cannabisnews.com: MassCann’s ‘Hempfest’ Attracts 50,000 MassCann’s ‘Hempfest’ Attracts 50,000 Posted by CN Staff on September 22, 2003 at 07:12:25 PT By Cassandra Miller Source: Daily Free Press Pot and politics fueled the 14th Annual Freedom Rally Saturday, where 50,000 people gathered on Boston Common for “Hempfest,” an event sponsored by the Massachusetts Cannibis Reform Coalition and the National Organization for the Reform of the Marijuana Laws. Event planners wanted to use the event — whose theme was “Fight Terrorism, End Prohibition” — to question the Bush administration’s idea of tying marijuana users to terrorism to justify an expansion of the “War on Drugs,” according to Drug Policy Alliance Executive Director Dr. Ethan Nadelmann. Other topics addressed at the event were the full-out legalization of marijuana, the non-recreational uses of hemp and the medicinal benefits of marijuana.“We cannot afford to have our terrorism efforts fail as has the war on marijuana consumers,” said Keith Saunders, a MassCann director. “The link between ending marijuana prohibition and fighting terrorism is the money. Police officers’ time spent enforcing prohibition could and should be spent fighting terrorism.”The afternoon featured non-stop entertainment and speeches. Top Boston bands, including several winners of the 2003 Boston Music Awards, cannabis experts and political activists took to the stage.Ed Rosenthal, a cannabis expert and member of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, urged attendees to register to vote and change the laws prohibiting marijuana. Several tables were set up on the Common for voter registration.“We know that marijuana has to be legal,” Rosenthal said. At one point, Rosenthal, also a member of the Garden Writers Association of America, had audience members chanting “these laws are doomed” at the 60 police officers patrolling the Common. He labeled the “ABC” team of Ashcroft, Bush and Cheney the “axis of evil” and said they were taking away constitutional rights.“The war on drugs has weakened The Bill of Rights,” said Nancy Murray, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts’ Bill of Rights Education Project, who also spoke at the event. She spoke out against the USA PATRIOT Act, saying it invades Americans’ right to privacy, and asked people to sign a petition to repeal the act. As of Saturday afternoon, the ACLU had gathered 75,000 of the 150,000 signatures it is hoping to collect during the effort, Murray said.Others joined in attacking the government for cutting down on civil liberties.“The prohibition of the hemp plant is depriving people of their freedom and their liberty,” said Jean “Magic” Black-Ferguson, founder of Grammas for Ganja and one of the festival organizers. Black-Ferguson helped set up the “Hemposium,” where people could learn the many uses of hemp. A display showcased hemp products like food items from Canada and Europe, including hemp ice cream and hemp waffles, hemp clothing, hemp insulation, hemp shampoo and hemp rope. Hemp can also be grinded up and used to absorb oil spills.Black-Ferguson said hemp is a benign plant that is strong, lightweight, non-toxic and biodegradable. She said she started Grammas for Ganja in Seattle to “bring awareness to women.” “Women are the ones who are going to change the laws,” she said.One speaker pushed for the medical uses of marijuana.“Pot is my Prozac,” said Marcy Duda, an advocate and user of medicinal marijuana. Duda said she uses pot instead of prescription pain-killers for her nerves and to ease the pain of five aneurisms — she was originally prescribed Oxycontin, but became addicted to it and sick from taking it. David “Captain Joint” Bunn, a Hempfest Board of Directors member and High Times 2003 Freedom Writer of the Month, also said pot is a therapeutic and inexpensive alternative form of medication. Bunn said he uses pot to soothe his arthritis, asthma and anxiety attacks. He said many of his doctors have recommended use of the drug to ease his pain. Bunn said he was prescribed pain medicine for the four surgeries he has undergone in the last year, but said he only uses pot as a medicine, because the pills prescribed did not work. But Bunn also said recreational use of marijuana is less harmful than alcohol.“Drunks are having testosterone battles on one side of a party, and the stoners are laughing at them,” Bunn said. “Potheads are peaceful.”Attorney Michael Cutler said the United States should have a policy of treatment instead of punishment for marijuana use.“The death of prohibition is inevitable,” Cutler said. “The government is making crooks rich,” and should legalize pot in order to regulate its sale and distribution. “If we can tolerate alcohol and tobacco, we can certainly regulate and make safer marijuana,” he said. “The pot distribution process works fine. Anyone can get it without any regulations. We need to legalize it to provide a safer framework for children.”Many attendees signed cards at ACLU tables supporting a bill to make the “possession of less than one ounce of marijuana a civil infraction, punishable by $100 fine” in the state of Massachusetts. Source: Daily Free Press (MA)Author: Cassandra MillerPublished: September 22, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Back Bay Publishing, Inc.Contact: letters dfpress.comWebsite: http://www.dailyfreepress.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/MassCannhttp://www.masscann.org/Drug Policy Alliancehttp://www.drugpolicy.org/Rally Urges Relaxation of Pot Lawshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17370.shtmlPotheads Unite: 45 Arrested at Annual Protest http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17367.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 22, 2003 at 20:46:35 PT ekim It sounds like it went very well. I'm happy for you. Thank you for mentioning CNews. I really appreciate it. Will we be able to hear it on line in the future maybe? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by ekim on September 22, 2003 at 20:17:29 PT thanks for the luck it went just fine the show was great with more callers than we have had. Howard Wooldridge from Leap was just gang busters, he would not stop. anyone that has a chance to get him to speak should do so. www.leap.cc Larry from MI Norml.org was giving info on all that is going on in MI. Med petitions in Ann Arbor and Detroit. with 9 Norml chapters in MI. and growing. We ran Cnews web site a lot. and changethecliment site with drugpolicy site for the victory act . Ethan could not make it but wanted to and asked that we do another show and he would. well all in all I hope that we informed many as the local paper ran my LTE Kal Gazette. I hope others will try something [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 22, 2003 at 11:07:19 PT ekim I do wish you Good Luck! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by ekim on September 22, 2003 at 11:04:49 PT great story FoM wow what a difference a story makes. “Fight Terrorism, End Prohibition” — i called Ethans office and said thank you for speaking on this issue. maybe if Ethan is able to call he might just do it. wish us luck [ Post Comment ] Post Comment