Conservatives on legalization

September 2nd, 2010 | By Reverend

Just as the title says. Conservatives in favor of legalization? THIS is conservative!

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Why should marijuana dispensaries support Prop 19

July 13th, 2010 | By Reverend

I put together this video of what I believe marijuana dispensaries have interest in legalizing marijuana via Prop 19.

I have to admit there are things that I don’t like about Prop 19 myself.  I dont agree with the age restrictions, and some of the growing restrictions.

However a $5000 license is not very restrictive when considering the profits from dispensaries.

We have had dispensaries get pissed about how I would like marijuana to be legalized because they see themselves losing control of the marijuana market.   They commonly say that legal marijuana will make prices go down.  I disagree.   Dispensaries are currently limited to medical patients with a valid, and expensive doctor’s recommend.   But when California legalizes marijuana, the recreational market, the tourism market and the medical market will all open up drastically more than it currently is.

I also point the dispensaries to two very legal products.  Saffron which has no legal restrictions has a price comparable to prohibition prices marijuana.   Also look at wine. These two products are grown by family farmers are are very very expensive still, despite their status as being legal.

Also look at the profits and the jobs that will come from the hemp market.  We currently have to import all hemp from out side the USA. If we grew it here, we would be exporting it to others!  That will put a lot of folks back to work in all areas of society.

Look at the Netherlands, a good portion of their tourism comes from cannabis cafe’s.  I personally visit Vancouver B.C. for the purpose of experiencing the Cannabis Culture Vapor Lounge.  It’s amazing!  Just think if people were flying into LA from other countries to experience our cannabis cafe’s!  Lots of people of all walks of life would be finding employment and benefits from this legal market.   Even those who don’t toke will see the benefits in the form of sales tax.

This is a the video I made, followed by a video on this topic from Reason.Tv

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Fourth of July report from Reverend Ryan

July 4th, 2010 | By Reverend

We had a great time at Riverfront Park in Spokane

I was able to freely speak my mind at the Tea Party assembly at the park today (without a permit).  That was refreshing after going to jail for the doing the same thing in Utah a few weeks ago.

I also spoke to Ozzie Knezovich who is running for re-election for the office of County Sheriff.  I am convinced now that I will not vote for this man.
He is a fanatical supporter of this “Drug War” and I can not stand for that.

This is an email that I sent to the sheriffs campaign directors:

I spoke to Ozzie today about ending prohibition and what his opinion is on that.
He cited a lot of statistics from the Netherlands.  I made this video to rebuke these false claims.

I will campaign against anyone in favor of prohibition. 
I think Ozzie is a nice guy.  But if he plans on “protecting and serving” the people of this county, he must realize “The Drug War” is not a war on drugs.  Its a war on the American people.

This is my response to Ozzie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf_n4Nj0KvE

Ozzie should check out “Law Enforcement Against Prohibition”   http://www.leap.cc

Thanks for your time!

Sincerely,
Ryan Thompson

http://xCannabis.com
CANNABIS CURES CANCER

There is currently no one running against him.  However, there is some unrest with a lot of his deputies, and there was a potential candidate that decided against running former Sheriff Mark Sterk.

I will say this, that if Mark Sterk runs next time on a campaign that includes ending prohibition I believe he will have a lot of support.

This is the news report on the complaints and the political movement within the Sheriff’s department:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omft7F0Ub10

This is the list of candidates running. Click Here

I will be writing them and asking them all their stance on prohibition.  It looks like many of them are running as republicans, so I can almost predict the responses from them.  But because Ron Paul renewed my hope in that party as a whole, I will give them all the benefit of the doubt.

Happy Freedom and Liberty day!

More references:

Comparing Important Drug and Violence Indicators

Social Indicator	Comparison Year	USA	Netherlands
Lifetime prevalence of marijuana use (ages 12+)	2001	36.9%	17.0%
Past month prevalence of marijuana use (ages 12+)	2001	5.4%	3.0%
Lifetime prevalence of heroin use (ages 12+)	2001	1.4%	0.4%
Incarceration Rate per 100,000 population	2002	701	100
Per capita spending on criminal justice system (in Euros)	1998	€379	€223
Homicide rate per 100,000 population	Average 1999-2001	5.56	1.51

Source:

1: US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Household Survey on Drug Abuse: Volume I. Summary of National Findings (Washington, DC: HHS, August 2002), p. 109, Table H.1.
2:  Trimbos Institute, “Report to the EMCDDA by the Reitox National Focal Point, The Netherlands Drug Situation 2002″ (Lisboa, Portugal: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Nov. 2002), p. 28, Table 2.1.
3:  Walmsley, Roy, “World Prison Population List (fifth edition) (London, England: Research, Development and Statistics Directorate of the Home Office), Dec. 2003, p. 3, Table 2.
4:  Walmsley, Roy, “World Prison Population List (fifth edition) (London, England: Research, Development and Statistics Directorate of the Home Office), Dec. 2003, p. 5, Table 4.
5:  van Dijk, Frans & Jaap de Waard, “Legal infrastructure of the Netherlands in international perspective: Crime control” (Netherlands: Ministry of Justice, June 2000), p. 9, Table S.13.
6:  Barclay, Gordon, Cynthia Tavares, Sally Kenny, Arsalaan Siddique & Emma Wilby, “International comparisons of criminal justice statistics 2001,” Issue 12/03 (London, England: Home Office Research, Development & Statistics Directorate, October 2003), p. 10, Table 1.1.

http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/node/67

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Law Enforcement Against Prohibition vote legalize it Cali

July 2nd, 2010 | By Reverend

Police speak out about prohibition and say Legalize Marijuana

LEAP.CC

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The Road to Zion

June 7th, 2010 | By Reverend

Again we are taking the long road to Zion.  There are lots of thoughts, and memories flooding my mind from living in Utah.

One thing that is shocking to me even today is that even as just a teenager, I spent 8 months in jail for merely possessing pot.

I think that protesting in Utah is good medicine for me.

So this is the info:

June 11th, Noon
4th District Court (Freedom Blvd and 100 North), Provo
Protesting to end prohibition in front of drug court

June 12th, Noon

4th District Court (Freedom Blvd and 100 North), Provo
Protesting to end prohibition in front of drug court

I will bring some shirts and some signs.  Feel free to make your own sign, with a message that’s important to you about legalization.

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Music is good medicine

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Protesting for Marc Emery

May 23rd, 2010 | By Reverend

Yesterday was such a blessing.  Even though the weather was yucky, it felt good to be free and to be able to excercise my freedom by holding a sign to end prohibition that said “GROW FREEDOM’ with a cannabis leaf on it and on the other side FREE MARC EMERY.  My wife makes killer protesting signs!

It was an awesome day to bond with Spokane.  Lots of warm support, very few haters.  Also a few patients stopped by, and helped another patient medicate.  I felt very blessed all day yesterday!

Making a sign and holding it in an intersection is easy.  Getting those I-1068 signatures is the harder part. 
Thanks to all you signature gatherers!

FREE MARC EMERY!!  This man has given so much!

www.cannabisculture.com