WHAT THE KETTLE SAID TO THE POT – “WE’RE ALL BLACK”

OLA, CA – Today the clouds started thick and the camp is hunkered down in temps destined not to reach more than 75 degrees. What a difference a day makes, said Dinah Washington. Yesterday was ‘Indian summer’ weather. When Lanny Swerdlow and the hosts of ASA (Americans for Safe Access, a medical marijuana advocacy organization) rolled into town, LA looked like the picture of fall. The sun was shining and the temps were comfortably crisp. Walking from camp just two blocks away I spotted a crowd occupying both sides of the street corner by the Federal Building, the story title a sign carried by a wheel-chaired woman. Spotting some faces that I hadn’t seen since my last Human Solution outing, see recent archives, I also saw the face that was the spokesperson for Prop 215, Anna Boyce, the elderly but still active nurse who co-sponsored and co-authored Prop. 215.  Deploring the recent actions by Obama’s feds against medical marijuana collectives, Ms. Boyce asked why the feds have not talked with patients before they undertook their actions against collectives.

She called on President Obama to honor his commitments made to patients during the 2008 election and to meet with them to settle the differences in a letter. Ms. Boyce had written the letter to President Obama and Lanny, along with legendary marijuana attorney Bruce Margolin, walked her up to the US Courthouse to hand deliver the letter to the U.S. Attorney’s office. They were repulsed there with the excuse that a feeble little old lady from Pasadena type might be delivering anthrax so she would have to snail mail the written plea so postal workers could first inspect it. If you could see this diminutive nurse who witnessed first hand the regenerative powers of pot toward her husband’s chemo side effects, I defy you to find any malice in her manner. As we will see at the end of this story, eye witness testimony means naught to our present government and their lackeys who have already replaced the words ‘free’ and ‘brave’ with ‘loyalty’ and ‘obedience’ in their national anthem.  

While they was ‘delivering’ the letter a speaker from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) gave his viewpoint on the situation. The California ex-police chief put forth the rationale that many police officers were ‘merely’ following the orders given and weren’t all Tony Bologna badasses, see 9/24/11 OWS pepper spray viral vids. Of course in light of police actions against most of the occupy movement sites including the deliberate shooting of Scott Olsen with a tear gas canister from 20 feet away add little credence to the ex-chief’s validity. In fact the very next speaker, a woman, stated that she had trusted a cop and done federal time because of that misplaced trust. In the end, she stated cops, like pigeons, always return to the roost and the coop crew.

After the speakers finished up almost on cue, the 3 marijuana Musketeers returned undaunted and mailed the letter. Here’s a hint Anna, next time leave your missive at the desk of House of Blues or at Roscoe’s Chicken Shack. When BO comes to town, he’s a rock star, see early Sinfest comics. Approximately 250 people, of which almost 70 were from the Inland Empire where Lanny and his THC crew rousted the faithful, all marched back the two blocks to Occupy LA. A small number of LA occupiers who joined the Federal Building protest carrying green signage made the pilgrimage back to camp-side with the MMJ bunch. Afterwards many of the leaders for the medical advocacy climbed atop the City Hall main stairs and made impassioned speeches, with Lanny being one of the most passionate.

The LA Rally was just the first in a series of rallies that Americans for Safe Access planned with the final statewide rally to be held in Sacramento on Wednesday, November 9. ASA is encouraging patients and supporters from all over the state to converge on Sacramento and rally at the Federal Building there. If the legislature is in session, patients will also have time to contact their elected legislators at their offices. This is a great time to convey the importance of medical marijuana access in asking their help to get the feds to go back to Washington and stay there.

“The bus trip to LA was a great success and we are now looking into doing the same thing for Sacramento. This will be a two day trip. Leave Tuesday morning at 10 a.m., arrive Sacramento around 6 or 7 p.m. Spend the night in a local motel and then on Wednesday go to the rally and lobby our state legislators. Leave at 4 p.m. returning to Riverside around midnight. 
Of course chartering a bus to Sacramento and paying for a hotel room is a lot more expensive than just going to LA and back. The costs are around $90 a person for the bus and the room assuming two people share a room.
 
I am working to see how much money I can raise from the collectives to cover the cost of this trip. In the meantime, I would like to know how many of you would be able to go on this trip to Sacramento and how much of the $90 cost you could cover. If you can afford to cover it all, that would be great, if you need some help, let me know how much you could put in.” – Lanny 760-799-2055

And now the response from the paid and true to continue their ill treatment of the ill treated led by ‘inhaling was the reason – I want four more’ Obama cronies.

“Official White House Response to Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a
Manner Similar to Alcohol. and 7 other petitions. What We Have to Say About Legalizing Marijuana” (From the President who smoked it and did coke in college. At least Clinton told the truth, he didn’t inhale. He and HRC ate pot brownies).

From Gil Kerlikowske,
”When the President took office, he directed all of his policymakers to
develop policies based on science and research, not ideology or politics.
So our concern about marijuana is based on what the science tells us about
the drug's effects.
According to scientists at the National Institutes of Health- the world's
largest source of drug abuse research - marijuana use is associated with
addiction, respiratory disease, and cognitive impairment. We know from an
array of treatment admission information and Federal data that marijuana
use is a significant source for voluntary drug treatment admissions and
visits to emergency rooms. Studies also reveal that marijuana potency has
almost tripled over the past 20 years, raising serious concerns about what
this means for public health – especially among young people who use the
drug because research shows their brains continue to develop well into
their 20's. Simply put, it is not a benign drug.
Like many, we are interested in the potential marijuana may have in
providing relief to individuals diagnosed with certain serious illnesses.
That is why we ardently support ongoing research into determining what
components of the marijuana plant can be used as medicine. To date,
however, neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked
marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective medicine for
any condition.
As a former police chief, I recognize we are not going to arrest our way
out of the problem. We also recognize that legalizing marijuana would not
provide the answer to any of the health, social, youth education, criminal
justice, and community quality of life challenges associated with drug
use.
That is why the President's National Drug Control Strategy is balanced and
comprehensive, emphasizing prevention and treatment while at the same time
supporting innovative law enforcement efforts that protect public safety
and disrupt the supply of drugs entering our communities. Preventing drug
use is the most cost-effective way to reduce drug use and its consequences
in America. And, as we've seen in our work through community coalitions
across the country, this approach works in making communities healthier
and safer. We're also focused on expanding access to drug treatment for
addicts. Treatment works. In fact, millions of Americans are in successful
recovery for drug and alcoholism today. And through our work with
innovative drug courts across the Nation, we are improving our criminal
justice system to divert non-violent offenders into treatment.
Our commitment to a balanced approach to drug control is real. This last
fiscal year alone, the Federal Government spent over $10 billion on drug
education and treatment programs compared to just over $9 billion on drug
related law enforcement in the U.S.
Thank you for making your voice heard. I encourage you to take a moment to
read about the President's approach to drug control to learn more.

Resources:

   * National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
   * Marijuana Facts (ONDCP)
   * Drug Abuse Warning Network (HHS)
   * Treatment Episode Data Set (HHS)
   * National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS)
   * Monitoring the Future Survey, University of Michigan

Gil Kerlikowske is Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy”

As soon as Monsanto and Soros figure out how to pimp Mary Jane Green and reap the benefits in cash that rightfully belong to God, there will be more marijuana around than you can smoke, make plastic and clothes from, or use in any other fashion. But you can avoid the holiday rush and sell your soul to the Devil before the Christmas season. Happy Hanukkah.  
(Gil’s letter is left without any editorial emphasis. Bullshit doesn’t need any help in offending the nose or a sense of righteousness, which is why we Occupy, nuff said - Ed)