U.S. Marijuana Reform Project USMRP.com

Iowa May Be Next to Legalize

Allvoices.com - Will Iowa Be The Next State Allowing Marijuana ... By allvoices / contributed news Could it be that Iowa is poised on the verge of another nationally charged issue? First, same sex marriage is allowed; second, medical marijuana? As surprising as that may be for this conservati... allvoices - Contributed news... - http://www.allvoices.com/Guinea-bissau

The Stigma of Marijuana Users

There is a negative stigma attached to marijuana that has been cultivated in the United States for a very long time. It runs deep and it will take a lot of effort and education to turn prejudice into tolerance.

When a group of people look or behave in a way that is different than ours it is easy to be judgmental, especially when those around us have the same negative views. The problem is that we gravitate toward like minded people, so changing a stereotype is difficult.

“They should all be locked up.” I am not proud to admit that I have said this about people before. It was my natural response to people who did not look or behave the way I thought they should.

The problem with this type of knee-jerk judgement about marijuana users is that our prisons have become our trash can for people that smoke marijuana.

Here’s an exercise to test your own stereotype about marijuana users.

Picture in your mind a group of people who smoke marijuana.

• Where are they?
• What do they look like?
• What are they wearing?
• How are they behaving?

In the past, I would have envisioned white, bare foot, 20 something, tie-dye clad, tree-hugging, long haired hippies dancing around in a field of flowers. You know, the Janis Joplin, 1960‘s Woodstock scene. No offense to those of you who fit this this description, but this image used to give me the heebie-jeebies.

Today I think of bald, middle-aged women, suffering from chemo-therapy treatments, lying in a fetal position on a bed with fists clenched from the pain. I think of the black guys I worked construction with in South Carolina who used to smoke weed before work every day. I think of people who are tormented by mental illness who’s only relief, from their illness and the medications, is achieved by smoking marijuana. I think of the conservative lobbyist I knew that was busted smoking weed in a hotel room. I think of old people having a good time in a retirement community. I think of hypocritical professionals who smoke weed. I think of Willie Nelson, Barack Obama, Bill Mahr, Carl Sagan, Duke Ellington, Michael Phelps, Joan Rivers, Oliver Stone, Keith Richards, Winston Churchill, Walt Disney, Thomas Jefferson, Sigmond Freud, Richard Branson and Edgar Allen Poe.

My point is that whatever stereotype you have, about people who smoke or have smoked marijuana, it is wrong and locking them up in a prison cell is irrational.

You Don't Want No Part of this Sh*#%, Reefers is Bad for You

Take it from Sam, you don't want any part of this shit. Just walk away, reefer is bad for you. Just walk away. Get out of here. You don't want a hangover. You don't want to get addicted. You don't want to OD. It might make you want to have sex. Get out now while you can. You don't want to loose all of your money on expensive reefers. You don't want it!

Hilarious scene from the "Walk Hard" movie. You just can't argue with Sam!

Marijuana Busts a Lose-Lose for Taxpayers

Very intelligent discussion about money being wasted on marijuana busts. Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) Executive Director Rob Kampia appears on Fox Business News "Happy Hour" (7/24/2009) to discuss efforts in California to tax and regulate marijuana, and how it will help the state's revenue problems.

Notice that Mr. Kampla is consertively dressed in a suit and tie, supporting the legalization of marijuana, while the long haired guy in jeans argues against legalization (although he eventually comes around), with all the booze in the background.

Should pot be legalized and taxed, or would legalization create a society of "lazy pot heads" that sit around watching cartoons all day?  Let me know what you think.

Marijuana Taxes

Does taxing marijuana make it more legit?

There was a recent article in the New York Times, Marijuana Supporters Welcome a Tax Increase, which reported that Oakland, California voters approved a huge tax increase on sales at the city’s medical marijuana dispensaries last week.

I learned today from an Associated Press Article, Medical marijuana dispensaries thrive in Colo., that Colorado also collects taxes from 61 medical marijuana dispensaries, and that just one of them pays the state approximately $10,000 a month in sales tax.

What would the financial impact to California’s tax revenue if they were to tax the 267 (Yes, I found TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN) medical marijuana dispensaries?

I’m afraid that if we want to win the war on drugs, we had better return all of our troops back to U.S. soil ASAP and the US Army Corps of Engineers should halt all current projects and focus all of their efforts on building more prisons. Where’s Dick Chaney and Halliburton when you need them?

Mother Jones: August 2009 Issue is a Must Read

If you get a chance, pick up a copy of this month's Mother Jones magazine. It contains numerous articles about marijuana, the war on drugs, the Mexican Army, legalization, cartels, and border patrol corruption, which are very informative.

Here are some highlights:

We have blown $300 billion on the war on drugs.

Death squads roam Mexico.

Cartels operate in 259 U.S. cities.

Everyone should read "The Patriot's Guide to Legalization". It is a great article on the subject, especially if you have never used marijuana and think it doesn't concern you.

Busting Growers Seems Futile

I am in favor of decriminalization of marijuana and I don't support growers of marijuana because it is still illegal, but it occurs to me that locating plants and pulling them up is becoming futile and is at best a waste of law enforcement resources. 

In just the past two days I have read about large crops of marijuana being pulled up and destroyed by law enforcement in West Virginia and Colorado. I am sure you may have heard of others. 

Does law enforcement really think that they can eradicate all of the marijuana in the U.S.? I would like to know, either way. If they don't, then how can they justify taking tax payer dollars to perform a job that they know doesn't make a difference?

If they do believe that they are making a difference, by reducing the amount of marijuana grown in the U.S., don't they ever think that people who smoke marijuana are going to purchase their weed from elsewhere, say Mexico?

CHRONIC-les iPhone App Review

I was surprised to find marijuana related App's on Apple's iTunes so I decided to purchase them and provide reviews for anyone who is interested.

CHRONIC-less was created by David and Elizabeth Gregory. It was released on May 28, 2009. Like other Apps on the subject of marijuana, you must be 17 years or older to download this application. It claims to be "the first ever iPhone application dedicated to the legalization of marijuana". The App sells for $0.99

This is a very nice App for anyone interested in marijuana. CHRONIC-Less is packed with a lot of information for such a small price. I commend the creators for not charging more. By setting such a low price, they will surely sell many downloads and educate many about marijuana.

So here's what you get: 

• Pending Legislation
• Spoghtlights, including; Book of the Month, Film of the Month, Organization of the Month, etc.
• Email to the President in support of legalization of marijuana which can be edited
• History of Marijuana
• Marijuana Facts
• Link to the closest NORML Chapter on Google Maps
• A page of tips you can use if you are "Busted"
• Laws by State
• A link to NORML's Find a Lawyer page
• Links to Marijuana Policy Project and Americans for Safe Access
• Information, and links to even more information, about medical marijuana

This App works very well. No problems with download and has never crashed. It is packed full of information and features for the price and it looks nice. I learned some things from this App and I have been able to educate others on the subject.

CHRONIC-less is like having a mini blog about marijuana on your iPhone.

At the time of this post, the average customer rating for this App was 3 1/2 stars out of a possible 5. But I have to give it a 5 when comparing the content to the price. 

If you want marijuana legalized, you need to buy this app and send an email to the President!

Tax Legitimatizes Marijuana?!

Marijuana Supporters Welcome a Tax Increase

New York Times - Jesse McKinley - ‎Jul 22, 2009‎
Perhaps only in the sometimes hazy world of medical marijuana could higher taxes be considered good news. But sure enough, supporters of medicalmarijuana ...

Video: Calif. City First in Nation to Tax Pot The Associated Press
Taxing medical marijuana San Francisco Chronicle
Oakland voters approve a tax on medical marijuana Los Angeles Times

MPP's Dan Bernath Advocates Marijuana Reform on Russia Today

July 23rd clip of Dan Bernath, Spokesman from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) on Russia Today. Mr. Bernath states that he believes, "people are starting to realize that marijuana prohibition has failed on every level".

The Marijuana Policy Project's Mission is to:

1. Increase public support for non-punitive, non-coercive marijuana policies.

 2. Identify and activate supporters of non-punitive, non-coercive marijuana policies.

 3. Change state laws to reduce or eliminate penalties for the medical and non-medical use of marijuana.

 4. Gain influence in Congress.

Check out their web site and get involved in the conversation!