Andy Harris Gotta Go Rally! – Sunday, February 28

UPDATE

Check out some of the photos:


PROTEST ANDY HARRIS THIS SUNDAY!

We are celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Ballot Initiative 71 by heading back to Bel Air, Maryland to troll Rep. Andy Harris. If it wasn’t for him, DC would be very close to opening stores for adults to purchase cannabis. Our goal is to prevent Andy Harris from being re-elected this year in order to show him & other members of Congress that they shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of the District of Columbia!

THE PLAN: This Sunday morning rain or shine we need you to meet us at the African American Civil War Memorial Metro Station (Green/Yellow Line, 10th Street Exit) at 10:45am and we will leave for Bel Air, Maryland at 11:00am sharp. At 1pm we’ll hold a rally outside Andy Harris’ congressional office located at 15 Churchville Rd, Bel Air, MD. After the rally we’ll spread out along the Baltimore Pike and hold up signs for a couple hours to engage drivers & pedestrians and register voters. We plan to leave Bel Air for DC at around 4:20pm and anticipate being back in DC before 7pm. Sound like fun?

If you have a car and are willing drive DCMJ supporters OR if you need a ride, please fill out this Google Doc so we can ensure we have enough signs and seats! If you know of friends who may be interested in joining us, please invite them on Facebook!

#PoopyMonkeyBaby Birthday Bash!

UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

"Bird-dogging" at Rep. Andy Harris fundraiser, 02.16.16


In case you missed it, not only does Rep. Andy Harris hate democracy, he’s a racist.  We’re doing everything in our power to run him out of office. Before last month’s snow storm, we crashed his town hall in Bel Air, Maryland. Next Up: We’re crashing his birthday party and you’re invited! 

Last week we got word that DC Overlord #PoopyMonkeyBaby is holding a birthday party fundraiser on Tuesday, February 16 at a banquet hall near the White Marsh Shopping center north of Baltimore.  DCMJ is planning to go up there early in the day to register voters and raise awareness that the DC Overlord #PoopyMonkeyBaby is smelling up the neighborhood with his soiled britches.

There’s a few ways you can participate:

1) You can donate $59 to DC Overlord #PoopyMonkeyBaby and attend his birthday party reception (see official form below). While we DON’T THINK IT IS WISE TO GIVE DC OVERLORD #POOPYMONKEYBABY ANY MONEY AT ALL, we know some of you are itching (think poison ivy) to have an opportunity to wish him a not-so-happy 59th birthday in person.

2) You have a car and are willing to drive others from around the DC area to North of Baltimore for a day of fun

3) You don’t have a car, but are willing to chip in $5 for gas money to be driven up to the shindig

We are looking for drivers, passengers, and agitators. Our plan is to leave DC around 12 noon on February 16 and return back to DC around 10pm. You will need to bring your own snacks and/or money for dinner, plus a few bucks for gas money if you are a passenger. DCMJ will provide voter registration forms and lots of high fives.

Please share this graphic:

Let the Ban Expire!

Please sign up to testify. Your voice is needed to end this poorly thought ban!

Let the Ban Expire!

Even though Initiative 71 legalized cannabis, it cannot be consumed anywhere in DC other than in a private home. This is because, the week after Initiative 71 took effect, the DC Council passed emergency legislation (Act 21-149) that banned marijuana consumption at any bar, nightclub, bingo hall, or private venue in Washington, DC. Without any pressing reason, the Mayor and the DC Council severely restricted our rights as cannabis consuming adults.

Unfortunately, many people can’t use cannabis in their homes, because they live in federally-subsidized housing where they would risk eviction, their landlord won’t allow it, or they don’t want to smoke or vape around their children. Thus, they have nowhere to go except the street, where they risk being convicted of the crime of public consumption. If this law expires, as it is scheduled to do on January 15, people could consume cannabis in private venues and at private events. While DC residents might be tolerant of their neighbors smoking outdoors, the ban needs to go!

On Thursday, December 10, 2015 at 10:00 am in Room 123 of the John A. Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW), the Committee on the Judiciary will hold a public hearing on B21-0107, which would make this unnecessary and harmful law permanent.

We need YOU to come and raise your voice to let the DC Council know that you OPPOSE B21-0107, the “Marijuana Decriminalization Clarification Amendment Act of 2015

We believe that some members of the DC Council who supported the temporary law are prepared to change their vote and oppose this legislation, but they need to see that their constituents (YOU!) care about this issue. Your presence will make a huge difference!

Signing up to testify is easy. Just email Kate Mitchell, Judiciary Committee Director, at kmitchell@dccouncil.us, or call her at (202) 727-8275, and provide your name, phone number, title (if any), and the organization you work for (if you are speaking on the organization’s behalf). The deadline to sign up is 5:00pm on December 7, 2015.

If you plan to testify, please come to our “how-to” meeting on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 7pm at 2448 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Please email RSVP@DCMJ.org so we know how many people to expect.

Catharsis – A Vigil for Healing the Drug War

Catharsis on the Mall - Nov.20-22

You are invited to participate in Catharsis, a 3-day vigil near the Washington Monument on November 20-22. The focus of the vigil will be the burning of a ceremonial a wooden temple dedicated to our healing from the War on Drugs on the night of Saturday, November 21.

This vigil is needed because often our society doesn’t mark a transition from a destructive and harmful policy to a more compassionate one. As more voices call for an end to the War on Drugs, it’s crucial like-minded artists, activists, and the community play a public role in healing and transforming to compassionate harm reduction policies.

CATHARSIS (noun) – The purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, especially through certain kinds of art, as tragedy or music.

WHO: Victims of the Drug War
WHAT: Catharsis: A Vigil for Healing the Drug War
WHEN: Friday, November 20 to Sunday November 22, 2015. The ceremonial vigil will start at 10:30pm on Saturday, November 21
WHERE: Northwest of the Washington Monument on the National Mall

Please Click Here to RSVP on Facebook
Interested in volunteering at Catharsis? Please fill out this Google Form!

Watch NBC4 footage of a similar ceremonial vigil that took place at GMU last May:

Volunteer at the DC Democracy Vigil

At the beginning of this year we sought volunteers to staff a DC Democracy Vigil. Had Congress moved to overturn Initiative 71, we planned to stage at 24 hour a day vigil to highlight our discontent. But after our meeting last week with Representative Jason Chaffetz’s staff, where we offered him a chance to reset relations with DC residents, we came away thinking Congressional leaders are not going to lift a finger for us! We have no choice but to escalate protests NOW to ruin their fake "freedom" brand and see them exposed for what they are: Oppressors.

Join dozens of I-71 volunteers who will start a 5-day 24/7 vigil from April 15 (tax day) to April 20 but we want thousands to join in the effort to shame our oppressors. Please RSVP in form below. The vigil location is a secret until April 15, so RSVP below to get the details.

Our DC Democracy Vigil is less about cannabis freedom and more about securing the same political freedoms as Americans who live in states have, like the right to elect Senators and Representatives, and to take part amending the constitution. The kerfuffle surrounding I-71 is just one facet of a larger struggle for genuine equality for District of Columbia residents. A status quo of no vote in Congress in the year 2015 is simply outrageous! We honestly believe that this is one of the most important civil rights struggles we can fix with enough united pressure from citizens like you.

We chose tax day, April 15, because DC’s license plates proclaim "Taxation Without Representation" and one of the most intrinsic tenants of freedom is the consent of the taxed, which we are denied. April 16 is DC Emancipation Day and many people have the day off. It’s a perfect time come protest with us!

NOT ENOUGH REASONS TO PROTEST?

Although DC citizens fight in wars abroad, we have no say in matters of war and peace at home yet we are literally putting our lives on the line. Shouldn’t we sacrifice as much here for Democracy as we are willing to sacrifice in other countries?

DC residents pay more in taxes than any other state in America, but we are denied the right to choose how our tax dollars are spent. No other industrialized nation in the world denies the residents of its national capital the right to participate in the country’s national legislature, except the United States.

With your help, this 214-year-old constitutional catch-22 will come to an end. Help put the spotlight on the District of Columbia so folks who live outside of the DMV will understand and demand change from the Republican-controlled Congress that cares little for DC, except when they want to force their will on us.

Chairmans Chaffetz & Rogers and Senator Cruz don’t deserve to be lobbied any longer by us, they deserve protests and to be given a 21st century tar and feathering in social media. They deserve public shaming, and as much disruption as possible to highlight their continued denial of our basic human rights.

So don’t just read this, take action! Join the DC Democracy Vigil and help construct a Liberty Pole with us. Then join the 24/7 open mic to FREE DC and engage those who are unaware of our plight. Please RSVP below so we can figure out how many people we can expect over the 132-hour protest. Location and instructions for the Vigil will be emailed to those who RSVP only.

You already made history by participating in the legalization marijuana despite Congressional harassment. Now let’s step up our efforts to free DC by getting fully equal to our brothers and sisters of the 50 United States.

See you April 15-20!


If you are planning to attend, but can’t volunteer for a shift, please RSVP on Facebook and invite all your friends!

Spring Seed Shares


Since Ballot Initiative 71 passed last November, the DC Cannabis Campaign has received many requests for cannabis seeds. We’ve said all along, “ask a friend, they might have some seeds to give you.” Still, we know that not everyone has friends who have seeds available to share.

To address this need, on the 1-month anniversary of Ballot Initiative 71 becoming law, the DC Cannabis Campaign is organizing two seed shares to facilitate personal home cultivation of cannabis permitted under the new law. This will be DC residents’ opportunity to share seeds with other adults and start down the path of legally growing your own cannabis in the safety and privacy of your home.

The first seed share will take place at Libertine, an absinthe bar in the Adams Morgan neighborhood from 5:30pm to 8:00pm on Thursday, March 26 and the second seed share will take place a few days later on Saturday, March 28 from 4:20pm to 7:00pm at the DC Cannabis Campaign Headquarters.


WHO: Cannabis Seed Sharers and Seed Seekers
WHAT: Spring Seed Share
WHERE: Libertine, 2435 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 and DC Cannabis Campaign Headquarters, 2448 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
WHEN: 5:30pm to 8:00pm, Thursday, March 26, 2015 @ Libertine
4:20pm to 7:00pm, Saturday, March 28, 2015 @ DC Cannabis Campaign Headquarters
WHY: To provide DC residents with the seeds to legally grow cannabis at home


SEED SHARE RULES

1) No money may exchange hands while sharing seeds. This is a seed share, not seed sale! The law allows the gift of up to one ounce of cannabis, but not sales, trades, or any type of service in exchange for the cannabis. If we see money changing hands, you will be asked to leave. The only place money should be visible is when you buy something at Libertine’s bar. IMPORTANT: buying someone food or drink in exchange for cannabis is illegal!

2) Do not carry more than 2 ounces at anytime. The law allows you to carry no more than 2 ounces of cannabis (including seeds) outside your home. Do not leave the seed share with more than 2 ounces cannabis (including seeds) or you risk being arrested on your way home. If we see you with more than 2 ounces of cannabis (including seeds), you will be asked to leave.

3) Do not give away more than 1 ounce of seeds to any one person. The law allows a maximum gift of 1 ounce between adults. So if you showed up with 2 ounces of seeds, you could give 1 ounce to one person and 1 ounce to another person, or you can be truly generous and give a couple seeds to every person who attends the seed share. But under no circumstances, should anyone be giving away more than 1 ounce at any time.

4) All sharing must be between two adults aged 21 and older. You MUST bring your government issued ID. No exceptions. While we will accept out-of-state IDs, these events are intended for DC residents only.

5) Cannabis seeds must be in your possession at all times. You can bring a container to hold your bagged seeds, but you must stay with your seeds at all times and give them away to other adults. Unattended cannabis seeds may be given away.

6) The DC Cannabis Campaign will not share seeds. Rather each adult will share their seeds with another adult. There won’t be a seed donation jar because someone would need to be responsible for the jar being under 2 ounces at all times.

7) Be patient. We are instituting a maximum of 80 people inside the venues and as people leave, more people will be able to come inside to share their seeds. The law does not prevent adults from sharing seeds in public, so get to know others in the line.

8) Respect the venues. Having a lot of people inside to share seeds can result in damage to the venues. Please treat the venues as you would treat your own home. The seed shares are taking place on private property and the owners are being generous by allowing the seed shares to take place. Disruptive guests will be asked to leave.

9) No consuming of cannabis. No smoking or vaping is allowed. We ask that you go home or to a friend’s house to consume your cannabis. If you are found to be smoking or vaping cannabis, you will be asked to leave the premises.


RECOMMENDATIONS

Have cannabis seeds but not sure what strain the seed is? We expect many people to bring random cannabis seeds they’ve collected over the years to share with other adults. These seeds may still be viable, and more importantly, they can provide a first-time grower the opportunity to grow cannabis at home. Many people might write off these “unknown” seeds as worthless, but for someone who’s never grown cannabis before, they can help immensely. We suggest bagging these seeds up before you arrive and write the words “Unknown” on a piece of paper inside the bag or on the outside of the bag itself.

Have seeds AND you know what strain they are? You’re a cannabis superstar! Many growers would like to know the strain they are growing and your “known” seeds could be very helpful to many novice growers. We suggest bagging these up before you arrive and include the name of the strain on a piece of paper inside the bag or on the outside of the bag itself. We also suggest putting 6 or fewer “known” seeds in each bag in order to ensure as many people as possible have access to your seeds.

Don’t have any cannabis seeds at all? Please bring baggies or containers to put your newly-obtained seeds in. We also suggest bringing a pencil & paper to write down the names of different strains you obtain at the seed share. You may end up with a couple random seeds or you might end up with multiple different types of strains; it all depends on who shows up. Lastly, if you do not plan growing cannabis, we politely ask you to not come to these seed shares. We want the seeds that are shared to go to folks who want to grow this year.

What about clones? Clones are cuttings of live cannabis plants. Clones are popular among growers because the sex of the plant is known and the strain of the plant is also known. Unfortunately, Ballot Initiative 71 does not permit the sharing of clones. Therefore, the only way to legally create clones is to grow a plant from seed and make clones of that plant inside of your home. If you bring a clone to the seed share, you will be asked to leave.

TIMING

The Seed Shares will take place on the evenings of Thursday, March 26 and Saturday, March 28. We ask those with seeds to share to arrive 15 minutes early (5:15pm on Thursday & 4:05pm on Saturday).

KNOW THE LAW

We ask that everyone take a few minutes to re-read Ballot Initiative 71 so you know and can comply with the law.


These seed shares will be the campaign’s last public events. We anticipate winding down the campaign committee once the campaign’s debts have been paid off. In accordance with rule #1 (no money exchange), the campaign will not be taking any donations during the seed share, but you can still donate to the campaign on our website or by check.

We look forward to sharing seeds with you! Please RSVP!

PRESS RELEASE: DC Marijuana Initiative Supporters Announce Election Night Party

PRESS ADVISORY
8:00pm–11:30pm EST, Tuesday, November 4, 2014

CONTACT: ZACK PESAVENTO
(202) 420-1065
ZACK@DCMJ.ORG

DC Marijuana Initiative Supporters Announce Election Night Party

Proponents of Ballot Initiative 71, which legalizes the cultivation and possession of limited amounts of marijuana in the District of Columbia, will hold an election night party and fundraiser to benefit the DC Central Kitchen. Starting at 8:00pm on Tuesday, November 4, supporters of the “Yes on 71” campaign will gather at Meridian Pint to watch the election results.

Ballot Initiative 71 allows adults over the age of 21 to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, give (but not sell) up to one ounce of marijuana to other adults, and cultivate up to three mature marijuana plants at home. If successful, the bill will be transmitted to Congress for a mandatory review period after lawmakers convene again in January. Without interference, the bill’s provisions could go into effect as soon as April 2015.

WHO: Adam Eidinger, chair, DC Cannabis Campaign; Dr. Malik Burnett, vice-chair, DC Cannabis Campaign; Supporters of Ballot Initiative 71

WHAT: Election Night Fundraiser for DC Central Kitchen

WHERE: Meridian Pint, 3400 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20010

WHEN: Tuesday, November 4 from 8:00 PM to 11:30 PM EST

The DC Cannabis Campaign, Metropolitan Wellness Center, Drug Policy Alliance, Students For Sensible Drug Policy, DC Brau, DC Central Kitchen, Capital City Hydroponics, E.F.F.O.R.T.S. (Employment For Former Offenders Receiving Treatment Services) and Meridian Pint are partnering to support the election night fundraiser. Attendees will be encouraged to make a donation to DC Central Kitchen or bring a canned food item.

The DC Cannabis Campaign is the official campaign committee for Ballot Initiative 71. The campaign is a project of residents from across the District of Columbia, Drug Policy Action, and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps.

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Join Us For A Community Conversation on DC Marijuana Laws and Ballot Initiative 71

Join us for Monday night’s Community Conversation on DC Marijuana Laws and Ballot Initiative 71, which will be taking place from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Shiloh Baptist Church (at the corner of 9th & P St. NW, near the Shaw/Howard Metro Station).

The conversation will be moderated by acclaimed author and economist, Dr. Julianne Malveaux and feature a panel of experts on marijuana laws. This will be one of last large events concerning Ballot Initiative 71 before election day and your attendance is encouraged.

WHO: Local and National leaders, Community Advocates, Clergy, DC residents, and staff from the DC Cannabis Campaign

WHAT: A Community Conversation on DC Marijuana Laws and Ballot Initiative 71

WHERE: Shiloh Baptist Church, 9th & P Street, NW. Blocks from the Shaw/Howard Metro Station (Green & Yellow Lines)

WHEN: 6:30pm to 8:30pm, Monday, October 27, 2014

WHY: To have a conversation about DC marijuana laws and Ballot Initiative 71

Please help us spread the word by inviting your friends and sharing the flyer above on Facebook and Twitter!