All of our political leaders have lacked leadership on this, therefore we must be the leaders we have been waiting for and visualize an industry that elevates those who most need to be elevated economically. The latest figure I heard on the black market is 7 billion. I don’t know if this is accurate, but what I do know is that we could change everything with this plant for people who are marginalized by poverty, by the legacy of Colonialism, and by illness. Urban and rural alike can come together on this one, and it’s overdue for doing.
We need to have more cannabis conversations with each other and tap into that deep insightful place where we can discover new harmonious ways of living on this earth. We can also give creation to many outstanding inventions and products of cannabis for health, for economy, and for environmental solutions, such as cleaning water, air and soil. There is so much yet to be discovered with this amazing plant, but what we do know is that, as Dr. Lester Grinspoon of Harvard Psychiatry stated, cannabis, once restored to its dignified place in the pharmacy, will be one of the least toxic of medicines, and could be the penicillin of this century. I say it will be much more because of its potential with environmental and economic healing.
We also need to have a deeper understanding of what has been the cannabis past, so that we can truly circumcise stigma and shed its multi-layered skin. Its criminalization had more to do with racism and greed than it ever was about getting high. Sometimes stigma is as plain as day and sometimes it is foggy and diffused. Always it is discriminatory. The foggy part is worse because it’s not conscious and always acts from fear and in the fog as in the fog of war, terrible injustices happen. The only way to clear vision is by coming out as cannabis users and/or supporters. We know Canadians already support decriminalization. We know most Canadians see its value as medicine, but do most Canadians know that we could end poverty with it? Do most Canadians know there is incredible potential in this plant environmentally—that it’s cleaning up the soil of Chernobyl because of its mulch and deep restorative roots, and that it gobbles up emissions? I am sure Albertans want their children and grandchildren to breathe. Hemp and Cannabis (She who is one and the same plant species) can help see to it.
We must stand together and not allow anyone to be handed over to the American Drug thugs. If we let this happen to one of us, it can happen to all of us. The best of what Canada is is in our diversity and our social justice, so send a message now to all of our leaders at www.thehempfactory.com under send a message to the PM.
If we let one or three be taken down, we can all be taken down, and sold down the American prohibitive river. What next? Water? Who will be the next Arar? It’s a slippery slope and a mark against the grain of our Canadian values that such an extradition hearing is even occurring, but we can turn this into a turning point, and once again make significant Canadian history by demanding decriminalization as an election issue.
Just as one day the ‘War on Drugs’ will be seen not only for the sham that it has been, such as the War on Iraq, but it will been as a foggy hangover to the legacy of slavery. Cannabis is linked to race in the U.S. It also linked to oil, pharmaceuticals and lumber, but it is time to stand up for that which distinguishes and makes us admired the world over. Oh Canada, let’s restore justice, let’s restore cannabis and change things for a safer, greener society. Yes to cannabis, no to guns, so let’s hire more border patrols and stop the Yankee ones from coming in, as they do now regularly. Who is getting paid off—the black market beckons questions with uncomfortable answers, so let’s turn it green and be kinder and better.
We must stand together for each other and for our resources. Many Americans are working with us and want us to continue to lead the way because justice, like climate change, knows no borders. The world looks to Canada for moral guidance and we cannot fail now. We can provide a community based cannabis industry model for the world based on medical access, harm reduction, anti-poverty, and restorative justice for the people, and for the environment.
We must demand these extraditions be overturned and begin to aid the process of decriminalization. So, let’s all come together, urban, rural, medical, and environmental and say to the government, you’ve failed, so we’re leading it, by the people, for the people and the planet. Start by sending back feedback on what you think the criteria should be for growing and distributing, starting with medical access, in a harm reduction, sustainable framework. I will include your feedback in the next blog update.
For example, if a farmer has 50 acres, should she/he be eligible to grow for 50 medical users, or more? What about if someone has one acre? What about Native Lands? Cannabis has a real opportunity to provide restorative justice to those who have been marginalized by Colonialism. In fact, it’s the perfect plant to do so. Rural and urban Canada, come together on this one and let us bring each other prosperity. Could regulated compassion clubs hire those on low incomes, such as ODSP/those living with illness? Could they have flexible job opportunities to help ensure their medical access is guaranteed and to augment their income? How low could prices go for those who need access because of illness? These and other important questions can help develop the framework, so please send a message first to our leaders on my website — www.thehempfactory.com and send your feedback to begin this shift in cannabis paradigm. Email: lorettahempfactory@sympatico.ca
We cannot let this extradition happen, no matter, please go to the Cannabis Culture website and there are 5 concrete things that can be done to stop it from happening—go now—because the BC3 could be you or me.
http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/4471.html
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