definitive resolution of the most refractory cases being acheived with two to four treatments over a two year period, it is difficult to understand why Ibogaine is not more accessible to the addicted population of New York state.

The problem is that Ibogaine was misclassified as a Schedule 1 drug at the end of the 1960's--a status which it has only in the United States, Belgium and Switzerland. It is legal everywhere else in the world. Efforts to change the status of Ibogaine by channeling it through the FDA approval process have foundered because no sponsor is willing step up the bat because of the stigma associated with a schedule 1 drug. The stumbling block, as always, is funding--plus lack of the support Ibogaine would have if more people realized it's not some far-off possibility in the distant future, but an option already available just over the border in Canada and Mexico.

Cures not Wars recommends that the State Legislature of New York seriously investigate re-scheduling Ibogaine down from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3, so that it can be given in most cases by nurse-practicianers. While it is a very powerful medicine that ought to be administered only after screening for heart, liver and seizure disorders, 99 out of 100 cases do not require a hospital stay or supervision by a medical doctor. I am attaching a memorandum laying out the arguments for and problems surrounding re-scheduling at the state level and the probable effect of state action on Ibogaine's status under federal law.

Memo: Re-Scheduling Ibogaine Via the Legislature

Rescheduling Petition to move Ibogaine from Schedule I down to Schedule III.

1. Current Status

Rescheduling Ibogaine from Schedule I to Schedule III. Ibogaine currently is a Schedule I drug under the Controlled  Substance Act ("CSA"). As Such, it has been stigmatized as purportedly having (a) a high potential for abuse; (b) no currently accepted medial use in treatment; and (C) lack of accepted safety  for use under medical supervision.

Schedule I designation presents numerous difficulties for potential  researchers and investigators. It serves to inhibit research, limit  public funding, and discourage private investment capital needed for  development of this promising anti-addictive medication.

2. The Need to Reschedule

A petition or other action to reschedule Ibogaine will be necessary sooner or later. Given the current state of scientific knowledge regarding Ibogaine and its use in the treatment of opioid dependence, a downward rescheduling to Schedule III, a restrictive level for items with broad medical use with some paperwork and distribution requirements, would be an appropriate placement.

The question therefore is whether we should proceed sooner rather than later. Since the rescheduling process is lengthy,
taking months and sometimes years to achieve, we should undertake an initiative to reschedule as soon as practical, perhaps in conjunction with an application for Orphan Drug Status.

3. Standing

The history of the litigation to re-schedule cannabis as a Schedule II drug makes it abundantly clear that the DEA's own re-scheduling process defers unduly to the original listing of certain drugs as Schedule I by Congress when the Controlled Substances Act was enacted in 1970. Judge Clarence Thomas's opinion in the U.S. vs the Oakland Buyer's Club made it clear that the Judicial Branch currently feels that it is up to Congress--not doctors or judges--to determine which substances have medical uses. Yet however much the U.S. Supreme Court may invoke the doctrine of Congressional Supremacy, the fact that 9 states have approved medical use of marijuana has had an undeniable political impact on all levels of the Federal Government

Ibogaine was grandfathered into the Controlled Substances Act because of the World Health Organization's 1968  classification  of ibogaine with the hallucinogens as "a substance likely to cause dependency or endanger human health." By virtue of being on that list, Ibogaine became schedule I when New York enacted its own version of the CSA. Therefore, the route of rescheduling Ibogaine through the state legislative process, while not perfect, may be the most practical way to proceed at this time--especially if pursued with a view to establishing a hearing record in tandem with the present effort in Congress.

4. Medical Use

Under Schedule I category, a drug is deemed to have no medically accepted use in treatment in the United States. Under
Schedule III the drug is deemed safe enough for general distribution,  while maintaining record keeping and other regulations to prevent diversion. Schedule III is actually somewhat strict given that Ibogaine has no abuse potential, but we feel this level would offer the best  compromise between full de-scheduling and the overly restrictive Schedule II (which includes cocaine and other dependence forming drugs). Ibogaine has no history as a "street drug" and its classification as a Hallucinogen is being questioned by scientific authorities.

When Ibogaine was first listed as a Schedule I substance, there was no known medical use. However, beginning in 1986, series of US patents were issued that disclosed new medical uses for Ibogaine for the first time. These included its use in the treatment of narcotic addiction (Lotsof, 1985); treatment for cocaine and amphetamine abuse (Lotsof, 1986), alcoholism (Lotsof, 1989), nicotine dependency  (Lotsof, 1991); poly-drug dependency (Lotsof, 1992); reduction in excitotoxic brain damage (Olney, 1997); and for treatment of neuropathic pain (Olney, 1998). Other potential indications include treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), as an additive to conventional drugs for drug-resistant tuberculosis, and in the resolution of cysts and the elimination of growths and cancers.

The rational for the medical use of Ibogaine in the treatment of addictive disorders is supported by scores of peer-review papers that indicate Ibogaine, among other things, ameliorates the withdrawal syndrome in opiate-dependent rats (Dzoljic, 1988; Glick, 1994), and alcohol (Rezvani, 1995) in the animal model.

In 1993, the FDA authorized the University of Miami researchers J. Sanchos Ramos and Deborah Mash to conduct a Phase 1 dose escalation study. But instead of completing that study, Dr. Mash moved the research to an off-shore location, where she and her colleagues conduct ongoing phase II studies on the island of St. Kitts, under the auspices of Healing Visions Institute for Addictions Recovery, Inc., a corporation doing business in the State of Florida.

According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal by Naik (July 15, 2002), Dr. Mash supervised use of Ibogaine to treat about 300 drug-dependent patients. The patients, most of whom were American, paid an average of $10,000.00 for the treatment.

The fact is that a team of renown US doctors, pharmacologists, and addiction professionals have found the use of Ibogaine in the treatment drug dependency medically acceptable, but are compelled to administer it to US citizens in an offshore setting. This clearly demonstrates the pressing need to reschedule Ibogaine from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance. Based upon the state of scientific knowledge at the present time, rescheduling is wholly appropriate.

In keeping with the language of Schedule III, which stipulates reporting and distribution restrictions regarding its prescription and medical uses, Ibogaine is intended to be administered in the treatment of opioid/stimulant detoxification under supervision of a registered nurse or equivalent treatment professional, with access to specific vital signs monitoring and certain emergency response equipment and procedures.


5. Potential for Abuse:

Schedule I, II and II stipulate that the drug has potential for abuse.

While we do not need to refute this notion in order to qualify for the downward reduction to schedule III status, it should be noted that the perception that Ibogaine has "a high potential for abuse" has not been born out by either science or statistics.

None of the consultants to NIDA in the 1995 Ibogaine Review Meeting identified the possible abuse of Ibogaine as a potential safety concern (Alper 2001).  Ibogaine is reportedly neither rewarding nor aversive in the conditioned place preference paradigm (Parker, 1995).

Despite being a Schedule I substance for over 30 years, there has been no reports of Ibogaine abuse among drug users. There has never been a seizure of any consequence of Ibogaine reported by either the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or local law enforcement anywhere in the United States, nor have there been any reports of street arrests for

possession or use of Ibogaine.

The only reported illicit use of Ibogaine consisted of anecdotal reports by or about addict self-help organizations and individuals who utilize the drug for purposes of detoxification.  It should further be noted that those who have taken the drug report that it's effects were not pleasant or enjoyable and that most show no desire to repeat the experience --chiefly because of the length: 1 to 3 days (conveniently congruent to the most acute phase of heroin withdrawal).

The available evidence does not appear to suggest that Ibogaine has significant potential for abuse. Nevertheless, Ibogaine is still controlled and scheduled as if it "has a high potential for abuse, and has no medical use or value", both of which are totally untrue.  Because of its current Scheduling we anticipate that the questions relating to possible diversion to the illicit market will be raised.  Since Ibogaine is intended to be administered only in a controlled medical setting, the chance of diversion is minimal.  Furthermore, there has been no reported street use of Ibogaine as a drug of abuse.


6.     Safety Considerations

A Schedule I designation carries the supposition that there is a lack of accepted safety for the use of the drug.

Since being designated a Schedule I substance, multiple laboratories have evaluated Ibogaine for signs of neurotoxicity.  While O'Hearn (1993) reported neurotoxic effects at a dose range of 100 mg/kg, Molinari (1996) found no neurotoxicity present at 40 mg/kg.

Xu (2000) reported that 25 mg/kg corresponds to a no-observable-adverse effect level (NOAEL).  The dose range utilized in treatment of opioids withdrawal (15-25 mg/kg) falls within the NOAEL range.  The LD50 of p.o. Ibogaine is reportedly 145 mg/kg i.p. in the rat and 175 mg/kg in mice.

Glick et al (1999) found no change in the resting heart rate or blood pressure at a dose of Ibogaine of 40 mg/kg i.p.  Mash (1999) reported intensive cardiac monitoring in 39 human subjects dependent on cocaine and/or heroin who received fixed doses of Ibogaine (500, 600, 800 or 1,000 mg. ) No significant adverse effects were seen under study conditions.

Luciano (1998; 2000) reported results of EEGs administered before and after Ibogaine treatment where addicted patients received 20-25 mg/kg.  No General medical or EEG abnormalities were seen. At 24 hours after treatment, all neurological examinations were normal, and patients did not have subjective or objective signs of withdrawal.

Mash (2001) reported she has evaluated the safety of Ibogaine in more than 150 patients receiving a dose within the reported therapeutic range (8, 10, 12 mg/kg) under open label conditions, and that a single dose of Ibogaine was well tolerated in drug dependent subjects.  No significant adverse effects were seen under study conditions.

Ibogaine has been linked to several fatalities in Europe, and one in the United States.  None of the reported deaths occurred under clinical conditions.  Autopsy reports failed to establish that Ibogaine itself was the cause of death in any fatality, though several reports indicated Ibogaine could have been a contributing factor.  The surreptitious use of heroin or other drugs has created a source of uncertainty regarding several reported fatalities.  In the U.S., a death occurred in Florida within 30 days of an Ibogaine treatment administered abroad.  Autopsy reports concluded that the death was due to natural causes and not related to Ibogaine.

7.        Defining the Nature of Ibogaine

Ibogaine has been classified as a hallucinogen and as such, has been compared at times to LSD, also a schedule I drug.  It should be noted that notwithstanding the comparison, Ibogaine has never shared the popularity of LSD, probably because it's effects are reported as being not pleasurable and interrupting drug use.

The concept that Ibogaine is a hallucinogenic drug is no longer unanimous in scientific circles.  According to French chemist Robert Goutarel, former director of the Natural Substances Division of the CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research), the best classification is of the effects is as "oneiropherenic" rather than hallucinogenic.  Others prefer the term "REMogenic" to define the psychological effects of Ibogaine.

Oneirorphrenia has been defined as "states produced by drugs that differ from hallucinogenic states by the absence of any psychotic symptoms while sharing with the hallucinogenic experience the pre-eminence of a primary thought process." Mash (2001) reported that following the administration of Ibogaine, no episodes of psychosis or major affective disorder were detected.  Luciano (1998) reported that in patients he observed receiving between 20 and 25 mg/kg, reality-testing remained normal in all cases, and there were no signs or symptoms of anxiety or thought disorder.  These observations are consistent with the above definition of oneirophrenia.

Some, but not all, patients treated with Ibogaine experience visualizations during the dream-like state experienced at the initial onset of the drug.  Luciano (1998) reported that only one of three patients receiving 20-25 mg/kg experienced visual Hallucinosis, and then, only when their eyes were cosec.  Some have theorized that these are not hallucinations per se, but are visualizations of repressed memories revealed in a waking dream-like state.  These visualizations appear to assist the patient in understanding his underlying psychopathology and bringing about cathartic change that supports the interruption of drug use.

Proponents of this theory sometimes refer to Ibogaine not as "hallucinogenic", but as "REM-ogenic", since it places the patient into a waking state or REM in which they experience the release of repressed memories visually, as if in a dream, albeit a "waking dream-like state".  Anecdotal reports mention having observed REM-like eye movements in awake patients during treatments. This is wholly consistent with ibogaine-specific  activation of the inferior olive (a nucleus

in the brainstem) which projects to cerebellar vermis, an area of the brain found to have enhanced blood flow in PET imaging studies of normal REM sleep in humans and to coordinate rapid eye movements during dreaming.

Gouteral (1993) describes the psychological effects of Ibogaine as a state that involves a "dream phenomenon without loss of consciousness or change in the perception of the environment or any illusions or formal deterioration of thought and without depersonalization."  He states that Ibogaine has been "unjustly condemned as a hallucinogen", and suggested that a REM-like state induced by Ibogaine corresponds to a window of heightened neural plasticity, with reprocessing of previously learned information and the formation of new associations.  This process acts to modify the pathology of learned addiction, weakening thel links between drug-taking cues and responses.

8.  Product Formulation and the Analogs Act

Iboga-based medications now include Ibogaine HCl, Des-methylated (or "nor") ibogaine, the experimental drug 18-methoxycoronaridine, and various whole plant alkaloid extracts. Among researchers and treatment professionals, each has its adherents.

Ibogaine HCl (or sulphate) is the principle alkaloid of Iboga Tabernanthe purified in a salt form. It is the most studied--and the only one ever approved by FDA to go into humans. The full-blown experience consists of a) the visualization, or waking dream phase, followed by b) the "clear" deep concentration phase, followed by the c) insomnia phase. Since ibogaine is de-methylated in its first pass thru the liver into "nor-ibogaine," the second phase (b) may be thought of as the nor-ibogaine phase, characterized by heightened serotonin level and very week opioid activity at the mu and delta opiate receptors.

Within the last few years, various "free-base extracts" (Indra, Ethnogarden) have become available that contain all the alkaloids of the plant in a non-salt form. Besides being better-tolerated by knowledgeable addicts who reported that whole plant iboga extract is "less boring," the non-salt formulation seems to come on and drop off more gradually, lessening the   risk of bradycardia during initial onset.

In the case of nor-ibogaine and 18-MC, patent-holders developed their compound explicitly to satisfy various safety concerns of the FDA and NIDA. They believe that their compounds, unlike Ibogaine HCl or the whole plant extracts, are sufficiently different that they do not fall under the CSA. However, since the molecular structure of all iboga congeners is virtually identical, and the mechanism of action is substantially the same, it is difficult to see how they would not fall under the purview the 1986 federal Analog Act if the classifying agency (DEA or Justice Dept.) chose to schedule them.

The only way that would happen is if they had a substantially different, and non-psychedelic, subjective effect. Therefore, it is in the interest of research into safer congeners of Ibogaine to re-schedule the parent plant and principal molecule in a less restrictive category.

9.      Comments from interested parties

In response to any action to reschedule Ibogaine, there will no doubt be many comments by interested parties addressed to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regarding this matter.  Some will favor rescheduling, others might be against it.  We can anticipate comments will be submitted from such parties as: National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and their Medications Development Division (MDD); Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); Food and Drug Administration (FDA);  College of Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD);  American Association for the Treatment of Opoid Dependence (AATOD);  American Psychiatric Association (APA);  American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM); the National Alliance of Methadone Advocates (NAMA); and others.

We can probably anticipate public hearings, as the development of Ibogaine as a medical treatment for addiction has become a matter of great public interest.  NIDA and FDA meetings relating to Ibogaine have always attracted public participation and generated interest from the media.

10.     Effect of Rescheduling

The practical effect of rescheduling Ibogaine from Schedule I down to Schedule III will be to permit easier access to researchers and investigators to pursue Ibogaine research.  If the reports up to the present of Ibogaine's reportedly high success rate with heroin and other addictions,  we can expect Ibogaine to become the premiere treatment/ detox method allowing users to avoid most if not all withdrawal symptoms, while facilitating rapid psychological self assessment, reflection and ultimately a life experience  free of both physical and emotional drug cravings.  The cost savings provided by this method, as opposed to methadone maintenance, long term rehab, and prison, will be in the many billions of dollars annually.  And this will happen with out posing any risk of illicit diversion or abuse.

References:

Aceto, M.D., Bowman, E., Harris, L.S., "Dependence Studies of New Compounds in the Rhesus Monkey, Rat, and Mouse," NIDA Research Monograph Series Problems of Drug Dependence 1989, 96:607 (1990)

Aceto, M.D., Bowman, E., Harris, L.S., "Dependence Studies of New Compounds in the Rhesus Monkey, Rat, and Mouse," NIDA Research Monograph Series Problems of Drug Dependence 1991, 119: 519 (1992)"
Alper, K. "Ibogaine: A Review' The Alkaloids 56: 1-38  (2001)

Braun, A.R. et al. "Dissociated Pattern of Activity in Visual Cortices and Their Projections During Human Rapid Eye Movement Sleep," Science 279, 91-95 (1998)

Cappendijk, S,L,T, Dzolijic, M.R. "Inhibitory Effects of Ibogaine on Cocaine Self-Administration in Rats" Eur. J of Pharmacology 241:261-265 (1993)

Dzoljic, E.D., Kaplan, C.D., Dzoljic, M.R."Effects of Ibogaine on nalozone-percipitated withdrawal syndrome on chronic morphine-dependant rats", Archives of Intl. Pharmacodynamics 294, 64-70 (1988)

Goutarel, R., Golnhoffer, N., Sillans, R. "Pharmacodynamics and the Therapeutic Applications Iboga and Ibogaine" Psychedelic Monographs and Essays 6: 71-111 (1993)

Glick, S.D., Rossman, K., Steinddorf, S., Maisonneuve, I.M., Carlson, J.N  "Effects and Aftereffects of Ibogaine on Morphine Self-Administration in Rats" Eur J. of Pharmacology 195: 341-345 (1991)

Glick, S.D., Rossman, K., Steinddorf, S., Maisonneuve, I.M., Carlson, J.N "Effects of Ibogaine on Acute Signs of Morphine Withdrawal in Rats: Independence from Tremor", Neuropharmacology 31 (5) 497-500 (1992)

Glick, S.D., Kuehne, M.E., Raucci, J., Wilson, T.E., Larson, E., Keller Jr., R..W., Carlson J.N., "Effects of Iboga Alkaloids on Morphine and Cocaine Self-Administration in Rate: Relationship to Tremorgenic effects and to effects on Dopamine Release in the Nucleus Accumbens and Striataum" Brain Research, 657: 14-22 (1994)

Glick, S.D., Maisonneauve, I.M.,  Kuehne, M.E., Bandaragem U.K. CNS Drug Review 5:27 (1999)

Lotsof, H.S., Rapid Method for Interrupting the Narcotic Addiction Syndrome, US Patent #4,499,096 (1985)

Lotsof, H.S., Rapid Method for Interrupting the Cocaine and Amphetamine Abuse Syndrome, US Patent #4,587,243 (1986)

Lotsof, H.S., Rapid Method for Attenuating the Alcohol Dependency Syndrome, US Patent #4,857,523 (1989)

Lotsof, H.S., Rapid Method for Interrupting or Attenuating the Nicotine/Tobacco Dependency Syndrom (1991)

Lotsof, H.S., Rapid Method for Interrupting  the Poly-Drug Dependency Syndrome, US Patent #5,124,994 (1992)

Luciano, D. "Observations on Treatment with Ibogaine" Am. J. on Addictions (1998)

Luciano, D., Della Sera, E.A., Jethmal, E.G., Bull MAPS 9:27 (2000)

Mash, D.C, Kovera, C.A., Pablo, J., Tyndale, R., Ervin, F.R., Kamlet, J.D., Hearn, W.L., "Ibogaine in the treatment of Heroin Withdrawal" The Alkaloids, 56: 155-171 (2001)

Naik, G. "Array of New Drugs Shows Promise in Fighting Addictions", Wall Street Journal, B1, July 15, 2002

Ohearn, E., Molliver, M.E., Degeneration of Purkinje cells in parasagittal zomes serebellara vermis after treatment with Ibogaine of Harmaline. Neuroscience 55:303-310 (1993)

Olney, J.W., Use of Ibogaine for Treating of Neuropathic Pain, US Patent #5,925,634 (1999)

Parker, L.A., Siegal, Ss., Luxton, T., Learning and Memory 3: 344 (1995)

Rezvani, A.H., Overstreet, D.H., Lee, Y.W. "Attenuation of Alcohol Intake by Ibogaine in Three Strains of Alcohol-Preferring Rats" Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 52: (2) 615-620 (1995)

Xu, Z. Chang Jr., L.W., Slikker, W., Ali, S.F., Rountree, R.L., and Scallet, A.C. "Dose Response Study of Ibogaine Induced Neuropathology in the Rat Cerebellum" Topical. Sci 57:95-1001 (2000)

IF YOU WANT YR CONTACT ON THE NEW IBOGAINE POSTER, SET UP AN IBOGAINE DROP-IN CENTER TODAY!

********************************************************************

To get on the poster for 2004--"Mayday is Jay Day"--check yr contact info and add yr city to the List at the top of this email. The following 2003 List consists of 231 cities [If you want to upload ANY  of the following to the web, remember that [bracketed material] is private, and intended for internal information of this network only--so that Dana Larsen can send you a check and a box of CANNABIS CULTURE magazines, in other words. DON'T--DO NOT--PUT IT ON A WEBSITE] or may be accessed at  http://www.cures-not-wars.org/cities.htm   Another, no-longer active list follows the 2003 list below for regional organizers who want to follow-up and reactivate those cities for next year. An alternative,  MMM Million Marijuana March, 236+ cities globally can be accessed at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cannabisaction :

 

<snip>

The MMM video is linked on this page:

 

Put MS Internet Explorer security to medium or lower security. Otherwise RealPlayer wont' work.


"D. Paul Stanford" <stanford@...> wrote:

Dana Beal <dana@...> wrote:

To: greenpartydrugsgroup@...
CC: yerbanena@..., risto.mikkonen@...,
"Ken Gorman" , indianbud@...,
initiativ@..., Mojca Straus ,
ezpz@..., newagecitizen@..., hromi@...,
"Terry Mitchell" , pariah_mob@...,
jc0_66@..., "Irena" ,
legalizemichigan@..., "Matthew Jorn" ,
Newagecitizen@..., Xpu100 , mjmarch@...,
info@..., marijuanamarch@..., hempSA@...,
has.cornelissen@..., farid@..., inorml@...,
, Boris.it@...,
Chris Conrad , iowanorml@...,
duncaneddy@..., , RoadsEnd@...,
Chris Wright , rastapeace@...,
pdxnorml@..., hempSA@..., smuuthc11@...,
acididea@..., , andyganja2001@...,
"Melody Karr" ,
"Howie Hempalot" , ,
mmm@..., melacs42x60@..., rebelart@...,
pcornwell@..., martin@..., CAMPNC@...,
Blocpot@..., DennyLane@..., rappa@...,
, Hanfparaden Center Berlin ,
, mayday@yahoogroups.com,
"kathy kennedy" , ,
sokrates@..., , ,
"justin ballot" , Hempsters@...,
texasm5@..., "Roy B. Scherer" ,
helmut holtzheimer , phillty2@...,
steph@..., "Bill Downing" ,
"Dave Toaff" , mmm@...,
"Angela Goodhope" ,
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chris@..., pakaloha@...,
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blair@..., "Jay Statzer" ,
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forml420@..., Michela Gesualdo ,
terryparkerjr@..., fjhc@hotmail, "Razor" ,
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doncriss@..., Peter Bluhm ,
"Joe Wein" ,
"Bud Spliff" , info@...,
OCannabisSociety@..., "Catherine Jones" ,
writch@..., cannabisaction@yahoogroups.com,
mary mackenzie , hilary@...,
escandonavia@..., jipiando@..., leoparda_azul@...,
faenadub@..., don@..., ultra_plus_estrella@...,
helmcke@..., m_bandida@..., malcomska@...,
foroalici@..., earthfirstswt@..., dmcvay@...,
taudarknes@..., "The Happy Hemptress" ,
"New Paltz Norml" , hamppu.kaupunki@...,
bitchcrafts420@..., kendermag@...,
"melissa ann"
From: Dana Beal
Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 14:12:04 -0400
Subject: [mayday] GMfCL 2003 #31: March Tally Hits 231 Cities; Sign up NOW for
Jayday 2004!

18 Cities Signed up for 2004  so far. MAYDAY IS J DAY! (The first Saturday of May falls on May 1st next year.)

ashland

cleveland

detroit

dublin

flint

frankfurt

kansas city

lansing

montpelier

new york

nimbin

ogden

parkersburg
richmond

san marcos

toronto

tupelo

wichita

-----

From: MindfulProphet@...
To: dana@...
Subject: Vote for pot!
Status:  O

On-Line Poll:   http://www.courttv.com/ctvapp/thirteenth3.cfm

Let's trounce 'em.

-------------

To: "Joe Wein" <joewein@...>

From: Dana Beal <dana@...>

Subject: Re: MayDay scheduling conflict

Cc:

Bcc:

X-Attachments:

Hi Dana,

 

so far I've received GMfCL reports for Germany from Flensburg, Bremen, Kšln/Cologne, Berlin, Lauterbach, Viernheim and Frankfurt.

 

Some concern has already been raised here about the timing of the event for 2004. If we go for the first Saturday in May, this would clash with events held by labour activists in many countries. May 1 is celebrated by the International Labour movement in most of the world. One notable exception is the US, which celebrates its Labour day in September, despite May 1 originally commemorating labour protests in Chicago in May 1886.

 

Due to labour rallies on May 1, central locations may be unavailable in many cities outside the US. Furthermore, some of our supporters and activists are engaged in both movements, creating scheduling conflicts. We'll face the same problem in 2010 and 2021 if Cannabis is still illegal by then ;-)

 

I'd like to know how other activists feel about this issue, especially aross Europe. One suggestion has been to schedule events for Saturday, May 8, at least in Germany. The sooner we address this issue, the better.

 

Joe Wein

http://www.cannabislegal.de

 

Verein fuer Drogenpolitik e.V.

(Drug Policy Association/Germany)

http://www.drogenpolitik.org

 

In America, the equivalent problem is Cinco de Mayo, which is so big in the southwest that folks just have to do the march on a Friday (or a Friday nite bar benefit), or on Sunday (which has always been a raindate). This why we made the global march a 3 day event this year. It also means the same speakers can do 3 different events on succeeding days in the same region.

I suggest you do it Sunday May 2, and leaflet all the labor events the day before.

Dana/cnw

--------

California NORML/ MAPS Release - May 2, 2003

Study Shows Vaporizer Can Drastically Reduce Toxins in Marijuana Smoke

Harmful toxins in marijuana smoke can be effectively avoided by a
vaporization device, according to a new study by California NORML and MAPS
(Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) with support from a
grant from the MPP (Marijuana Policy Project). The study can be found online
at http://www.maps.org/mmj/vaporizerstudy4.15.03.pdf.

The study, conducted by Chemic Labs in Canton, Mass., tested vapors from
cannabis heated in an herbal vaporizer known as the Volcano® (manufactured
by Storz & Bickel GmbH&Co. KG, Tuttlingen, Germany;
http://www.storz-bickel.com) and compared them to smoke produced by
combusted marijuana. The Volcano® is designed to heat material to
temperatures of 130° to 230° C (266° to 446° F) where medically active
vapors are produced, but below the threshold of combustion where smoke is
formed.

The vapors from the Volcano® were found to consist overwhelmingly of THC,
the major active component in marijuana, whereas the combusted smoke
contained over 100 other chemicals, including several polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), carcinogenic toxins that are common in tobacco smoke.
The respiratory hazards of marijuana and tobacco smoke are due to toxic
byproducts of combustion, not the active ingredients in the plant, known as
cannabinoids.

The study suggests that medical marijuana patients can avoid the respiratory
hazards of smoking by using a vaporizer.  In its 1999 report on medical
marijuana, the Institute of Medicine recommended against long-term use of
smoked marijuana because of the health risks of smoking. However, the IOM

failed to take account of vaporizers.

Previous studies have found that vaporizers can reduce harmful toxins in
cannabis smoke. However, this is the first study to analyze the gas phase of
the vapor for a wide range of toxins. A previous NORML/MAPS study conducted

by Chemic Labs found that  a vaporizer known as the M-1 Volatizer® (http://
www.volatizer.com) completely eliminated three specific toxins (naphthalene,
benzene and toluene) in the solid phase of the vapor (D. Gieringer,
"Cannabis Vaporization: A Promising Strategy for Smoke Harm Reduction,"
Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics Vol. 1#3-4: 153-70 (2001);

http://www.canorml.org/ healthfacts/vaporizerstudy1.html).

The new study used a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) to examine
the gas components of the vapor.  The analysis showed that the Volcano®
vapor was remarkably clean, consisting 95% of THC with traces of cannabinol
(CBN), another cannabinoid.  The remaining 5% consisted of small amounts of
three other components:

one suspected cannabinoid relative, one suspected PAH, and caryophyllene, a
fragrant oil in cannabis and other plants.  In contrast over 111 different
components appeared in the gas of the combusted smoke, including a half
dozen known PAHs.

Non-cannabinoids accounted for as much as 88% of the total gas content of
the smoke.

The study used standard NIDA cannabis with 4% THC content. A quantitative
analysis found that the Volcano® delivered 46% of the THC into vapor
following three 45-second exposures of the sample to the heat.  This
compares favorably with the typical efficiency of marijuana cigarettes as
observed in other studies, which depending on conditions can fall below 25%
due to loss of THC in sidestream smoke.

An important feature of the Volcano® is that it uses a balloon to capture
the vapor, thereby avoiding leakage to the air.   It is possible that higher
THC efficiencies could have been reached with the Volcano® by stirring the
sample around and exposing it to more heat.

The combusted sample achieved a relatively high THC efficiency of 78% upon
complete combustion. The high efficiency seems due to the fact that the
sample was completely consumed by combustion, and that smoke leakage was
effectively prevented by the laboratory setup.  Similar conditions do not
obtain under normal circumstances when a marijuana cigarette is smoked and
much of the THC is lost to the air or left in the unburned "roach."

Two other cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN), were
detected in the NIDA cannabis in trace amounts of 0.1%.

Both the Volcano® and combustion delivered an apparent increase in CBD and
CBN, but the variance of the data was too high to reach statistically
significant conclusions.

Sponsors believe that the study results lend support for wider use of
vaporizers by medical marijuana patients and researchers.  At present, the
only FDA-approved method for administering marijuana to human research
subjects is via smoking NIDA cigarettes.  NORML and MAPS are supporting
efforts to have vaporizers approved by the FDA.  As a first step in this
effort, Dr. Donald Abrams of the University of California, San Francisco,
has submitted a grant proposal to the California Center for Medical
Cannabis Research in San Diego to test the Volcano® in human subjects.  If
the protocol is funded and the Volcano® approved by the FDA for human
research, it will be the first human study using a vaporizer.   If the FDA
requests additional laboratory data about the Volcano@, additional funding
may be necessary.

For more information on vaporizers, see
http://www.maps.org/mmj/vaporizer.html

http://www.canorml.org/healthfacts/vaporizers.html

--------------

From: "preston peet" <ptpeet@...>
To: <ibogaine@...>, <drugwar@...>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 15:40:59 -0400
X-Priority: 3
Subject: [ibogaine] hightimes links to mmm stories
Status:  O

Hi all,
    Here's the link to the High Times report of mine on the MMM here in NYC-

http://www.hightimes.com/htsite/news/content.php?page=news_03050856&tpage=1&
cmnt=1

and here's the link to Peter Gorman's wrap up of the events around the

globe-

http://www.hightimes.com/htsite/news/content.php?page=news_03050821&tpage=1&cmnt=1

*****!!! May 4, 2002 Cannabis Liberation Day: Updates,  Reports!!!*****

From: Blair Anderson <blair@...>
Reply-To: blair@...
Organization: Techno Junk and Grey Matter  & Mild Green Initiative mildgreens.com
X-Accept-Language: en
To: initiative <initiative@...>,
      Peter Dunne <united.nz@...>,
     Peter Dunne <peter.dunne@...>,
   initiative <initiative@...>
CC: "CCLR (email)" <cclr-public@yahoogroups.com>,

        Peter Brown <jane.nixon@...>
Subject: Scoop - New Zealand j-Day News
Status:  

SCOOP features interesting frontpage photo!! & link to  J-Day In Christchurch press release.

the photo wont feature for too long here... its a daily thing! but catch it on http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/

but if you miss it,  it's the same one published in the press release link above..

Catch more images of the Prime Minister's “misdemeanor” grade criminality committed en-mass
at http://mildgreens.com/mmm2003.htm
 

From: Blair Anderson <blair@...>
Reply-To: blair@...
Organization: Techno Junk and Grey Matter  & Mild Green Initiative mildgreens.com
X-Accept-Language: en
To: initiative <initiative@...>
CC: "CCLR (email)" <cclr-public@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Christchurch witnesses "New Holland" approach to drug policy
Status:  

Central Christchurch witnesses "New Holland" approach to drug policy

Uninterested POLICE walk on by, while Hooka's are smoked, knives are
spotting and hundreds of joints are 'gifted' to the central city crowd.
Not one arrest. see http://mildgreens.com/mmm2003.htm for spectacular
photo's taken during the cities participation in the global, 230 city
2003 MMM rally.

Coalition party's say no change in current pot policy, while protestors
declare Cathedral Square prohibition free zone a  "just and visable" due

process.

Everyone went home smiling!

Reform One, Prohibition Nil.

Blair Anderson
50 Wainoni Road, WAINONI
Christchurch, NZ 8006
phone ++64 3 389-4065   025 2657219

Mild Green Initiatives, for your  liberty, pleasure, health and safety.

http://mildgreens.com

-------------------

 

From: owner-mapnews@... (MAPNews)
Organization: MAP http://www.mapinc.org/
Reply-To: owner-mapnews@...
Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 18:51:20 -0700
To: mapnews@...
Subject: MN: New Zealand: No Arrests Of Cannabis Protesters

Newshawk: Duncan Eddy
Pubdate: Tue, 06 May 2003
Source: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)
Copyright: Allied Press Limited, 2003
Contact: odt.editor@...
Website: http://www2.odt.co.nz
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/925
Author: CHRIS MORRIS

NO ARRESTS OF CANNABIS PROTESTERS

Police say they had better things to do than arrest protesters smoking
cannabis in the Dunedin Central Police Station at the weekend.

About 20 protesters entered the station foyer on Saturday afternoon smoking
cannabis joints to highlight their call for cannabis law reform. They had
earlier attended the fourth annual J-Day - "joint day" - rally in the
Octagon, where cannabis was also smoked.

Police did not attend the rally and declined to act when the protesters
smoked cannabis inside the station.

City area controller Inspector Dave Campbell said police did not have a
policy of ignoring J-Day but chose to ignore the action on Saturday because
of staff numbers and the minor nature of the offending.

"It was just an act of defiance and I believe was treated appropriately.
These things depend on what else we are doing at the time.

"It's all about priorities."

Southern district commander Superintendent Nick Perry said the offending
was not "at the higher end of the scale" and police resources were better
used elsewhere.

"The reality of the situation is, if we have a number of people turning up
to commit an offence that we are not in a situation to deal with at the
time, we don't initiate any action."

Dealing with the protesters would have been a "considerable drain on

resources". Police would have acted if the offending was serious enough.

When contacted yesterday, protest organiser Duncan Eddy agreed police
resources were better targeted elsewhere. The incident highlighted the need
for cannabis law reform.

"I don't think they should be busting anyone for smoking pot, because
they've got better things to do. There's not enough police to deal with
real crime, let alone cannabis crime," he said.

Dunedin North MP Pete Hodgson, who spoke at the rally on Saturday, said

when contacted yesterday he supported partial decriminalisation.

"My main concern with legislation as it is, is the damage done to someone
who might be apprehended with a small amount of marijuana for personal use
is grossly in excess of their misdemeanour."

Partial decriminalisation would mean it would not be a criminal offence to
be found with small amounts of marijuana for personal use, he said.

However, partial decriminalisation would likely face stiff opposition from

New Zealand First and United Future.

----------

From: "rebelart" <rebelart@...>
To: "Dana Beal" <dana@...>
Subject: Nimbin 2003 MMMMarch Report + Signing up NOW for Jayday 2004!
Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 11:00:17 +1000
Organization: www.gasgroup/rebelart
X-Priority: 3
Status:  O

Nimbin 2003 MMMMarch Report

We knew going in that that Nimbin was the only venue in Australia hosting a MMMMarch in 2003, we also figured that the 2003 crowd numbers were going reflect the downtrend in international tourism and so, to off set this, we decided that we needed to toke our demonstration up a level or 4.20 and do something different.

The idea to do something different alarmed many of the hard core members of the ACLRM, many mutinous murmurs of dissent were heard until it was realized that the active word was different, not do something. This is not to say that hard core members of ACLRM are apathetic, more to point out that the hard core members of the ACLRM are all too  well aware that actually doing something in the short term can be highly counterproductive in the long term. Example = Lobbying a government to change the law to allow ONLY doctors to proscribe ONLY "grown under a government license" indoor hydroponic  cannabis. Short term result terminally ill people get some pain relief, AIDS sufferers can keep their other meds down and the government and medical industries have a new cash cow. Long term we talking the industrialization of cannabis, not unlike releasing Mary Jane from jail only to lock her in the laboratory and the sweat shop.  Truth is that no sunlight or wind on the leaves, no worms in the soil and an over load of chemicals in the water combines to create an artificial pain relieving medicine that cannot be used as a preventative nor as a cure- it's relegalize or nothing -  say the hard core of the ACLRM. >> back to the MMMMarch>>

At 4.20 PM on the 3rd of May 2003 a huge cloud of highly green smoke wafted out the front door of the H.E.M.P Bar to signal the official toke-off of the 5th Nimbin MMMMarch and the start of something different. Rather than a march, a parade, a joint rolling and/or smoking demonstration or some other variation of a 'short term action/event', we embarked upon a "festival wide - 4 and 20 hour long" demonstration of responsible cannabis use that  included the entire crowd and concluded at 4.20 PM Sunday at the Mobile Big Bong Burger Bar in Peace Park.

So what did the 4 and 20 hour long Nimbin MMMMarch accomplish besides the combustion of prodigious amounts of cannabis? Short term? Proof positive that cannabis does not induce insanity, criminality or death. Long term? You gotta figure that a whole lot more working, smoking voting citizens embraced the concept of just cannabis law reform and that even more pressure will be applied to the N.S.W Government over the coming weeks and months to follow in the footsteps of the ever so sensible and conservative Swiss as they head down the path towards just cannabis relegalization.

Bottom Line? Let us all hope that all Governments follow the Swiss lead and that the ONLY reason we gather together on the first of May 2004 is a for a victory parade, however, as Sun Tzu says in the Art of War. "Plan for the worst and hope for the best" and thus, it's time for this cannabist to head back to his pot hole for another 363 days (or hopefully less) of Just Cannabis Law Reform Activism.

till next

peace

;O)--~

Words assembled by Max Stone,
the non official smokesperson from
the extreme edge of radical fringe of the

Australian Cannabis Law Reform Movement

-----------------------------------

From: risto mikkonen <risto.mikkonen@...>
Reply-To: risto.mikkonen@...
X-Accept-Language: en,fi
To: Grmn577@..., muggles2@..., dana@...,
   editor@..., sky@..., hamppukaupunki@...
Subject: MMM2003/Finland
Status:  



In Finland there were hemp demonstrations 3.5.2003 in altogether 4
cities: Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Oulu.

The Finnish national broadcasting company (YLE) showed demonstration in
Helsinki in their main TV-news and channel four showed the demo in Turku
in their news. YLE estimated 400 participants in Helsinki, the biggest
newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, estimated 600. Arranger, Finnish Cannabis
Association, speak about one thousand. The march was a colourful parade
through the Finnish capital, the route passed our parliament and the
feeling was relaxed. After the march there were speeches in the park and
people spent relaxing afternoon in the sunshine. TV-news showed people

rolling and smoking. In the evening concert there were more than 1500
visitors and a number of bands and performances.

In Turku there were fewer people than last year, 150 in the march and
more in the park, but there was a much bigger public because of The
Icehockey World Championship Games going on in Helsinki, Turku and
Tampere. At least in Turku Danish and Lettish icehockey fans seemed to
enjoy the scene and showed their support for the cause - or for the
parade. Whole center of Turku was covered by Vihreet Pantterit (The
Green Panthers) with Vihreää Valoa - lupa hampulle (Green Light -
Licence to Hemp) and Stop the Drug War posters for two weeks and this
time also local radio announced the event in their saturday sending.
Local newspaper, Turun Sanomat, told about the purpose of the march but
they interviewed also the local representative of the Free From Drugs
organisation, that is very influential in Finland. She complained that
the freedom of speech can be used for something like this and that the
police is guarding the event. This comment shows well their basic
values.

In Tampere a group called Hamppukaupunki (Hemp City) arranged their
first demonstration and the event drew 150-200 mainly young people for
the march. The police escorted the drumming crowd through the center
first on the side walk but because of the number of participants it
spread on the street. The local newspaper wrote only about how the hemp
demo disturbed the traffic, our holy cow. After the march people held
speeches in the park and planned for the next year.

In Oulu local activists had arranged their first hemp march rapidly by
sudden inspiration with no other advertising but from mouth to mouth and
from phone to phone, and got together 150 people. Local police in that
northern town had treated people like criminals, brought in three dogs

to sniff people before they were allowed to start. On the other hand the
police had stopped their car in the distance, asked the organiser first
to tell people what they are going to do so that everybody had time to

drop possible discriminating materials. Nobody was arrested - maybe the

police didn't have drug sniffing dogs this time. In cold winds people
had walked around the walking street area of Oulu and returned back to
the starting park to plan the real demo for the next year.

http://www.sky.org
http://www.vihreetpantterit.org

http://www.hamppukaupunki.cjb.net/

----------------------

From: Ustanova Iboga <Iboga@...>
Subject: MMM in Ljubljana
Status:  O

Hi Dana,

at http://24ur.com/naslovnica/zanimivosti/20030510_2024215.php you have a commercial TV report about MMM in Ljubljana, which happened yesterday. The national TV has their report at http://www.rtvslo.si/portal/page?_pageid=33,43632&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&nid=217482

Organisers have 3108 signatures for medical marihuana, which will be given to Offic for Drugs

Marko

-------

From: Scoonman2@...
Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 12:15:50 EDT
Subject: THANKS FOR THE EFFORTS TO THIS YEARS NYC MARCH
To: cnw@...

Status:  

I WAS SO GLAD TO HAVE BEEN SO CLOSE TO DANA STROLLING BY GETTING THE MARCH PART PREPARED.I THINK OVERALL WE EXHIBITED CONTROL THIS YEAR BEYOND ANY IVE SEEN.WHAT A SICKENING WASTE OF MONEY THOSE COPS WERE THEY MIGHT AS WELL BE MONEY TREES.IM SURE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ANY FELONY ACT DOWN THE STREET WHILE THEY STOOD AND PASSED GAS.----E

-----

From: Toni Keane <taporter84@...>
Subject: MMM- DC report
To: Dana Beal <dana@...>
Status:  

Dana,
  I wanted to let you know that things at the DC March
this year went fine.  We had a rally, concert, and
march.  At peak, we had about 60 people at the rally
but only about 30 or 40 people went on the march
portion.  The cops left us alone all day so we just
chilled and had a good time.  Some people stopped by
to hand out free hemp pretzels.  We also had an
information table with lots of stuff to educate people
who came by.  All in all it was a success and should
be even bigger next year!
Toni
MMM 2003 DC Area Coordinator
http://violate_wave.tripod.com/MMM.html

--------

From: "Roy B. Scherer" <rscherer@...>
Subject: THE CZAR WAS HERE!
Status:  

        The Drug Czar was here, and now he's gone.  You missed him, but your skeptical inquirer didn't!
I got a call from the incomparable Michael Krawitz this morning at the unholy hour of 7am, telling me that the federal Drug Czar, John P. Walters, was going to be in Richmond at 3pm to talk with the Attorney General, Jerry Kilgore.
The press release I later obtained said that they'd be discussing Virginia drug laws and drug use among young people, and said that, "All members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend."  I was told that it was about requiring drug tests of all public-school kids in the state.  Later today, I was asked to write up the visit for the LPVA News and website, and for Wadi (the new alternative bi-weekly), so of course I attended.

        The first thing I noticed was that there was a six-car motorcade parked in the bus stop in front of the Attorney General's office.  The buses stopped in the travel lanes, and people walked between the cars to board.  None of the cars, including a marked State Police car, a marked Capitol Police car, and four unmarked black cars, got any tickets so far as I know, but of course some "are more equal than others."
   When we were finally allowed into the conference room, we had about a dozen reporters, a microphone from WRVA-AM, and camera crews from WVIR, WDBJ, and another station which I'm afraid I didn't identify.
     We were given press packets, in spiffy blue binders with the seal of the Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy.  As I went through the packet, I had a feeling like unto falling down a rabbit hole.
        The packets have handouts showing various drug-related stuff.  For instance, did you know that the FY 2004 presidential funding request on drugs (almost twelve billion dollars) is 54% for enforcement vs. 46% for research, treatment, and prevention?  Are you suprised that they break down enforcement into "domestic law enforcement", "interdiction", and "international" (25, 19, and 10% respectively) in an apparent effort to show that we don't spend more on cops than on docs?
    Brightly-colored charts show commonplace data (such as that marijuana is the most commonly-used illicit drug) as though they were tremendous revelations.  One of them is headlined that "Current marijuana use declined significantly among 10th graders in 2002."  (This was repeated several times during the conference, as well.)  You have to look at the graphs (or the data, which of course aren't here, though surprisingly enough for ONDCP the source is cited in the footnotes) to see that we're approaching the level of reported use from about 1995.  Use generally rose from '92 to '97, then has varied up and down a couple of percentage points a year.  The last period is the first since '98 to show even a small a decrease in reported use among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders.

        The purpose of the conference is to publicise the fact that House Bill 2091 was passed by the legislature this year.  Introduced by Delegate Johnny Joannou (D - Portsmouth), the bill specifically does NOT require drug testing.  What it does do is direct the Board of Education to set guidelines and model policies for such testing, IF a local school board decides that they want to do it.  The guidelines are to be in "accordance with the most recent enunciation of constitutional principles by the Supreme Court".  On its face, it's not a bad bill at all, but of course almost everything depends on how such things are administered and implemented.  (You can see the bill itself, and a summary as well, at:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=031&typ=bil&val=hb2091 ).
       OOPS!  No more time for going through the handouts.  Kilgore and Walters (hereinafter "K" and "W") are here, and each made a brief statement.

        It seems that they've just had a good talk about drug testing of kids.  K reminds us that his background is as a drug prosecutor in West Virginia, then in the western part of Virginia, "mostly on the supply side".  He says he's sure that he "made a diference in a lot of lives", and considering the sentences imposed for many drug crimes (minimum of three years, without parole, and up to forty years, for bringing five pounds of grass across the state border into Virginia; a separate five years, also without parole, if you have a shotgun or rifle at home while you do so), I nod my head.
  W says that the Feds are rebalancing their efforts, drug use is down last year.  They've had problems in the past, but they're committed to a 10% reduction in drug use in 2 years, and 25% reduction in five years.  He doesn't specify from what baseline.
    W says it's vital to prevent drug use by teenagers as they pass through that vulnerable period.  (I perk up -- does this mean that they're going to stop interfering with the lives of grown-ups?  No, apparently it does not.  Imagine my surprise.)  He says that the Virginia law to allow schools to test kids for drugs is landmark legislation, and he's going to work with K on this matter.  He also says it's not about punishment.

        Reporters' questions elicit that they will encourage local boards to test all students, although K says that we'll "look for non-intrusive ways" to test, that "we're not forcing it on anyone."  W says that the effort must come from local boards, "not imposed from Washington or from state capitols," and that it "gives kids an excuse to avoid drugs".   Both insist that positive tests will not lead to punishment, merely to "assessment", "intervention", and "treatment".  There is some discussion, but no firm answers, about whether the testing will be random, or of all students, and how often, and by what method.
I agree that the tests can serve as an excuse for kids who don't want to use drugs ("Sorry, I can't take a toke; I'm in that testing program."), but point out that it would be just as effective for that if it were voluntary.  W says that most kids want to be tested, and that it's the parents who are in denial about positive results. 
I ask how any testing program can fail to be "intrusive" (After all, we are talking about taking your precious bodily fluids here!), and K says that, well, you can get DNA by swabbing the inside of a cheek, and that's less intrusive than sticking a needle in your arm.
    More questions, more answers, although often the answers are to questions that weren't asked.
   I ask W about the misleading information from his office about marijuana, pointing out that although he says that there are ever-so-many children getting "treatment" for marijuana, most of these are as a result of court referrals, where the "patient" was given a choice of jail or entering treatment.  He says that driving cars while stoned is bad, and that it's better to be treated than in jail.  I ask why his office is pushing to arrest people for the least harmful drug; he says that they don't.  I cite some of the false and misleading claims in the fax* from his office to all federal prosecutors, and a couple of the refutations* -- from government sources -- compiled by NORML, and he says that we have a serious drug problem . . . the aides have been saying that there's no time for more questions for five mintes or so now, and suddenly the conference is over, and both K and W are whisked away.

        I blew it, I'm afraid.  I didn't ask either of them whether their programs "to protect the children" would be looking for use and buse of that most deadly drug (and most common date-rape drug) alcohol;  I didn't ask W about the federal practice of arresting patients, even those confined to wheelchairs or bedridden, for using marijuana;  there were so many questions I'd have liked to ask!  Of course, most of them would have been dodged, rather than answered, but attention must be paid.

        I carefully tucked my spiffy blue binder of propaganda back in my genuine-hemp pouch, to cherish as a souvenir of these precious few moments.

        As we left the building, I was pleased to get some fresh air, both literally and metaphorically.  There outside the main entrance were three young people, holding signs that said "No war on pot" and "There is no justice in the war on drugs."  They were from the Richmond Community Hemp Organization and Virginians Against Drug Violence, and were there to make sure that the Czar knows that the peasants are not all that happy about the situation.  We all left together.

*  Don't take my judgement that the fax is misleading and false, while the rebuttal is true.  Download a copy of each, read them, and judge for yourself.  You'll note, by the way, that the government letter consists of unsupported statements, while the rebuttal is footnoted and sources are cited.  Go to NORML's library, at:
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5513 for background on this, and other useful documents.  The open letter from the ONDCP is at:
http://www.norml.org/pdf_files/whitehouse_fax.pdf , while the rebuttal is at:
http://www.norml.org/pdf_files/your_gov_is_lying.pdf .  If you'd rather have the rebuttal in HTML format, go to:
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5515 .

-- Your Humble Scribe, Roy

end

------

Contact 1 Name : Mary Jane

 Contact 2 Name :

 Contact 1 Email : dazed_n_confused420@...
 Contact 2 Email :

 Contact 1 Telephone : 828-254-4062
 Contact 2 Telephone :

 Contact 1 Address : PO Box 1661
 Contact 2 Address :

 City : Asheville, NC
 Country : USA
 Website 1 :
 Website 2 :
 Events : Rally
 Event Location : Mike\\\'s Side Pocket/ Haywood Rd
 Event Location 2 :
 Start Time : High Noon
 Start Time 2 :
 Organization : Free The Weed

 Organization Email : lilpunkbabe420@...
 Organization Telephone: 828-254-4062
 Organization Address: PO Box 1661
 Organization Website:
 Description of Events : Description of Events...Bring all the weed, and enjoy a great time of smoking and getting messed the fuck up.

----------

Contact 1 Name : Henry Koch

 Contact 2 Name : Malece Howard

 Contact 1 Email : hkochii@...

 Contact 2 Email : benegezzeret@...

 Contact 1 Telephone : 803-413-8144

 Contact 2 Telephone : 803-691-5227

 Contact 1 Address : 1300 Langford Rd Blythewood, SC 29016
 Contact 2 Address : 1300 Langford Rd Blythewood, SC 29016

 City : Columbia, South Carolina
 Country : USA
 Website 1 : www.midlands-norml.com
 Website 2 :
 Events : Rally
 Event Location : South Carolina State House on Gervais St at Main St
 Event Location 2 :
 Start Time : 4 PM
 Start Time 2 :
 Organization : Midlands NORML

 Organization Email : hank@...
 Organization Telephone: 803-691-5227
 Organization Address: 1300 Langford Rd Blythewood, SC 29016
 Organization Website: www.midlands-norml.com
 Description of Events : Rally with speakers addressing various issues of hemp/cannabis/marijuana law reform

-----

From: <dennylane@...>
To: "Dana Beal" <dana@...>
Subject: Burlington Vermont MMM
Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 12:14:48 -0400
X-Priority: 3
Status:  

Hi Dana et al.  In addition to the phone call I made to you on Saturday evening, I'm emailing you about the MMM event I organized and sponsored under the name of the Vermont Cannabis Coalition in Burlington Vermont.  Nine days before the event, with permit in hand for almost 2 months, the Parks & Recreation Dep't. decided that we could not hold our rally at the traditional location at Burlington City Hall Park because they decided to reseed the grass.  Kind of ironic at an anti-prohibition protest that we literally had to stay off the grass. We made the best of the situation and held our rally at a park next to Lake Champlain.  Although we only had a few hundred people during the course of the afternoon in attendance, I have to consider the event a success as we got great media coverage.  No newspapers this time(we usually make it to the front page of several statewide newspapers), but we got all 3 TV networks to cover the story.  We were the lead story on WPTZ(NBC), got at least 1 1/2 minutes on WVNY(ABC) and also got favorable, positive coverage from WCAX(CBS).  So I figure we had to reach at least 100,000 people on the 6 o'clock and 11 o'clock news- if not double that amount.  We had a band for entertainment, lots of info tables and 8 scheduled guest speakers-including neurologist Dr. Joe McSherry, Prof. Rick Musty(cannabis researcher at UVM for 20 years), former Gubernatorial candidate Joel Williams,  former Lt. Guv. candidate Bill Coleman, former Rep. Fred Maslack, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy and others besides myself as emcee.

The MMM event took place across the street from the Burlington Police Dep't.  There were no arrests.  It was a sunny day(though the wind kept us busy keeping all the info/lit on our tables!)  The television reports focused mainly on medical mj, but some of the myriad of issues regarding cannabis and prohibition were also covered.

We hope to be back at our usual location at City Hall Park for next years event.  So put me down as the organizer for the 2004 MMM in Burlington, Vermont.

Hope everyone else had a positive experience. 

Keep on keepin' on,  Denny Lane- Vt. Cannabis Coalition

 

 

 

"Those  that are willing to give up essential liberties for more security wind up with neither nor deserve either"  Ben Franklin

 

Upon being liberated from a Nazi concentration camp, a Pastor Martin Niehmohler was asked what happened.  His reply was "First they came for the communists and trade unionists.  Then they came for the Jews and Gypsies.  Then they came for the Catholics and I was a Protestant.  Then they came for me and there was no one left out to stand up and speak out". 

Don't let history repeat itself- stand up
and speak out!
 
"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism"  Thomas Jefferson

 

"We have the best Congress that money
 can buy"  Mark Twain

 

"A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which this government was founded.  It is a species of intemperance itself in that it makes crimes out of things that otherwise would not be a crime"  Abraham Lincoln

-----

From: "Larry Duprey" <larryduprey@...>
To: dana@...
Bcc:
Subject: 2004 mmm
Date: Fri, 09 May 2003 15:05:38 +0000
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 09 May 2003 15:05:41.0985 (UTC) FILETIME=[75641D10:01C3163C]
Status:  O

Dana could you please add Toronto to the list of 2004 MMM.

Also can you advise your web master to place Toronto back on your master list. It also should be noted that Ottawa and Halifax both cancelled their marches at the last moment.Larry

J.J.LARRY DUPREY larryduprey@...

(416) 242-9452   fax (416) 242-2635

-------------------

From: Les Neron

Date: May 5, 2003 4:06:44 AM

Subject: report on Hearst first annual million marijuana march

 

 

Report on Hearst First annual Million Marijuana March                                         5 may 2003




Well i'm glad to say that every thing turn out exellent . We have gotten the best show of the year and every one there was professionnal and the volunteer were all professionnal acting too.

We have not seen any police at all during the rock concert , but we did received their full cooperation for the walk, witch was very apreciated . 2 local firefighters have help with the security and to the fire station we will give a donation of $ 150.00 .

The only down side is that attendence was very poor .

 We have all ready made plans to have the Crazy Babies back here again for next year , performing free for the hearst second annual Million Marijuana March .


Once again i will try my very best to have the local arena and the fee to get in next year will be of $ 2.00 per person and a can of food that we will donnate to the local food bank .

I hope that the town will , this time , rent us the arena and will be more cooperative then the last time we ask them for it , after all , every thing was ordelly and under control with out any need for police intervention .

Now i will take the time to finnish my radiation treatments and when i'll come back i will start the demends for the local arena , just to make shure that next year we wont be cancel 3 weeks prior to the main event .

I would like to thank Marc barette and the curlling club commity , the local Hearst Ontario Police , the fire fighters that help us with security , to the volunteers that were all professionnal acting and performing , to the band and to herm's production for the professionnal service we gotten from them , and to all the compagnies and store that help us by iether giving us rebate and for putting up into thier window the posters for the event .

 I also would like to thanks all the participant , it people like you that help reform the policy on the adult use of marijuana across the world .

Once again thank you very much for evey thing and to every one , hopefully we will see you all next year on May 1st 2004 .

Robert neron

----------

From: OCannabisSociety@...
Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 16:15:09 EDT
Subject: Cleveland MMM Report
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Status:  

We started with a sunny day with the temp about 50 degrees.  It was windy
with some gust.

We arrived on Public Square at about 11:30 and set up our tables and Willy
Mac and Westside Rick arrived shortly to set up the PA.

The rally started at high noon with John Hartman introducing the crowd who
had by now filled the grassy area of the NW Quadrant of Public Square.  John
introduced Willy Mac and they played 4 or 5 pot friendly songs.

John then thanked Willy & Rick for there support over the years and began to
inform the crowd why we are here.  A whiff of the illegal herb was in the air
as John encouraged the crowd to join OCS and to get more involved in the
cause.

Eroc and Tall Tom play a few songs and ended with Eroc original, She's My Bud.

It was at about this time that I found out that an off duty Cleveland cop had
pulled our power at Jesse Owen's park where we were to have the after party
after the march.  I quickly called the sheriff's department's administration
office and requested assistance from the county sheriff's office since this
park was county property.  Warning, don't call the sheriff because you just
may get what your asking for.  The upset off duty Cleveland policeman was now
standing in front of the Fallen Police Memorial which is located at the same
park where we were to have the after party.  In years past the cops may have
stationed a cop or two to guard the memorial from us crazed pot heads.  This
year the guards were gone but we had this crazed cop to deal with.  Anyway
the sheriff sent over three canine units and 6 sheriff's deputies (the
justice center and county jail is just across the street from the park). 
They ran their dogs in circles but not coming close to the main stage or near
our vending tables.  One of our people on the scene informed the sheriff
deputies of the problem.  They confronted the crazed cop but he would not
yelled.  At this point (if it was a regular citizen) one would expect an
arrest.  The sheriff's deputies reacted by not arresting the crazed Cleveland
Policeman who was clearly violating our free speech rights and refusing the

order of a law enforcement officer, but instead found us another power source
and even gave us enough electrical cords to reach the power.  I though they
were pretty cool for sheriff deputies.  But I would have loved to seen the
crazed cop taken away in cuffs.  Oh well.

Back at the square we had the pot poster contest and I must say people are so
creative with their signs.  The crowd chose the winner.  The choice was
between three really good signs and a very large fake joint about 4 ft long.

I decided that all four should be winners and gave them all a march T-shirt.

The march kicked off at 1pm and it was impressive even though the size of the

crowd was smaller then past years (about 800).

We easily surrounded three quarters of the Cuyahoga County Justice Center. 
It is so hard to coordinate this type of objective.  We retired to Jesse
Owen's park for speeches by Gary Seman of the Libertarian Party and Cher

Neufer of North Ohio NORML.  No arrests and no more problems from that crazed
policeman.  The funny cigarette contest had three rounds and the winner
rolled 11 cigarettes in to minutes.

We had two local TV stations report about the march and rally but our local
paper that did send a photographer failed to print a photo in the Sunday
issue of the paper.

In reviewing the event we were happy with the results except that the crowd
got smaller.  Next year we are going to have to move our march to warmer

month.  May just isn't cool for Northeast Ohio.  Dam it is just to cold and
to invest all this money and it is to high of a risk.  In August the media is

dyeing for stories, it is hot in Ohio and we have all summer for the PR.  I'm
strongly encouraging the Cures Not Wars org to consider moving the MMM event
to August if possible.

Peace
John Hartman, Director
Ohio Cannabis Society

-----------

From: "The Happy Hemptress" <hemptress@...>
To: "Dana Beal" <dana@...>
Subject: Cincinnati MMarch Report
Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 20:13:40 -0400
Organization: HempRock Productions
X-Priority: 3
Status:  

High Dana,

 

I just wanted to thank you again for including Cincinnati in the 2003 MMM schedule & your generous effort in changing the laws for a better world. 

 

Cincinnati had a decent turn out of about 250 people throughout the 3 hours.  If it weren't for a guy who was shot somewhere close & then crawled to Fountain Square & died on the Friday night prior, we may have had alot more people.  Our Mayor was on the news Monday evening saying he hopes it doesn't deter people from going to the Square.  We had 50 people

at the fundraiser & I was able to break even.

 

I had great radio coverage.  There were 45 commercials on 97.3, 29 on WEBN & free coverage on WEBN's morning show & news.  Plus, myself & Robert Ryan from Ohio Patient Network (in the studio) & Dana Beal & Dan Solano from Police Officers for Drug Law Reform (on the phone) were on 700 WLW on the Mike McConnell Show on Tuesday morning.  On Wednesday afternoon, myself, Gatewood Galbraith & Dan Plyler were in the studio for the Bill Cunningham Show on 700 WLW.  On Thursday, Bill Cunningham on his own, called the Mayor of Cincinnati to ask why there was no Medical Marijuana allowed in Cincinnati.   I called in the show on Friday to ask what the response was.  Then on Friday night, myself & my two MC's, Doc Diablo & Senor Bull, were on WEBN with Penis John, for almost 3 hours.

 

We had two extra special add-on speakers, Craig Lee from The Hemp Museum & my favorite, Alex White Plum from the Pine Ridge Reservation.  My other favorite was Daniel Solano from Police Officers for Drug Law Reform.  When the cops are coming to our side, we've almost Won!

 

I have both audio & video of both events recorded & plan to have both available on my website.  I also have copies of the radio shows & can send them to you if you'd like to hear them.  I have photos also & will email the best after I have made the files smaller.

 

Thanx again for all your help & I look forward to organizing next years Cinci MMM.

 

Have A Very Hempy Day!

 

Lynne Wilson, Dir.

The Happy Hemptress

HempRock Productions

www.hemprock.com

513-BIG-BUDS hm

-----

From: "Larry Duprey" <larryduprey@...>
To: dana@...
Bcc:
Subject: Toronto march
Date: Thu, 08 May 2003 20:46:35 +0000
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 08 May 2003 20:46:36.0160 (UTC) FILETIME=[EA9DC800:01C315A2]
Status:  

Hi Dana:Toronto/May/03/03
On a beautifull sunny day,with weather only Canadians could call summer the cannabis community of Toronto came out in numbers to celebrate THE plant. We figure we had about 4000 for the march,but after we attracted a crowd of up to 10,000 for the whole day of bands and smoke. The police help us with the parade then vapourized. One our vendours was demonstrating 3 model of the VOLCANO vapourizer,that was quite a scene.Every one had a great day in the park,press was good and COPS told the press they had NO PROBLEM with it.

To help keep our feet on the ground and show us that the battle is far from over,the Toronto Drug squad busted one of Toronto's 3 MEDICAL CLUBS and arrest 3 employes and trashed the club 3 days after the parade.2 steps forward,3 steps back.

Larry Duprey

J.J.LARRY DUPREY larryduprey@...

(416) 242-9452   fax (416) 242-2635

---

From: "Kathy Kennedy" <prohibitionx@...>
To: <cnw@...>
Cc: <DONNAP777@...>,
    "mcnorml" <mcnorml@...>,
        <mmm419@yahoogroups.com>,

        <MMM4PRA@yahoogroups.com>,

        <r.c.clement@...>
Subject: Report, Lansing march
Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 11:44:58 -0700
X-Priority: 3
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 08 May 2003 15:35:24.0828 (UTC) FILETIME=[71A29DC0:01C31577]

Status:  

     The permit for the Capitol Building was $263.  Due to heightened security measures, we couldn't use the bathrooms and had to pay $100 above previous years' charge.  Next year I'll take my money somewhere they'll let us use the bathroom!

     The city, this year, corrected a long standing mistake of stopping traffic on a state truck line; this forced us to use Capitol Avenue instead of Michigan.  That's not really bad; changing is bad.  But I think the old format has been outgrown anyway.  It's time for some changes.  Still, this year's march was puny, in part, because of the change in route.  Official headcount:  40 (without the 13 speakers, 27).  It has always been over 100 before.

     Because of Capitol Building restrictions, I lined up only one band.  We're not limited to one band, just limited in every other way so this is the first try at even having music.  The band's car broke down near Battle Creek, on their way to Lansing.

     The emcee was an hour late.  Two speakers were hoping to talk and run, one local and one from Detroit.  I wish I had chosen one and let the other one leave.  But instead I stalled them, then introduced them - poorly I think, that's why I like to have an emcee - and hung them up for 27 people.  It's hard to know at the moment what should be done.  I'm writing this down for future reference.

     I have learned if you have 3 speakers it isn't enough for 2 hours, and 13 is too many.  With intros and all, figure 15 minutes per speaker, but tell them they have 3 to 5 minutes only!

     The grand marshall was late, and didn't do his job when he finally arrived.

     I have always had bad luck with grand marshalls and press releases, this year the same.  Last year's press release was the best so far, with only one mistake; plus I called around the day before the march.  This year I called again; local affiliates for CBS, NBC, and Fox ran stories about the event.  Videos have been ordered at $25 each.  The Lansing paper did not cover it.

     Special thanks to:  Will Dwyer for $100 donation to Lansing march efforts; Dan (somebody tell me how to spell his name) Selano (?) for efforts to bring in cash, and Cannabis Culture magazine $25 donation.  The march cost more this year for only 27 people; they could have donated $20 apiece and paid for the march but that's a lot when you can't even use the toidy!

     What I'm considering next year (remember this is only embryonic) Friday, April 30,2004, rent a hall or such, noon to midnight, for bands, speakers and vendors.  Saturday morning, board a round trip chartered bus Lansing to Detroit, driving by newspaper and TV stations on our way out of Lansing.  Then south-east to increase the event in Michigan's first tier city!

     Comments welcome                                                                                                                            Kennedy

From: "Kathy Kennedy" <prohibitionx@...>
To: <cnw@...>
Subject: Lansing march report
Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 20:42:06 -0700
X-Priority: 3
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 06 May 2003 00:32:33.0005 (UTC) FILETIME=[FBE2E9D0:01C31366]
Status:  

For years, many groups have marched up Michigan Ave. to the Capitol, but they shouldn't have because that route crosses state truck lines.  So this year the city corrected it; we marched up Capitol Ave to the Capitol.  I told everyone, I mailed maps...people told me they never even looked at what I sent so they went to the wrong gathering site.  Some one volunteered to check and came back saying no one was at the other site.  The emcee was an hour late.  The grand marshall was late but he didn't do his job anyway so I it didn't matter.  The band's car broke down on the way.  We had about 50 marchers.  My arrangements for a press release didn't work.  I called newsrooms in Lansing Friday.  I guess 6 and 47 showed up; I won't know until tomorrow.  I was encouraged to make a report but it would be premature until I know more details.  Anyway I'm so depressed right now I don't want to think about any goddam motherfucking march.

So, how was New York?                                                                                 Kennedy 

----------------

From: "Melody Karr" <fiddlefoot420@...>
To: normlgeorge@...
Bcc:
Subject: TC 2003 March
Date: Mon, 05 May 2003 13:10:52 -0400
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 05 May 2003 17:10:55.0779 (UTC) FILETIME=[4A4F1730:01C31329]
Status:  

 

 

   Marchers in Traverse City Michigan had a gorgeous spring day for a demonstration along the bay and a march through downtown. About 75 people marched and demonstrated, and spectator response was tremendous and overwhelmingly positive. At least one young woman stopped her car to come join us and quite a few cruised the one way-downtown circuit several times, honking their support over and over.  The drummers doing their thing on Front Street, the beat echoing off concrete and glass, the marchers chanting "We're here, we're high, get used to it," the little old lady saying "Yes, you're right. I completely agree," the little preadolescent badasses on bikes who followed us through town, enjoying the hubbub--- oh, dude --- it was sweet to behold.

   Although the city police showed their usual non-interest, the local paper, the TC Record-Eagle,  ran an announcement of the event for the first time (this is our third march), and did a nice second-section first-page story with a large photo of signs saying "Honk If You Inhale" and "Liberate Us First".  Our weekly alternative paper, Northern Express, interviewed a couple of us the week before and should be running a story this coming week. Best of all, we finally found a restaurant/bar in TC with enough balls to host the rally. It happened last-minute, so we only had time to book one band, but Shimmers (the venue) was happy with us (cannabis people tip good) and vise-versa, so we've already scheduled it with them for next year (to be confirmed in Jan.) Look, honey, our little rally has a home now. What mother wouldn't be proud?
   Shimmers is a gorgeous setting, with a whole wall of windows behind the stage looking out on the Bay. We had displays of hemp products, literature, plenty of freebies including samples of hemp granola and homemade hempflour cookies and bread. Throughout the evening, we raffled off t-shirts, cds, glassware, baked goods, Memories of Rainbow Farm videos, a poster from last year's march signed by Michael Moore, an mp3 player, and a basket of hemp products from our local organic co-op. Several of these prizes were won by our faithful waitress, who kept getting tipped partially in raffle tickets.

   We began the rally almost promptly at 4:20, with some words about Rainbow Farm and a selection from Anna Akhmatova's "Requiem" read in honor of Tom and Rolly and of the solidarity of people facing oppression.  Then, of course, we played "Smokes My Weed." Thank you as always, Buddha Fulla Rymez, for that heartbreaking, empowering tribute to our guys.

   Reverend Steve Thompson, director of Benzie County NORML, emceed the event and spoke about current events and activities locally, while Adam Zoloney recounted some of his reasons for fighting the good fight and for starting a chapter of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy at Central Michigan University. Every morning, Adam said, he looks at himself in the mirror and asks two questions: am I free yet? and, is today a day when I'm going to take some action toward making myself free? We were gratified at the number of people who took advantage of the open mic time and shared their own experiences, opinions and ideas.
   Bentley-Fillmore Band supplied us with some rock&blues tunes to cap off the evening, and a good time was most definitely had by all. Thank yous go out to

               Shimmers Lounge for the hospitality

               Bentley-Fillmore Band for the music

               Oryana Natural Foods Co-op for the lovely hemp basket

               Blue In the Face for the t-shirt

              Cannabis Culture Magazine for the free issues and the contribution

              Reverend Steve for keeping it moving

              Adam Zoloney for the words of inspiration

              Jeff Fillmore for the sound, man, the sound

             Traci George and Jody Frenchi for making sure we have TC March t-shirts two years in a row

             Reverend Happy for faithfully maintaining the legalizemichigan website

             TC Record-Eagle and Northern Express for the coverage

             and most of all, to everyone who turned out and added their energy to the mix, and to anyone I've inadvertently forgotten (I know there must be someone).

 

                          PeaceGratitude&Solidarity,

                           Melody for Michigan Cannabis Action Network

---------------------------------------------

From: "Nita T." <nita@...>
To: "Dana Beal" <dana@...>
Cc: "Nita T." <nita@...>
Subject: Re: GMfCL 2003 #30: First March Reports From Around the World!;  Sign up NOW for Jayday 2004!
Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 10:27:10 -0500
X-Priority: 3
Status:  O

Greetings, Dana

Our rally had a low turnout for a city the size of Jackson,MS.  I guess folks are burnt out from all the peace rallies and marches...BUT...nobody threw things at us! Four protesters were arrested for smoking in the park ....they knew better and were fiercely warned...but anytime there's a pot rally, somebody somewhere is going to get arrested for some reason. It's the nature of the beast.

 

I gave a kickass 15 minute speech right in front or at least two proven narcs...'twas quite thrilling!

 

Dana, put Tupelo, Mississippi down for next year's MMM.

Contact: Anita T. Mayfield 

Phone # 662-963-0775, 

E-mail:  nita@...

 

In the box I was sent this year, there were no CC magazines or brochures in it. Also, you said in your last letter concerning the march that there would be a check for expenses, but, I guess I got my box too late. I really want to do next years up right because "The All American City" of Tupelo has NEVER seen anything like this! AND IT MUST BE GRAND. You can bet your sweet ass there will be lots of media coverage!

 

Looking forward to hearing from you soon,

Anita T. Mayfield

-----------------

From: "mo hemp" <mohemp@...>
To: dana@...
Bcc:
Subject: Re: GMfCL 2003 #30: First March Reports From Around the World!; Sign up NOW for
 Jayday 2004!
Date: Fri, 09 May 2003 16:23:51 +0000
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 09 May 2003 16:23:51.0906 (UTC) FILETIME=[60CD4420:01C31647]
Status:  O

Kansas City's Cannabis Liberating Event vs. Mother Nature

High all.  KC's MMM was held on Sunday May 4th.  The day of natural disaters for the mid-west.  We held fast in the park until 4:30 when the tornado sirens blew everyone away.  The morning was great.  About 500 people in the park and at the protest thourgh out the day.  We had no media attention because the news was pretty busy chasing those twisters.  After the sirens went off we relocated to a bar downtown so our last two bands could finish.  We lost about half of the crowd because they were not 21. We had an awesome band called Loco Macheen from Emporia and they knocked my socks off.  All in all I think it was a success, we raised awareness until 4:20 at least and then enjoyed ourselfs at a local pub:) Please put KC on the list for next year.

Elyse

www.mohemp.org

mohemp@...

 

 

 

 

"Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens
can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
                            - Margaret Mead

-------------

                       

Contact 1 Name : justin
 Contact 2 Name :

 Contact 1 Email : hjl@...
 Contact 2 Email :

 Contact 1 Telephone : 204-897-8816
 Contact 2 Telephone :

 Contact 1 Address : 161 fairlane ave.
 Contact 2 Address :

 City : winnipeg, manitoba
 Country : canada
 Website 1 :
 Website 2 :
 Events :
 Event Location :
 Event Location 2 :
 Start Time :
 Start Time 2 :
 Organization :
 Organization Email :
 Organization Telephone:
 Organization Address:
 Organization Website:
 Description of Events : Meet at legislative at 4:20pm and get fuckin stoned in front of the police!!!!!!!!!

--------

From: donovan criss <doncriss@...>
Subject: Cannabis Liberation March
To: dana@...
Status:  

Hello I just wanted to tell the weekend went here in Phoenix, AZ.  We had a small ralley in the park on Sat. I'd say about 15 people.  Then on Sun. we had about 9 people.  I'm starting to loose faith in my fellow man.

I just don't get it, we put out over a thousand or more flyers.  But still nobody really came.  My buddy Rex and I are going to keep trying.  We already have a fiew dates in mind where we will do more rallies.  If we can't get more people involved I think we just might move to Canada

Anyway I'll keep in touch, if you have any suggestions or advice we'd surley appreciate it. Thanx and have a blessed day.

------

Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2003
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2003 The Sacramento Bee
Contact: opinion@...
Website: http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Judge+Gray

AT RALLY, JUDGE CALLS DRUG WAR 'HOPELESS'

Reno (AP) - A Superior Court judge sharply criticized the drug war and
renewed his call for the decriminalization of marijuana at a pro-marijuana
rally Saturday.

Judge James Gray of Orange County, Calif., said the drug war has cost
billions of dollars and resulted in the United States having the world's
highest incarceration rate -- with no end in sight to rampant drug abuse.

The former federal prosecutor said he has never smoked marijuana, but
supports the strictly controlled distribution of pot to adults.

"We have made an illness into a plague. (This is) a failed and hopeless
system," Gray said.

"I believe people should be entitled to do what they want to their bodies,
but that they should be held accountable," he added.

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n645.a01.html

------------------------------

From: RoadsEnd@...
Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 12:04:26 EDT
Subject: Eugene OR March & Rally
To: cnw@...
Status:  

A very mellow march and rally were held in Eugene, Oregon on May 3. Marchers gathered at Scobert Park in the Whiteaker neighborhood in West Eugene. The march began at High Noon and proceeded to the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza at Eighth and Oak.  There were speeches and music until three o'clock, There were no arrests. Next years rally will begin at the Free Speech Plaza. A nonviolent civil disobedience is being planned for next year.

Om
K

--------

Contact 1 Name : Madeline Martinez
 Contact 2 Name : Anna Couper

 Contact 1 Email : yerbanena@...

 Contact 2 Email : animalwho@...
 Contact 1 Telephone : 503-239-6110
 Contact 2 Telephone : 503-239-6110
 Contact 1 Address : P O Box 86443, Portland, OR 97286
 Contact 2 Address : P O Box 86443, Portland, OR 97286
 City : Portland, Oregon

 Country : USA
 Website 1 : www.ornorml.org
 Website 2 :
 Events : March
 Event Location : Pioneer Courthouse Square
 Event Location 2 :
 Start Time : High Noon
 Start Time 2 :
 Organization : Oregon NORML
 Organization Email :
 Organization Telephone: 503-239-6110
 Organization Address: P O Box 86443, Portland, OR 97286
 Organization Website: http://www.ornorml.org

 Description of Events : Gather at 11:30 am to march through downtown Portland for the 4th Annual Million Marijuana March at High Noon.

--------------

Contact 1 Name : Heather Proud

 Contact 2 Name : Jeffrey Loverro

 Contact 1 Email : mauiheather@...

 Contact 2 Email : airbrushmaster@...

 Contact 1 Telephone : 808-891-0303
 Contact 2 Telephone :

 Contact 1 Address : 3291 Waileia Pl.  Kihei, Hi.  96753
 Contact 2 Address :

 City : Maui, Hawaii
 Country : Island Vibe
 Website 1 :
 Website 2 :
 Events :
 Event Location : n/a
 Event Location 2 : n/a
 Start Time :
 Start Time 2 :

 Organization : Sacred Herb Ministry

 Organization Email : mauiheather@...
 Organization Telephone:
 Organization Address:
 Organization Website:
 Description of Events : Peace, Joy, & Jah Love!

********************

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IF YOU WANT YR CONTACT ON THE NEW IBOGAINE POSTER, SET UP AN IBOGAINE DROP-IN CENTER TODAY!

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<snip>

 

Canadian TV news coverage of MMM.

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Sunday, May 11

Newshawks: Marijuana March 2003 in Canada Newshawks with Pot-TV Running Time: 4 min Date Entered: 06 May 2003 Viewer Rating: 8.65 (12 votes) Number of Views: 1060 CBC and CTV News coverage of the May 3rd Marijuana March that took place in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Pot-TV More shows from Newshawks email to a friend		Select Player and Speed Play Realplayer (1061) Need a Video Player? select rating 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 10 = Excellent
discuss this show in the CC forums >

WWW.POT-TV.NET

MMM is front page news in Mexico City!

 

MMM is also in Google News!
http://news.google.com/news?q=%22Million+Marijuana+March%22 

 

 

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	May 11, 2003 | Issue #30
Home | Mailing List | Search | Print
The Latin Americanization of the Million Marijuana March Mexico City and Buenos Aires Protests Among this Year's Largest By Dan Feder Special to The Narco News Bulletin May 11, 2003 MEXICO CITY: The Million Marijuana March, begun each May in New York City five years ago with the all for legalizing the famous leaf, caught fire in Latin America's two largest Spanish-language media centers this month - Mexico City and Buenos Aires, Argentina - as well as with a pro-legalization protest held in Rosario, Argentina last weekend. The Million Marijuana March passes through Mexico City's Alemeda Central Photo D.R. Daniel Rothhirsch 2003 According to the daily Página 12 in Buenos Aires, the rally to legalize marijuana in that city drew 12,000 people. The Mexico City demonstration attracted about 1,500 – three times the attendance of last year's gathering, according to organizers. Similar events were organized in more than 100 cities around the world. Hundreds attended in New York, and a march through Toronto drew several thousand. In Latin America, the media’s attention to the event has taken off as well. Reporters and camera crews followed the two-hour march and demonstration through downtown Mexico City, and, unlike the previous year, all major Mexico City papers featured reports and photos the next day, including front-page placement in the national daily La Jornada. “We are here to march as citizens in defense of our customs,” said Ricardo Sala of vivecondrogas.com, one of the organizers, as the crowd gathered in front of Mexico City’s historic Palace of Fine Arts. “We say no to the government’s provocations, no to the illegality. We want respect for our individual sovereignty, we want the government to get out of decisions about our own bodies.” The large crowd marched down a busy downtown avenue and then through the city’s central park, known as the Alemeda. Another organizer, the upstart political party México Posible, passed out flyers reading “Strike a blow against drug trafficking: legalize marihuana.” Others, like the Mexican Association for the Study of Cannabis (AMECA, in its Spanish acronym) distributed information about drug policy reform and Harm Reduction, a non-prohibitionist strategy for diminishing the damages associated with drug use under prohibition. In Buenos Aires, speaking to the multitude in the Rosedal de Palermo park, Gustavo Hurtado of ARDA (Harm Reduction Association of Argentina) said: “The repressive policies [of drug prohibition], the prosecution of personal possession of small amounts of drugs as a serious crime, and makes drug users into criminals. This keeps them out of the healthcare system and only increases the potential for harm and the risks of HIV/AIDS transmission.” Like many policies pursued by the US administration, he said, drug prohibition is an “irrational agression.” The central message of the Buenos Aires march, said Hurtado, was to “say no to the war on drugs, and say no to the war on drug users.” Mexico City and Buenos Aires aren’t just the two biggest cities in Spanish-speaking América. They are the two headquarters of the big Spanish-language media, with a “market” much larger than that of English-speaking North America. Only a few years ago, the Latin American efforts to end drug prohibition were all but invisible, both in the streets and in the papers and on TV. But that’s changing rapidly. Demands for change are now right at Big Media’s doorstep. If the extensive media coverage of these events is any indication, those demands have begun to be heard, loud and clear. Silvia Inchaurraga contributed to this report from Argentina See our previous story in Narco News on the Mexican legalization movement. For more Narco News, click here. ------------------------- "Reporters and camera crews followed the two-hour march and demonstration through downtown Mexico City, and, unlike the previous year, all major Mexico City papers featured reports and photos the next day, including front-page placement in the national daily La Jornada." http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2003/may03/030504/indexfla.php ------------------- CRECE EL RECLAMO POR DESPENALIZAR LA MARIGUANA MARIA RIVERA Más numerosa que las anteriores, la marcha de ayer estrenó consignas como "¡presos pachecos, libertad!" y sostuvo que el derecho de decidir sobre el propio cuerpo está protegido por la Constitución. Aquí, el contingente pasa frente al Palacio de Bellas Artes FOTO CARLOS CISNEROS

 

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-----------------------

"Alberto M. Giordano" <narconews@...> wrote:

To: narconews@...
CC: narconews@yahoogroups.com
From: "Alberto M. Giordano"
Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 15:19:56 -0500
Subject: [narconews] Feder: The Latin Americanization of the Million Marijuana March


May 11, 2003
Happy Mother's Day

Dear Colleagues,

It hasn't been reported in the English-language press until now, but last
weekend's "Million Marijuana March" in more than 100 cities around the world
- in favor of the legalization of the famous leaf - enjoyed two of its
largest gatherings here in Latin América.

Dan Feder reports from Mexico City, with an assist from Silvia Inchaurraga
in Argentina, that 1,500 pro-legalization citizens marched in Mexico's
capital, while a multitude of 12,000 gathered in Buenos Aires:

http://www.narconews.com/

Three years ago, when Narco News began publishing, we reported that a Latin
American legalization movement was growing by leaps and bounds and would
soon be visible. Nobody can doubt that any more... the sound of the gallop
of Bolívar's horse rumbles louder and louder each day.

from somewhere in a country called América,

Al Giordano
Publisher
The Narco News Bulletin
http://www.narconews.com/
narconews@...

Subscribe for free alerts of new reports:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconews

Suscríbete gratis para alertas de nuevos reportajes en Español:

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Inscreva-se para alertas gratuitos de reportagens do último minuto em
português brasileiro:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/narconewsbrasil

------------------------

------------------------

Many photos. New Zealand MMM. A few are copied below.
http://mildgreens.com/mmm2003.htm

Million Marijuana March, Cathedral Square, Christchurch  May 3rd, 2003 Press release: 7 May 2003: Mild Greens J Day shows no respect for irrational/unjust law The Mild Greens say that successful J-day protests around NZ show that cannabis smoking is irrationally defined in UN-sanctioned law as a crime. ... <snip>

-----------------------

 

Blair Anderson <blair@...> wrote:

Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 20:25:48 +1200
From: Blair Anderson
To: eco man MMM lists
Subject: [Fwd: [cclr-public] Drug Sanity 10/5/03]

Dave hails from Wellington NZ.

-------- Original Message --------

From:	"koropubdave" <koropubdave@...>
Subject:	[cclr-public] Drug Sanity 10/5/03

Drug Sanity Saturday 10/5/03 Wellington Access Radio 783khz AM 1245PMKia-ora, Good Afternoon, Welcome to Drug Sanity, This is a program presented by DPEC, the Drug Policy and Education Council. I’m Dave Currie. On May the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th there were global celebrations of J-day to liberate cannabis from its oppressive and pointless prohibition in 200 different cities around the world, some of the cities were Jerusalem in Israel, Helsinki, Oslo, Mexico City not to forget New York and Washington. It is becoming clear that with pressure like that prohibition must soon buckle. On the New Zealand scene Police ignored people smoking cannabis in Cathedral Square Christchurch, showing that they realised there were more important things for them to do rather than arresting peaceful marijuana smokers. Although the official venue for J-day in Dunedin was the Octagon some venturesome people actually lit up in the police station without any eyebrows being raised. If the truth were known, some members of the police force might even enjoy a quiet smoke themselves at the end of a hard day. In Auckland there was a sour note in that the organisation NORML was not allowed to celebrate j-day at its usual venue of Aotea Square. This was probably the work of Mayor John Banks, an ardent prohibitionist with interests in the liquor industry. I was annoyed to learn that the broadcasting Standards Authority had not upheld a complaint I had made against an item in Late Edition last November. Here so-called drug educator Pauline Gardiner, who I think fools people rather than educates them, she made a number of outrageous claims about how bad cannabis was. However the only evidence she had to justify her wild claims was supposed to be buried amongst 10,000 scientific papers she had, all of which were supposed to show how bad cannabis was. That’s no use to Television viewers. They want references to studies showing that cannabis causes the alleged bad effects. In her list of scares Gardiner regurgitated many of the old discredited canards, which I thought were dead and buried years ago, plus a few new ones. One of the old myths she dug up says that one joint is as damaging as 4 tobacco cigarettes. That has been refuted many times by learned scientific bodies such as the American Academy of Sciences years ago. She also brought up a rehashed version of the ‘ cannabis leads to schizophrenia myth. On this issue Dr Allen Fraser representing the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has said that there is no convincing evidence that cannabis use causes schizophrenia. Studies tend to correlate cannabis use with poor clinical outcome, often due to non-compliance with treatment recommendations. Gardiner also brought out a completely new scare, whose origin lies in a questionable analysis made by Wellington coroner Gary Evans, that cannabis use is behind youth suicide. On this Dr Fraser said that this has been inadequately studied. There is no convincing evidence of a causative relationship between cannabis use and suicidal acts independent of other factors often involved. There remains a suspicion that post cannabis depression of mood may be a factor in some cases. I wrote to TVNZ telling them that someone with a bit of knowledge on the subject should have been in the studio to provide some balance to Gardiner, who I thought could only be a charlatan. The Broadcasting Authority, in making its decision, said it had to uphold section 5 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights, which meant that to apply the Broadcasting Act it could not limit freedom of expression in a manner, which is not reasonable or demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society. To me this means that any village idiot can be paraded on TV1 news as an expert. I have always thought that the more you listen to experts on TV1 and National Radio the less you know. I’ll now go on with a look at the political scene. In Iraq we have seen the overthrow of a tyrant and the American military say that Saddam Hussein’s regime will soon be replaced with democracy. I once heard Wellington identity Bill Maung proclaim that democracy was hypocrisy. I think he may be right. In our supposed democracy we have a system where members of the public can make submissions on various issues of government to a select committee. A parliamentary inquiry into the mental health effects of cannabis was run by a Health Select Committee, which analysed all the submissions given to them by members of the public. In its report the committee recommended that the legal status of cannabis should be looked in to. A following parliamentary committee inquired into strategies to minimise the use of and harm from cannabis. Many submissions favoured having some sort of controlled market in cannabis where dealers, growers and perhaps even users would need licenses. The idea was that this would torpedo the illicit market in cannabis and keep the drug out of the hands of vulnerable young people. But this excellent idea has itself been torpedoed by the coalition condition demanded by United Future that the government must not alter the legal status of cannabis in its present term. The fact that Labour agreed to that condition shows to me that that party doesn’t give a hoot about democracy. After all they have rubbished all the hard work put in by members of the voting public who put in submissions. I have my doubts that individual Labour members of parliament even had much say on the coalition issue. That being so, in effect New Zealand is governed by a cabal, or troika in this case, who rule over the cabinet. A good question to ask is, why did Peter Dunne’s party request such a condition for coalition? My answer to this would indicate the presence of Saddam Hussein like tyrants who are governing the troika itself. It would be these tyrants rather than the voting public who are really represented by our parliament. I think it would be heads of the liquor industry, perhaps people like Doug Myers, as well as heads of Fundamentalist Christian Sects who are represented by the government, rather than the voting population, most of whom would favour changing the legal status of cannabis. Here are my reasons for this. I think troika members Peter Dunne and Jim Anderton are both in cohorts with the liquor industry, and their respective parties will probably get big donations from this source. Both Dunne and Anderton voted in favour of Shipley’s sale of liquor bill, which lowered the drinking age and allowed beer and wine to be sold in supermarkets. Also Dunne’s rag-tag political party United Future is loaded heavily with fundamentalists who are against legalising cannabis. The plot begins to fall in place. I think it will be the other troika member Helen Clark with other Labour leaders who will have allowed a miscarriage of democracy to take place. I think the reality is that we have in N.Z. a Saddam like tyranny posing as a democracy. This is why we see people who have not harmed others and who have given no true cause for others to lay any complaint against them being arrested and thrown in jail on drug charges. This after all is what one expects in a Saddam dictatorship.

It’s now time for me to close and wind up with our notices. Listeners can get a copy of my book on marijuana by sending me $21 at 15 Rakeiora Grove Petone. The Freedom shop at 272 Cuba Street has copies as well as Deepec’s pamphlets. Shop hours are Mondays and Tuesdays 12 to 4pm, Wednesdays to Fridays 12 to 6pm and Saturdays 12 to 3pm. Send your questions and letters and requests for our pamphlets to Deepec’s address Box 11639 Wellington. Listen in to Tonny in a fortnight on Saturday May the 24th at 1245PM here on this station Wellington Access Radio 783AM. I’ll close with some ageless Pink Floyd. Good afternoon and haere Ra.

(music was 'Shine on you crazy diamond part1 from 'Wish you were here')
 
 
 
 

Photo may show up now.

Note: forwarded message attached.

Blair Anderson <blair@...> wrote:

Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 11:54:39 +1200
From: Blair Anderson
To: eco man
Subject: New Zealand J Day shows no respect for perverse law

MMM J Day shows no respect for perverse law



If cannabis use really is criminally offensive, and the Labour party
really believes in the discriminatory ‘family values’ of its coalition
ally United Future, why were there no arrests for the massive level of
‘crime’ witnessed in NZ centres on Saturday the 3rd of May.

[Image]

see article#7398
also see http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0305/S00091.htm
and http://mildgreens.com/mmm2003.htm

mailto:initiative@...


Blair Anderson
50 Wainoni Road, WAINONI
Christchurch, NZ 8006
phone ++64 3 389-4065 025 2657219

Mild Green Initiatives, for your liberty, pleasure, health and safety.

http://mildgreens.com
_______________________________________________