Marijuana Facts

V.I.P. List - Very Important Potheads - Changing the face of cannabis

 


(1) Introduction

This may be the ultimate indictment of the "moneyed" drug reform movement in this country and I urge you to distribute this article as widely as possible.

This is the 8th in a series of essays on the MERP Model for Re-Legalizing Marijuana throughout the planet.  In this essay I am exposing the "smoking gun" evidence that will show that the "Marijuana Policy Project" (MPP) is secretively plotting to put an end to the personal cultivation of Marijuana which has been a perennial goal of all Marijuana activists since the mid-1960's.  This betrayal, of both Cannabis activists and the MERP Model, requires that MPP is cut off from any further activist funding.  You will find links to all past and future essays, concerning "MERP" at the following link:

(2) Some Brief Background on the Re-Legalization Movement from the 1960's through 2008

1967 was the year that the first major petition, demanding Marijuana Re-Legalization, was placed in the London Times by Paul McCartney.  Here is a brief description of the petition from Barry Miles "Beatles Diary:"

The "Pot" Ad
The Times ran a full page advertisement on July 24th, 1967, headed, "The law against marijuana is immoral in principle and unworkable in practice" which was signed by, among other, all four Beatles and Brian Epstein. The petition's arguments included the following: that the smoking of cannabis on private premises should no longer constitute an offence; cannabis should be taken off the dangerous drugs list and controlled, rather than prohibited; possession of cannabis should either be legally permitted or at most be considered a misdemeanor and that all person now imprisoned for possession of cannabis or for allowing cannabis to be smoke on private premises should have their sentences commuted.

It was signed by 65 eminent names including Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of the DNA molecule and a Nobel laureate, novelist Graham Greene, and MPs Brian Walden and Rom Drilberg, as well as future MP Jonathan Aitkin, but the four MBEs caused the most press concern. Questions were asked in the House, and a chain of events set off, which did actually result in the liberalization of the laws against pot in Britain. the advertisement was paid for by the Beatles at Paul McCartney’s instigation.
The Beatles Diary: The Beatles years By Barry Miles

Four years later (1971) another Beatle, John Lennon, came to the assistance of Michigan activist John Sinclair, who had been put in prison for 10 years for getting arrested with a mere 2 Marijuana cigarettes.  Recently John Sinclair became the most important luminary to join the roster of activists supporting the MERP Model for Marijuana Re-Legalization.  And the list of supporters is growing by the day.

So for nearly 42 years we have now been fighting to end the prohibition of Marijuana throughout this planet.  Am I the only one that is angered that we have not yet achieved this goal?   Think about it.  It only took 13 years to realize that Alcohol Prohibition was a mistake, despite it being a far more dangerous drug than Marijuana.  Yet it has now been 71 years, that we have endured Marijuana Prohibition, and despite 52% support nationwide (see Zogby Poll), our representatives continue to ignore us.

Despite numerous feeble attempts it was not until 1996 -- 29 years later -- that the first Medical Marijuana Initiative, Proposition 215, was passed in California.  George Soros was a major contributor to Prop 215 but, according to activist Ron Kiczenski, he was not able to have much input into the structure of this initiative which had no limits to the number of plants that a patient could grow. Proposition 215 also held the counties responsible for granting citizens access to "Medical Marijuana."

For the uninitiated here is what you should know about George Soros:

(1) He is the primary funding source for the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) headed by Ethan Nadleman and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) headed by Rob Kampia.

(2) He has been the primary source of funding for the remaining 12 Medical Marijuana initiatives that have passed through 2008.

(3) He is a ruthless Globalist who supports gun control, open borders and is also a primary funding source to dozens of drug reform organizations throughout the planet.

(4) It is becoming clearer, by the day, that Soros is positioning himself to profit from a highly "taxed and regulated" Marijuana industry that will not destroy the drug cartels or stop the arrest of American Cannabis consumers.


So it is not a big surprise that Soros funded California Senate Bill 420 (SB 420), after Prop 215 passed.  This was Soros's attempt to limit the number of plants that a patient could grow.  Fortunately the Californian Appeals Court found SB420 unconstitutional because it did attempt to set limits.

Undeterred Soros became the primary funding source for the remaining 12 Medical Marijuana Initiatives which culminated in the passage of the Michigan Initiative in November 2008.  But the clever little Soros made sure that most of the remaining 12 initiatives  were restricted to a 12 Plant limit for the Medical Patient or the Caregiver.

This concludes my brief summary of Soros activities through 2008.  It should also be clear that Soros has shown absolutely no inclination to support initiatives that allow personal cultivation for healthy Cannabis consumers.  In fact Ethan Nadleman would not allow me access to Soros when I attempted to garner more funding for the Michigan Personal Marijuana Initiative (PRA) in July 2001.  We had collected over 270,000 signatures and needed additional funding to bring in professional canvassers to get the remaining 180,000 signatures.  But Nadleman and Soros "just said no" and the initiative never made the ballot.

(3) How Obama, Soros, Rob Kampia and MPP Intend To Betray the Marijuana Re-Legalization Movement in 2009

In a recent email from MPP they talk about the pending AZ Medical Marijuana Initiative:

“What's unique about the Arizona law is that it would permit qualifying patients or their caregivers to legally purchase marijuana from licensed dispensaries — so they wouldn't need to obtain it from the criminal market”.

Once you understand what Kampia (MPP) is really hiding you will have every right to get pissed off. You see, under this initiative (should it pass), you will NOT be able to cultivate the common 12 Plant maximum unless you live more than 25 miles from a licensed dispensary.

Here is what Rob Kampia and Soros did not want the Cannabis Activist Community to understand:

"Qualifying patients who live more than 25 miles from the nearest dispensary will be allowed to cultivate up to 12 marijuana plants for personal use."

In other words, once there are enough dispensaries individual consumers will no longer be able to cultivate their own Marijuana!

So the only thing “unique” about Rob Kampia’s (President of MPP) AZ initiative is that it will basically prohibit personal cultivation as soon as Soros can set up his network of "Medical Marijuana Dispensaries.". On that count alone I urge everyone in AZ to reject this flawed initiative and stop supporting MPP or DPA.

I have not assembled all of the puzzle pieces here but certainly enough to make the case that Soros, Kampia and Nadleman are not honest brokers of the drug policy reform that most Americans would like to see.  untaxed, unregulated cultivation by all American Citizens over the age of 18.

It is also becoming clear that the media is slowly attempting to "manufacture consent" for a highly regulated "tax and regulate" model for Marijuana Re-Legalization that will force American Citizens to pay exorbitant prices for Marijuana (e.g., $300 to $500 and ounce) in order to feed the tax coffers of local, state and federal government.  Why would we want to allow this when the MERP Model would allow you to grow for free outside or for about $30 and ounce if grown indoors under lamps.

A fellow activist also made the astute observation that Obama is most probably also in on this betrayal.  Just consider the following excerpt from a recent Christian Science Monitor article on this subject:

"Several recent polls show stepped-up public support for legalization. This means not only lifting restrictions on use ("decriminalization"), but also on supply – production and sales. The Obama administration, meanwhile, says the US Drug Enforcement Agency will no longer raid dispensaries of medical marijuana – which is illegal under federal law – in states where it is legal."
Legalize marijuana? Not so fast.

This is how she put it after we discussed the flawed AZ initiative in some detail:

"This is why MPP wants to put the power and control of med pot distribution and sales into dispensaries. and take it out of the hands of the patients. Do the dispensaries now become the care giver/grower as well?  How many plants are they allowed to grow?  Dispensaries will be popping up like convenience stores if that is the case.  I see a whole new set of laws coming under corporate oversight and it's screaming MONSANTO/DUPONT GENETIC PATENT ON SEED AND PLANT DISPENSARY CONTROL. What a set up...Obama said he won't raid "DISPENSARIES" in states where medical marijuana is legal...that is why they are taking the power away from home growers/patients...These dispensaries will fall under federal laws....and more than likely federal control and regulation.  Sneaky, sneaky."


This is exactly what I have been warning people about for years regarding the major drug reform groups supported by George Soros. Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) are two of the greatest beneficiaries of Soros funds. But Soros funds dozens of groups throughout the United States and dozens more outside of the United States .

As an activist in drug reform for over 20 years my goal has always been to change the laws so that ALL American adults, not just the sick, would be able to consume and cultivate their own Marijuana.  And under the MERP Model we will be able to do this just like we are currently able to produce our own homemade beer and wine: without any taxation, regulation or government interference. To that end I have come up with the MERP Model and have produced a series of essays and videos to explain how it would be implemented:


It is bad enough that Soros is moving to “cash in” on Medical Marijuana by prohibiting personal cultivation. What is worse is that such initiatives will do nothing to destroy the Drug Cartels, Terrorist Organizations and Gangs that profit from the illicit sale of Marijuana. The only model that would assure this outcome is the MERP Model, because it would essentially take all but the normal profit out of the Marijuana market.

For most goods the “normal profit” is usually about twice the cost of producing the product. So in the case of Marijuana you can grow it for about 20 to 30 dollars per ounce using the latest hydroponic techniques and High Intensity Discharge lamps. So you would expect the “normal profit” to be somewhere between $40 to $60 dollars an ounce. But the MPP Arizona initiative would do nothing to eliminate the “black marketing” of Marijuana where an ounce will still sell from between $300 and $600 an ounce. In such a setting the Medical Dispensaries, Terrorists, Mexican Drug Cartels etc. will continue to thrive at our expense.

(4) Summary

By looking retrospectively at the the activities of Soros it is clear that he is against any form of personal cultivation and more than likely expects to profit handsomely from a highly "taxed and regulated" system of drug reform.  It is also clear that Obama and the Corporate Media are also on board to manufacture consent for such a stupid and short sighted model.

But from the Hippies of the 60's, to the Activists of the New Millennium, we have always wanted full rights to cultivate Mother Nature's plant without the encumbrances of taxes, regulations or other excuses for the government to invade our homes and properties.  As far as I'm concerned Soros, Kampia and Nadleman can go "nadle" one another.  We have uncovered their deception and we will no longer support their flawed plans to control both us and our plant.

I think it is time we stop supporting these Soros-supported organizations and unite to achieve the only solution that will destroy the Cartels and serve the common good: the MERP Model. It already enjoys the support of thousands of activists including some of the most important luminaries of the movement: John Sinclair, Ron Kiczenski and Bruce W. Cain (Editor of New Age Citizen).

norml.org

NORML Blog