protest

Jeff Fish

An estimated 30 thousand people crowded the Boston Common on Saturday for the twentieth annual Boston Freedom Rally-colloquially known as Hemp Fest- to support the reform of marijuana laws in the United States and to celebrate its decriminalization in Mass.

The Suffolk chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) was involved in promoting the rally.

"Suffolk NORML is the most active campus chapter in Boston and is also one of the youngest," said Scott Gacek, who is on the board of directors for the Mass. Cannabis Reform Coalition (MassCann), the Mass. chapter of NORML.

"We were a really big part of [the freedom rally]," said Jeff Morris, president of SUNORML. "We worked with MassCann all summer and went all over the city handing out fliers to Northeastern, BU, Emerson, and we probably got a couple of kids out to B.C." Read more »

By Genevieve Bookwalter

SANTA CRUZ — City police officers could be in the uncomfortable position of ticketing ill medical marijuana patients on Saturday if leaders of Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana try to allow patients to inhale at their annual festival.

Valerie Corral, co-founder of WAMM, a nonprofit collective for seriously ill medical marijuana patients, told council members on Tuesday that patients needed a spot to smoke if necessary at Saturday's celebration of medical marijuana. She said the group would erect tents near the sidewalk for patients with prescriptions to smoke privately during the annual celebration in San Lorenzo Park.

Smoking of all sorts is banned in the park but is allowed on the sidewalk until Santa Cruz's new no-smoking rules take effect next month. To city leaders, though, "near the sidewalk" is still in the park. As a result, those caught breaking the smoking ban could be cited $70. Read more »

By Cannabis Culture

Thousands of protesters rallied in cities around the world on Saturday, demanding freedom for pot activist Marc Emery.
More than 100 cities participated in "The Worldwide Rally for The Prince of Pot" to show support for Marc, who is facing a five-year prison sentence the United States for selling marijuana seeds online. Read more about the Worldwide Rally for Marc Emery here.
Coverage of the event is beginning to stream across the internet, and we will update this page with more pictures and videos as they pop up. Send video or media coverage of the rally in your city to jeremiah@cannabisculture.com and we will post it below. Read more »

Conservative Members of Parliament will be in downtown Vancouver for a fund-raiser, on Monday, September 21, from 5:00pm - 7:00pm.

Come down and let the Conservatives know that C-15 is a terrible policy that the people of Vancouver do not support!

Monday, September 21
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Relish Restaurant
888 Nelson Street
Vancouver, BC
Map Below: Read more »

The world-wide Free Marc Emery protests are today, 2-5pm. Check CannabisCulture.com for local info for your town.

Vancouver Art Gallery 2-5pm, see you there!

Join 'The Worldwide Rally For The Prince of Pot', and show your support for Marc Emery, the marijuana activist who is going to jail in the United States for FIVE YEARS for selling marijuana seeds and funding the cannabis movement.

Marc is expected to be sentenced in the Seattle Federal Court of Ricardo Martinez on or around Monday, September 21. The plea agreement is for a 5-year sentence in US Federal Prison. The global rallies in support of Marc will be on Saturday, September 19th -- join the Facebook page!

Vancouver's Rally for Marc Emery will be at the Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, from 2-5pm. Let everyone know! Read more »

Canada has 97 appointed Senators, call as many as possible.
Larry Campbell (613) 995-4050 campbel@sen.parl.gc.ca
Mobina Jaffer (613) 992-0189 jaffem@sen.parl.gc.ca
Richard Neufeld (613) 947-4055 neufer@sen.parl.gc.ca
Nancy Raine (613) 947-4052 rainen@sen.parl.gc.ca
Gerry St. Germain (613) 947-2242 stgerg@sen.parl.gc.ca
Noel Kinsella (613) 992-4416 kinsen@sen.parl.gc.ca
Lowell Murray (613) 995-2407 murral@sen.parl.gc.ca
Marjory LeBreton (613) 943-0756 lebrem@sen.parl.gc.ca
George Baker (613) 947-2517 bakerg@sen.parl.gc.ca
Pierre Claude Nolin (613) 943-1451 nolinp@sen.parl.gc.ca
John G. Bryden (613) 947-7305 damphh@sen.parl.gc.ca
James S. Cowan (613)995-4268 cowanj@sen.parl.gc.ca
Department of Justice Canada - Media Relations (613) 957-4207
You can call 1-800-OCANADA(662-6232)
or 1-800-267-7362 (senate switchboard) to connect toll free

Have a hempy day,
Kristen Mann
International Hempology 101 Society
General Manager Read more »

Jeremiah Vandermeer - Cannabis Culture

Vancouver activists held a protest yesterday in memory of Marilyn Holsten, a diabetic double-amputee who died from a heart attack shortly after she was given an eviction notice by her landlord for using medical marijuana.

“It’s incredibly inhumane that anyone could treat someone like that in this country that we call civilized,” Marilyn’s sister Moira O’Neill told Cannabis Culture and other media attending the memorial protest. “I’m hurt over my sister’s treatment and incredibly anguished over how she had to spend the last few days.”

Nearly one-hundred people attended the solemn event, including NDP MP Libby Davies and marijuana activist (and CC publisher) Marc Emery, to call for an end to the mistreatment of medical marijuana users like Marilyn. Read more »

By Roszan Holmen

It's the largest club at the University of Victoria and its 400 members are taking action against proposed legislation to toughen up on drugs.

The goal of Hempology 101 Society is legalization of cannabis through education, said club leader Kristen Mann.

"It's a safer recreational choice (than alcohol) for the kids to be using," she said. "It's an excellent raw material for everything from food to fiber."

On Sept. 9, the society celebrates its 14th anniversary with a march to the legislature to protest bill C-15.

The bill aims to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act by introducing minimum penalties for serious drug offences and increasing maximum penalties for cannabis production. It was introduced in, and died with, the last legislative sitting.

On June 8 the bill received its second reading; 195 members of Parliament voted in favour (including Saanich MP Gary Lunn) and 54 voted against the bill (including Victoria MP Denise Savoie). Read more »

Anthony Papa
Communications specialist for the Drug Policy Alliance

When we talk about who has the best slum landlord stories we now have to mention this tragic case.

Marilyn Holsten was 49 years old and in frail health, suffering from diabetes. She'd had both legs amputated, was almost blind, and received dialysis six hours a day. She lived for eight years at Anavets Senior Citizens Housing Society building at 951 8th Ave E, Vancouver Canada.

Marilyn's landlord did not like the smell of marijuana, so he gave her an eviction notice. She became very distraught and as a result her health deteriorated rapidly. Eventually, she died of a heart attack this August. Her sister, Moira O'Neil, said Marilyn's last days on Earth were a living hell. Read more »