FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 17, 2021

CONTACT: ADAM EIDINGER (202)744-2671 Adam@DCMJ.org

WASHINGTON —  Opening up D.C. farmers markets to adult-use cannabis sales and licensing sales by D.C. craft cultivators and cottage industry entrepreneurs are the focus of a carefully vetted amendment that will be presented by District of Columbia Marijuana Justice (DCMJ) at a public hearing Friday of the D.C. Council.

“Combining criminal justice reforms and economic innovation, the amendment would guarantee D.C. implements a profitable, equitable, affordable and transparent system of adult-use cannabis sales, testing and cultivation,” says to Nikolas Schiller, author of the Cottage Industry Amendment and co-author of Initiative 71.

The amendment establishes a “Cottage Industry License”  for adult residents, and “Farmers Market Endorsement” license that would allow sales by local craft cultivators and entrepreneurs, molding social equity and decriminalization into a new, necessary and innovative revenue stream. The amendment includes enforceable rules and regulations for anyone who is issued either license.

The amendment states, “A cottage industry license shall authorize the licensee to grow and produce medicinal and/or recreational marijuana within their residence for sale and delivery at wholesale directly to manufacturers, testing facilities, retailers, and farmers markets.”

Adding, “A Farmers Market Endorsement is a license issued to Cottage Industry Licensees or Microbusiness Licensees that authorizes the licensee to sell the cannabis at Farmers Markets in the District of Columbia.”

The complete amendment can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jnGDpKkKdGYGqPi7Q0Q-Vr-LIZ2ESSC-MMfgVo7Gyqs/edit?usp=sharing

“The intent and spirit of Initiative-71, which D.C. voters approved seven years ago, was from the start to decriminalize the plant in D.C., end to the persecution of local cannabis users, and establish a system of equitable, safe, affordable and all-inclusive cannabis commerce, from micro-sales to dispensaries,” said Adam Eidinger, the proposer of Initiative 71 and co-founder of cannabis advocacy and educational group DCMJ.

“We have an obligation to implement a system that does not shut out any cannabis entrepreneur, who wants to make an income, will abide by the regulations, and pay sales and taxes on profits. In state after state, legislatures have left out many American entrepreneurs by allowing an exclusive ‘Big Pot’ oligopoly to dominate the local adult-use marketplace.” Eidinger adds,  “We can break the cannabis oligopoly here in DC if we just legalize with the little guy in mind.”

“The D.C. Council has a chance to do what no state that has succeeded in doing so far, creating a pathway to moving the cannabis underground and ‘grey market’ to the economic mainstream,” DC Cannabis Business Association founder Lisa Scott. 

The amendment was crafted after countless hours of deliberation and discussion, including open meetings and a three-part reading of the entire bill hosted by DCMJ. A range of citizens, including moms, dads, veterans, activists, business people and lawyers, all contributed ideas and commentary.

“This amendment represents the will of the D.C. cannabis community. It’s thoughtful with respect to the local diversity, comprehensive, and carefully worded,” said Nikolas Schiller. “The message was clear that many D.C. residents want to be a part of the coming commercial cannabis marketplace, but they fear they will be unfairly excluded from ownership and partnership in a cannabis enterprise. The D.C. Council can break the cycle and become the model of success.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 20, 2021

CONTACT: ADAM EIDINGER (202)744-2671 Adam@DCMJ.org

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – Today the community group District of Columbia Marijuana Justice (“DCMJ”) learned that a group calling itself “Anonymous Apes” are celebrating in protest the arrival of a mysterious metal monolith standing nine feet and weighing over 2,000 pounds outside of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (“DEA”) headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. The criminal justice and drug policy reform activists who wheeled the full size 2001: Space Odyssey monolith replica dressed as apes to prevent police retaliation and because it looks even cooler. The Anonymous Apes provided DCMJ the following statement about why they visited the DEA:

THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS FAILED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR TOO LONG. THIS MONOLITH OF GOVERNMENT OPPRESSION HAS IMPRISONED 10’S OF MILLIONS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS FOR SEEKING HEALING RELIEF WITH NATURAL SUBSTANCES. THE DEA, MUCH LIKE A FLOPPY DISC OR VHS TAPE, MUST INNOVATE TO REPRESENT CURRENT SCIENCE AROUND PLANT MEDICINES AND END ITS LOPSIDED ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT PEOPLE OF COLOR. WE BELIEVE THIS MONOLITH HAS ARRIVED TO GUIDE US TO A BETTER FUTURE, AND JOINS WITH US TO DEMAND THAT THE DEA BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE FOR:

• • • SUPPORTING “NO-KNOCK” RAIDS THAT HAVE KILLED INNOCENT AMERICANS LIKE BREONNA TAYLOR
    • ADVANCING CIVIL ASSET FORFEITURE OF INNOCENT AMERICANS FOR COMMITTING NO CRIMES WHATSOEVER
    • ARMING LOCAL POLICE FORCES WITH MILITARY WEAPONRY
    • PREVENTING RESEARCH INTO NUMEROUS LIFE-SAVING NATURAL SUBSTANCES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: CANNABIS, MESCALINE, IBOGA, AYAHUASCA, AND PSILOCYBIN
    • ADVOCATING INCARCERATION INSTEAD OF TREATMENT & REHABILITATION
    • PROVIDING AN INDIRECT “PRICE SUPPORT” THROUGH THE PROHIBITION< DERIVED “RISK PREMIUM” WHICH TRANSFORMS RELATIVELY WORTHLESS PLANTS AND CHEMICALS INTO ASTRONOMICALLY MORE VALUABLE COMMODITIES THAT CAN DESTABILIZE COUNTRIES AND FUND WARS

WE DEMAND THAT THE MONOLITH OF THE WAR ON DRUGS COMES DOWN, RECORDS ARE EXPUNGED AND CLEMANCY IS GIVEN NOW! APES TOGETHER STRONG!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 27, 2021

CONTACT: ADAM EIDINGER (202)744-2671 Adam@DCMJ.org KEN BAZINET (202)660-2449 ken@collectiveconsulting.net

WHAT: National Mobilization to Legalize Cannabis Demonstration
WHERE: Russell Senate Office Building at 1st and C Streets, NE, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC.
WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 28, Noon (EDT) to Approximately 4:20 PM (EDT)
EVENT DESCRIPTION: Street Theater with a 51-Foot Inflatable Joint, Picketing and Oratory.

Event Will Focus on Failure by Congress to Legalize Cannabis Under a Law that Would Guarantee Criminal Justice Reforms and Restorative Justice Measures and Provide Equal Opportunity and Access for Americans to Participate in Cannabis Commerce and Consumerism.
HASHTAG: #VoteAndWeedEmOut

DCMJ video releases for news media use and distribution (volunteers gathered for preparation and sign-making ahead of tomorrow’s rally; brief remarks by DCMJ co-founder Adam Eidinger):

https://twitter.com/i/status/1442551310470029317 (35 seconds)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1442543636130975748 (95 seconds)

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WASHINGTON, DC – Advocacy and education organization District of Columbia Marijuana Justice (DCMJ) will rally Tuesday (Sept. 28, 2021) on Capitol Hill to pressure Congress to stop stalling and pass a cannabis legalization law that would enact sweeping criminal justice reforms; level the playing field for minority and women entrepreneurs that want to enter the cannabis industry; and allow the craft cultivation of cannabis in the privacy of American homes.

Dubbed the “National Mobilization to Legalize Cannabis,” DCMJ and its supporters will also use the event to demand Congress to set free the will of the voters in D.C., who have been handcuffed by a Maryland congressman’s misguided war on legalization. Congress has allowed the Harris Amendment, imposed by Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), to prevent D.C. local government from allowing the legally taxed and regulated sale of adult use cannabis, even though it was approved by the voters in 2014.

“How many successful legalization ballot initiatives and legislative victories in the states will it take for Congress to get in step with the will of the American people?” questioned Adam Eidinger, co-founder of DCMJ. “Congress stalls, makes excuses for doing nothing and refuses to acknowledge that the federal criminalization of cannabis is an injustice used to oppress Americans, not improve anyone’s lives.”

A whopping net 91% of Americans support either adult use or medical cannabis legalization, according to a Pew Research Center poll taken in April. The District of Columbia and 19 states have legalized adult-use cannabis, while D.C. and 36 states have legalized medical cannabis.

Eidinger noted, “Congress is caught up in reefer madness. The Controlled Substances Act has criminalized Americans for 50 years and still counting. Sadly, most members of the House and Senate are aware that as long as they ignore cannabis legalization they are ruining the lives of non-violent cannabis users while aiding and abetting the illegal cannabis underground.”

Although the measure known as the Harris Rider specifically overrides and ignores the will of D.C. voters, who approved adult use cannabis legalization in 2014, it is a case study in the irrational and ineffective approach Congress has for too long has embraced nationally.

“No one has done more to prop up the illegal cannabis underground than Congressman Andy Harris,” said Nikolas Schiller, co-founder of DCMJ and affiliate New York Marijuana Justice. “Andy Harris is the toast of the underground cannabis cartels that operate in the MidAtlantic region thanks to his continuing misguided and short-sighted stunt to try to suppress the legal sale of cannabis in D.C.”

DCMJ activists will gather at noon Tuesday (tomorrow) at the Russell Senate Office Building at 1st and C Streets, NorthEast. DCMJ will have its inflatable 51-foot joint with a twist – inside the inflatable will be D.C. residents, who will emerge from the joint in prison garb to symbolize the non-violent Americans incarcerated on marijuana convictions, as well as highlighting the D.C. adult use cannabis law imprisoned by the Harris Amendment.

Cannabis legalization is a cornerstone for comprehensive criminal justice reform, including wiping the slate clean of past cannabis convictions with restorative justice measures, ending taxpayer-funded prison overcrowding by releasing non-violent cannabis users, and refocusing law enforcement resources on preventing violent crimes. Cannabis laws have been used as an unscrupulous tool in the racial profiling of Black, LatinX and Indigenous people.

DCMJ, which has held several orderly, non-violent demonstrations right outside the Capitol in the past, applied for a special event permit for the demonstration, but was informed by U.S. Capitol Police officials that such permits for access to Capitol grounds are not being issued at this time. Capitol Police suspended the issuing of permits after the violent Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Nonetheless moving forward with its plans to gather at the Capitol, DCMJ has kept lines of communication open with Capitol Police ahead of the event to assure a successful demonstration without incident. DCMJ has demonstrated peacefully in recent years outside the Capitol both with and without a permit.

DCMJ is committed to the health and safety of all Americans. Event organizers has asked any participants that show up to please wear masks and urged those who plan to attend the demonstration to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before Sept. 28. “We laid down our marker on April 20th when we launched the ‘Joints for Jabs’ vaccination incentive project that has since moved to cities and states around the country,” Eidinger said. “Any adult who showed us their proof of age and vaccination card on the 4/20 holiday received a free joint courtesy of legal craft cultivators in the District of Columbia, who donated their cannabis for the cause. It was a ‘thank you’ to those who have been vaccinated.”

ABOUT DC MARIJUANA JUSTICE

Since its founding in 2013, DCMJ has led the nation in creative and high-profile cannabis reform activism. After introducing and passing DC’s Initiative 71 in 2014, which voters legalized the possession and cultivation of cannabis, DCMJ organized three large seed giveaways that provided all adults and Congressional staffers the means to grow cannabis for themselves, deployed giant 51-foot inflatable joints outside the Capitol, the White House, the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Times Square in New York City, the 2016 Presidential Debates, Annapolis Statehouse and Boston’s Freedom Rally, as well as distributing more than 10,000 joints of District of Columbia homegrown cannabis at the Inauguration of President Donald Trump, and attempting to distribute 1,227 joints at the congressional “Joint Session” in 2017, where U.S. Capitol Police unlawfully arrested seven DCMJ activists (All charges were dropped the following day). In 2021, DCMJ conceptualized and launched the “Joints for Jabs” coronavirus vaccination incentive program that was spontaneously adopted around the U.S., including by the State of Washington. About 8,000 free joints were given to adults in D.C. and Manhattan in exchange for their getting vaccinated. Also in 2021, DCMJ was behind The Great Commonwealth Cannabis Seed Share, collecting and distributing about 20,000 seeds on the first day of legal home craft cultivation in Virginia. In 2018, 2019, and 2021, aligned organizations MDMJ, VAMJ, COMJ, and NYMJ were formed to advocate for cannabis reform in Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, and New York. DCMJ demands cannabis be removed from the Controlled Substances Act and all Americans are given the right to grow cannabis in the safety and privacy of their homes.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 23, 2021

CONTACT: ADAM EIDINGER (202)744-2671 Adam@DCMJ.org KEN BAZINET (202)660-2449 ken@collectiveconsulting.net

WASHINGTON, DC – Cannabis advocacy and education group District of Columbia Marijuana Justice (DCMJ) announced Tuesday that cannabis legalization activists will demonstrate peacefully Sept. 28 outside the U.S. Capitol to protest the failure by Congress and the White House to pass and enact meaningful and comprehensive criminal justice reforms, remove cannabis from the Schedule I list of outlawed federally controlled substances, and lift the congressional barriers blocking the District of Columbia from regulating cannabis.

Bolstered by unprecedented public support for legalization, and the growing number of states that continue to line up to legalize cannabis, the Sept. 28 free speech event is the first of several actions leading up to the 2022 midterm elections intended to spark lawmakers to finally get the federal government in line with the will of the American people. A whopping net 91% of Americans support either adult use or medical cannabis legalization, according to a Pew Research Center poll taken in April. The District of Columbia and 19 states have legalized adult-use cannabis, while D.C. and 36 states have legalized medical cannabis.

“If foot-dragging and procrastination were Olympic sports, no doubt about it, Congress gets the Gold, hands down,” said DCMJ co-founder Adam Eidinger. “We appreciate the work of lawmakers who have decided enough is enough with the failed war on drugs propaganda campaign and are ready to legalize cannabis. However, it only takes a handful of key opponents to block legalization. What is taking Congress and the White House so long to get their act together and join the majority of Americans who just say yes to legalization? Are they so arrogant that they really think they know better than the majority of Americans?”

Cannabis legalization is a cornerstone for comprehensive criminal justice reform, including wiping the slate clean of past cannabis convictions with restorative justice measures, ending taxpayer-funded prison overcrowding by releasing non-violent cannabis users, and refocusing law enforcement resources on preventing violent crimes. Cannabis laws have been used as an unscrupulous tool in the racial profiling of Black, LatinX and Indigenous people.

“The fact is the obsolete and ill-conceived Controlled Substance Act passed by Congress more than 50 years ago has been a prime incentive for the creation and expansion of the illegal drug cartels,” said DCMJ co-founder Nikolas Schiller, who now heads sister group New York Marijuana Justice (NYMJ). “The longer it takes for Congress to legalize cannabis, the easier it is for the illegal, unregulated and untaxed sale of cannabis to flourish.”

Schiller added, “The congressional barrier blocking the District of Columbia from regulating cannabis, known as the Harris rider, is a perfect example of how Congress has been a windfall for the illegal sale of cannabis. Congress has aided and abetted underground operations to expand and go virtually undetected by denying the regulated sale of adult-use cannabis in D.C. by preventing a structure to be created for the legal sale of adult-use cannabis, despite the voters of D.C. approving the creation of regulated adult-use cannabis. The Harris Rider must be removed once and for all.”

DCMJ, which has held several orderly, non-violent demonstrations outside the Capitol in the past, applied for a special event permit for the demonstration, but was informed by U.S. Capitol Police officials that such permits are not being issued at this time. Capitol Police suspended the issuing of permits after the violent Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. DCMJ is moving forward with its plans to gather at the Capitol, but will keep the lines of communication open with Capitol Police ahead of the event. DCMJ has demonstrated peacefully in recent years outside the Capitol both with and without a permit.

“It is extremely important to normalize the working relationship between peaceful demonstrators, who are protected under the Constitution, and the Capitol Police, who without question were put under extreme duress by violent insurrectionists on Jan. 6,” Eidinger said. “Like the vast majority of non-violent organizations that have gathered outside the Capitol in the past, our dispute is strictly with the policies enacted by Congress, or in the case of cannabis legalization, lack thereof. The Capitol Police have an important job to do and we respect that and we are grateful for their dedication.”

DCMJ is committed to the health and safety of all Americans. Event organizers will require participants to wear masks and urge those who plan to attend the demonstration to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before Sept. 28. “We laid down our marker on April 20th when we launched the ‘Joints for Jabs’ vaccination incentive project that has since moved to cities and states around the country,” Eidinger said. “Any adult who showed us their proof of age and vaccination card on the 4/20 holiday received a free joint courtesy of legal craft cultivators in the District of Columbia, who donated their cannabis for the cause. It was a ‘thank you’ to those who have been vaccinated.”

ABOUT DC MARIJUANA JUSTICE

ABOUT DC MARIJUANA JUSTICE Since its founding in 2013, DCMJ has led the nation in creative and high-profile cannabis reform activism. After introducing and passing DC’s Initiative 71 in 2014, which voters legalized the possession and cultivation of cannabis, DCMJ organized three large seed giveaways that provided all adults and Congressional staffers the means to grow cannabis for themselves, deployed giant 51-foot inflatable joints outside the Capitol, the White House, the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Times Square in New York City, the 2016 Presidential Debates, Annapolis Statehouse and Boston’s Freedom Rally, as well as distributing over 10,000 joints of District of Columbia homegrown cannabis at the Inauguration of President Donald Trump, and attempting to distribute 1,227 joints at the congressional “Joint Session” in 2017, where U.S. Capitol Police unlawfully arrested seven DCMJ activists (All charges were dropped the following day). In 2021, DCMJ conceptualized and launched the “Joints for Jabs” coronavirus vaccination incentive program that was spontaneously adopted around the U.S., including by the State of Washington. Also in 2021, DCMJ was behind The Great Commonwealth Cannabis Seed Share, collecting and distributing about 20,000 seeds on the first day of legal home craft cultivation in Virginia. In 2018, 2019, and 2021, aligned organizations MDMJ, VAMJ, COMJ, and NYMJ were formed to advocate for cannabis reform in Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, and New York. DCMJ demands cannabis be removed from the Controlled Substances Act and all Americans are given the right to grow cannabis in the safety and privacy of their homes.

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Click here to download a PDF of this press release

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DCMJ video releases for media distribution:
Joints for Jabs 4/20/21 https://twitter.com/i/status/1386326239326183432
Joints for Jabs promo: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=248092560359325
Great Commonwealth Cannabis Seed Share 1-7-21 (VA Legalization Day): https://fb.watch/7yYtQ7I_vT/
Great Commonwealth Cannabis Seed Share promo: https://fb.watch/v/AoEyFkE4/

For Immediate Release
July 7, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – The following is a statement from Adam Eidinger, co-founder of District of Columbia Marijuana Justice (DCMJ), on the decision by U.S. Olympic Track & Field (USATF) to ban Sha’Carri Richardson from the Olympics after testing positive for legally consuming cannabis in Oregon after learning of her mother’s death last month just days before winning the women’s 100 meter final at U.S. Olympic Trials in Oregon last month.

“The decision to ban the fastest woman on earth from the 100-meter and 4×100-meter relay is travesty of justice and a disgusting tribute to the failed war on drugs that has done far more to destroy lives for 50 years than even the deadliest wars or pandemic. Shaming Sha’Carri for consuming cannabis in a state where it is legal to do so while she was distraught over getting the shocking news from a reporter of her mother’s death is a despicable act of abuse and selfishness that is way out of touch with the majority of Americans, who support the legalization of cannabis. This decision must be condemned as strongly as possible. For the first time in my life I plan to boycott watching the Olympics. While President Biden, notorious for writing and backing legislation that has contributed exponentially to the incarceration of non-violent cannabis users, hid behind his statement that ‘rules are the rules’ regarding Sha’Carri, he seemed to open the door to re-evaluating those rules when he added, ‘Whether they should remain that way is a different issue.’ However, it’s not enough to question the rules or condemn this deplorable decision. We must have changes immediately.”

DCMJ calls for these first steps to remedy this and other related injustices and unscientific and irrational policy decisions:

• USATF reinstating Sha’Carri immediately and allowing her to compete in the 100-meter and 4×100-meter relay
• Congress joining states all around the country in legalizing cannabis for medical and adult use.
• President Biden using his regulatory powers to de-schedule cannabis as a federal Schedule I substance in order to launch comprehensive and conclusive scientific research into the medicinal uses of cannabis to treat physical and psychological pain.
• The immediate release of all Americans incarcerated for the non-violent use of banned substances, beginning with cannabis.
• An apology to Sha’Carri from USATF, the International Olympic Committee and President Biden for promoting the unscientifically backed and racist ‘war on drugs’ that has led to political demagoguery and the shaming and stigmatizing of good people, who use cannabis, live normal lives, and make positive contributions everyday to quality of life around the world.

ABOUT DC MARIJUANA JUSTICE Since its founding in 2013, DCMJ has led the nation in creative and high-profile cannabis reform activism. After introducing and passing DC’s Initiative 71 in 2014, which voters legalized the possession and cultivation of cannabis, DCMJ organized three large seed giveaways that provided all adults and Congressional staffers the means to grow cannabis for themselves, deployed giant 51-foot inflatable joints outside the Capitol, the White House, the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Times Square in New York City, the 2016 Presidential Debates, Annapolis Statehouse and Boston’s Freedom Rally, as well as distributing over 10,000 joints of District of Columbia homegrown cannabis at the Inauguration of President Donald Trump, and attempting to distribute 1,227 joints at the congressional “Joint Session” in 2017, where U.S. Capitol Police unlawfully arrested seven DCMJ activists (All charges were dropped the following day). In 2021, DCMJ conceptualized and launched the “Joints for Jabs” coronavirus vaccination incentive program that was spontaneously adopted around the U.S., including by the State of Washington. Also in 2021, DCMJ was behind The Great Commonwealth Cannabis Seed Share, collecting and distributing about 20,000 seeds on the first day of legal home craft cultivation in Virginia. In 2018, 2019, and 2021, aligned organizations MDMJ, VAMJ, COMJ, and NYMJ were formed to advocate for cannabis reform in Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, and New York. DCMJ demands cannabis be removed from the Controlled Substances Act and all Americans are given the right to grow cannabis in the safety and privacy of their homes.

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Contact: Adam Eidinger, 202-744-2671, adam@dcmj.org
Ken Bazinet, 202-660-2449, ken@collectiveconsulting.net

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 19, 2021

CONTACT: ADAM EIDINGER (202) 744-2671 Adam@DCMJ.org KEN BAZINET (202) 660-2449 Ken@CollectiveConsulting.net

Statement from Adam Eidinger, co-founder of District of Columbia Marijuana Justice (DCMJ), in response to the White House firing staffers for past cannabis use:

“We were outraged to learn that the White House is using past cannabis use as a cause for dismissal of staffers. It would be an understatement to call reports of these dismissals arbitrary. We are quite certain that the White House does not fire staffers for use of alcohol, a scientifically proven deadly and harmful substance. We’re confident there is even alcohol stored away in the White House, and not just in the residence. The White House is clearly ignoring that voters in the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis, and that nearby Virginia and Maryland allow for medical use of cannabis. If the White House wants the best and brightest working there on behalf of the American people, it needs to tolerate all viewpoints and lifestyle choices, including the legal use of cannabis.

By taking these punitive actions, the White House is informally asking current and future applicants to lie. Lies are the enemy of democracy. If applicants know that being honest about past or current lawful cannabis use will prevent them from working at the White House, then they have no recourse but to lie about their current or past cannabis use. This is bad public policy and President Biden should understand that the destructive and failed War on Drugs does nothing but hurt the American people, especially people of color.

We expected that President Biden would evolve from this twisted 20th century view of cannabis use and adopt the positions that an overwhelming majority of Americans have embraced. From ending the use of cannabis laws in the abhorrent practice of racial profiling, to clearing the way for conclusive research into all the medical applications for cannabis, to keeping the government from intruding further into private lives, the majority of Americans want an end now to cannabis prohibition.

We want to see this administration succeed in righting many wrongs. We’ve even tried to be helpful. Our upcoming ‘Joints For Jabs’ cannabis giveaway is in direct response to the administration’s ‘Go Big’ effort to get Americans vaccinated against COVID-19. We are quite confident the message behind ‘Joints for Jabs’ is reaching a significant portion of supporters and non-supporters of the president.

This White House needs to think about finding a new place for itself in the legalization movement and avoid an unnecessary confrontation with a key bloc in the Democrats’ political base. With these firings, the administration is sending out a dangerous message in this era of cannabis enlightenment that is going to force a meaningful reaction by those threatened by the actions of this White House.

We call upon President Biden to use his executive power to de-schedule cannabis immediately. There are millions of Americans living in states with legal cannabis that should not be excluded from working in the White House, or a job of any kind in public service. If you need advice on how to truly embrace ‘Marijuana Justice,’ we urge you to consult your vice president, who as a senator introduced the Marijuana Justice Act.”

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ABOUT DC MARIJUANA JUSTICE

Since its founding in 2013, DCMJ has led the nation in creative and high-profile cannabis reform activism. After introducing and passing DC’s Initiative 71 in 2014, which voters legalized the possession and cultivation of cannabis, DCMJ organized three large seed giveaways that provided all adults & Congressional staffers the means to grow cannabis for themselves, deployed giant 51’ inflatable joints outside the Capitol, the White House, the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Times Square in New York City, the 2016 Presidential Debates, Annapolis Statehouse and Boston’s Freedom Rally, as well as distributing over 10,000 joints of District of Columbia homegrown cannabis at the Inauguration of President Donald Trump, and attempting to distribute 1,227 joints at the congressional “Joint Session” in 2017, where U.S. Capitol Police unlawfully arrested seven DCMJ activists (All charges were dropped the following day). DCMJ will distribute 5,000 joints at vaccination sites across the District of Columbia on April 20, 2021 in conjunction with its upcoming “Joints For Jabs” cannabis giveaway. In 2018, 2019, and 2021, aligned organizations MDMJ, VAMJ , COMJ, and NYMJ were formed to advocate for cannabis reform in Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, and New York. DCMJ demands cannabis be removed from the Controlled Substances Act and all Americans are given the right to grow cannabis in the safety and privacy of their homes.

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Click here to download a PDF of this press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2021

CONTACT: ADAM EIDINGER (202)744-2671 Adam@DCMJ.org

WASHINGTON, DC – Like many groups across the United States, DC Marijuana Justice (“DCMJ”) discontinued its regular in-person meetings when the coronavirus pandemic began last year. Without a safe way for citizens to publicly gather to advocate for reforming the cannabis laws in the District of Columbia, DCMJ is excited for the vaccinations to be widely available. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s recent announcement of forthcoming coronavirus vaccines is welcome news to DCMJ. To celebrate this momentous occasion and thank people for getting vaccinated, dozens of DC homegrowers will lawfully distribute free bags of cannabis outside vaccination centers as soon as the general public is able to get vaccinated.

Dubbed “Joints for Jabs,” a play on the jab of a vaccine injection, this community effort aims to highlight the need for further local and national cannabis reform while also advocating for equitable distribution of the critical vaccine. DCMJ notes that to safely share a cannabis joint without potentially contributing to the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, each user must be vaccinated–an objective that necessitates accessibility for all District residents. The District of Columbia’s Department of Health has not yet named the public vaccination sites, but upon their identification DCMJ will issue a follow up to this release providing each ‘Joints for Jabs’ location, dates, and hours of operation.

“We are looking for ways to safely celebrate the end of the pandemic and we know nothing brings people together like cannabis,” says DCMJ co-founder Nikolas Schiller. “DCMJ believes that cannabis should be consumed safely and responsibly, and the pandemic has made this incredibly difficult for many adults to share their homegrown cannabis. When enough adults are inoculated with the coronavirus vaccine, it will be time to celebrate – not just the end of the pandemic, but the beginning of the end of cannabis prohibition in the United States.”

During the pandemic cannabis dispensaries have been considered essential businesses. However, due to a patchwork of state laws and a lack of federal action, millions of Americans still source cannabis from the underground economy, which has varying degrees of quality and safety. As homegrowers, DCMJ members gifting cannabis will only share cannabis grown free of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

INAUGURATION JOINT GIVEAWAY POSTPONED UNTIL AT LEAST SUMMER

DCMJ does not anticipate that enough citizens will be inoculated with a coronavirus vaccine by the time President-Elect Joe Biden is sworn in on January 20, 2021 to safely hold a joint giveaway. More importantly, assuming the pandemic has subsided President-Elect Biden has indicated there will be a summer Inauguration event on the National Mall as is traditionally done in January.

On January 20, 2017, at the Inauguration of President Donald Trump, DCMJ organized a massive cannabis distribution demonstration called “#Trump420.”  The wildly popular protest to end marijuana prohibition highlighted the fact that cannabis reform is not a partisan issue, but an American issue that needed to be addressed by the incoming president.  Thanks to local, national, and international media attention, by 10:00 AM a line of cannabis reform advocates stretched over 6 blocks long, and by the end of the day over 10,000 cannabis joints were given away to adults of all political persuasions.  Unfortunately, nearly four years later, cannabis remains illegal under federal law.

In 2020, the House of Representatives passed historic legislation called the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (“MORE Act”). This legislation would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and enact various criminal and social justice reforms related to cannabis, including the expungement of prior convictions. However, the Senate did not take up this important legislation in the remaining days of the 116th Congress.  DCMJ expects that the MORE Act will be introduced and passed in the 117th Congress and hope Democratic leaders take action quickly.

“While no legislation is perfect, the MORE Act addresses many demands that DC Marijuana Justice has been making for years,” says Adam Eidinger, proposer of DC’s Initiative 71 and co-founder of DCMJ.  “We asked Presidents Obama and Trump, and now we are asking President-Elect Biden to take executive action on cannabis reform within the first 100 days.”

ABOUT DC MARIJUANA JUSTICE

Since its founding in 2013, DCMJ has led the nation in creative and high-profile cannabis reform activism. After introducing and passing DC’s Initiative 71 in 2014, which voters legalized the possession and cultivation of cannabis, DCMJ organized three large seed giveaways that provided all adults & Congressional staffers the means to grow cannabis for themselves, deployed giant 51′ inflatable joints outside the White House, the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Times Square in New York City, the 2016 Presidential Debates, and Boston’s Freedom Rally, as well as distributing over 10,000 joints of District of Columbia homegrown cannabis at the Inauguration of President Donald Trump, and most recently, attempting to distribute 1,227 joints at the congressional “Joint Session” in 2017, where U.S. Capitol Police unlawfully arrested seven DCMJ activists (All charges were dropped the following day).  In 2018 and 2019, aligned organizations MDMJ, VAMJ , and COMJ, were formed to advocate for cannabis reform in Maryland, Virginia, and Colorado. DCMJ demands cannabis be removed from the Controlled Substances Act and all Americans are given the right to grow cannabis in the safety and privacy of their homes.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, February 14, 2018

CONTACT: ADAM EIDINGER (202)744-2671 Adam@DCMJ.org KRIS FURNISH (720) 607-8369 Kris@MDMJ.org

SALISBURY, MD – On Tuesday, October 2, 2018, Salisbury University progressive student activist Jake Burdett attended a medical marijuana protest against Congressman Andy Harris organized by Maryland’s new cannabis advocacy group Maryland Marijuana Justice (MDMJ). At the meeting inside the Congressional office that resulted from the protest, Mr. Burdett briefly livestreamed one of Harris’ staffers without his permission, which Mr. Burdett did not realize was a felony – or even illegal in the state of Maryland at all. Mr. Burdett deleted the livestream the following day after he found out his recording was illegal, but Congressman Harris dropped the hammer on Burdett to try to make an example out of him by deciding to press felony charges.

“Jake, who is a serious student leader, has a bright political future ahead of him that Representative Andy Harris wants to tarnish. In his honest attempt to provide the public with transparency into actions of a Congressional office that regularly insults marijuana reformers with false accusations, Jake’s livestream served as a conduit for the public to witness the endemic corruption in Salisbury,” says Adam Eidinger, Co-Founder of MDMJ. Eidinger adds, “MDMJ activists protested Harris for his backwards views on cannabis and refusals to meet with cannabis reform activists, so we feel Jake is being treated unfairly because of his role in the Democratic Party as Vice-Chair of the Wicomico Democratic Central Committee.”

Although Mr. Burdett is pleading guilty and he has personally apologized to Congressman Harris’ staffer, he did not realize the nonconsensual livestream was against Maryland’s “all-party consent” law at the time. “Is it unreasonable for a 20 year old to think that it’s legal to record a staffer of a United States Congressman in a public space? In a society that supposedly values transparency in government, I do find it odd that Jake can be found guilty of the ‘crime’ of recording the staff of elected government representatives in a taxpayer funded space,” says MDMJ Co-Founder Kris Furnish.

“By deciding to throw the book at Mr. Burdett for an honest mistake, one that was fixed almost immediately, it shows how partisan and petty Congressman Harris has become. He clearly wants to chill citizen participation in government,” says Eidinger. “Rep. Harris is adding to his recent list of bad PR moves that includes meeting with known White Supremacist Chuck Johnson, and planning to meet with the leader, Tomio Okamura, of a far right wing party in Czech Republic, whose secretary called for the gassing of ‘Jews, gays, and Roma’.”

“Mr. Burdett’s plea, which will take place on March 1, in Wicomico County, and Harris’ slew of prior racist scandals, should not distract from the original issue that brought me and other advocates to the protest in the first place – the legalization of cannabis,” says Furnish. “Rep. Harris wants to pretend to be victimized by a 20 year old’s deleted livestream, while he supports the racist war on drugs that actually victimizes thousands of people a day by locking them up for the victimless crime of smoking marijuana, a non-addictive substance with many medicinal benefits. Rep. Harris is a medical doctor, so I’d think he of all people would recognize the medicinal benefits of marijuana, and how it could be used as an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs such as painkillers, which are an epidemic in Rep. Harris’ district right now. We can’t help but wonder if Rep. Harris’ seemingly irrational opposition to legal marijuana has anything to do with the $42,200 he’s accepted from the pharmaceutical lobby in the 2017-2018 election cycle, which vehemently opposes any form of marijuana legalization,” concludes Furnish.