EMERGENCY LEGALIZATION DEMONSTRATION!

TONIGHT: EMERGENCY LEGALIZATION DEMONSTRATION AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Last month we said that when the DEA makes it’s decision on cannabis descheduling we’d either protest or celebrate at 4:20pm on the day of the announcement.

Today is the day. Unfortunately, it is extremely hot today, so we are moving the emergency demonstration to 8:20 PM THIS EVENING!

The Obama Administration’s DEA is TONE DEAF on cannabis reform, so tonight our demonstration will feature #ToneDeafKaraoke

We will poorly sing ballads of reform, like the Obama Administration’s DEA has poorly reformed America’s cannabis policies.

We will insult the ears of everyone at the White House like they are insulting every American that believes in rational drug policy.

Here we are, 43 years and millions of marijuana arrests later, and we being told that cannabis is still as dangerous as heroin. WHAT THE HELL?!?! The Obama Administration’s DEA thinks Americans should go to jail for a non-toxic plant. WE THINK OTHERWISE!

We are going to take our outrage, anger, shear annoyance and we are going to make some noise! If you don’t want to sing, bring your pots and pans so Malia will hear you!

We’ve heard rumors angry activists may even throw their cannabis plants plants, seeds, and even lit joints over the White House fence.

THAT IS NOT ALL….

We are calling for a mass-mobilization on Saturday, September 24, 2016.

We are not going to sit by and let Obama, Hillary, or Trump get a pass on cannabis reform!  The Time is NOW!

 


WHO: You, your friends, and everyone you forward this email to!
WHAT: EMERGENCY LEGALIZATION DEMONSTRATION AT THE WHITE HOUSE
WHEN: TONIGHT, Thursday, August 11, 2016 at 8:20pm
WHERE: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC, North of the White House
WHY: The Obama Administration’s DEA is out of touch with the American people’s demands for cannabis reform and need to be told that cannabis should be removed entirely from the Controlled Substances Act NOW!

CLICK HERE SPREAD THE WORD ON FACEBOOK!

INVITE: Harry’s 5/20 – 5:20pm, Friday, May 20 @ the White House

It's 5:20! Obama is late on cannabis reform!

Join us at our upcoming demonstration in front of the White House on Friday, May 20th at 5:20pm. As you may or may not know, May 20th is the birthday of Harry J. Anslinger, one of the founding fathers of America’s failed war on drugs. Back in 1937, over the objections of the American Medical Association, he managed to use racist and xenophobic justifications to convince the Congress to pass the unconstitutional “Marijuana Tax Act“. We are going to celebrate his 124th birthday by participating in mass-civil disobedience alongside with our veterans in front of the White House.

The protest will begin at 05:20 PM outside the White House on Pennsylvania Ave. NW. It is legal to attend, however, please note that the event will be unpermitted with mass cannabis consumption. We ask you to come to participate, or to show your support to our veterans who are risking arrest by leading the die-in.

Click here to RSVP on Facebook!

Our Formal Request for a Higher Level Meeting at the White House


The White House                                                             May 11, 2016
President Barack Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama,

We would like to sincerely thank you and your staff for the assistance in helping DCMJ take meaningful first steps towards an open and honest dialogue with your administration regarding the serious need to de-schedule cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug under federal law– a classification reserved for lethal drugs considered to have no medical value such as heroin.

Today, more than half of the country has enacted medical cannabis laws. Four states and the District of Columbia have also passed laws to make adult cannabis use legal and several more states will vote on cannabis ballot initiatives this November.

Unfortunately, we have seen a pattern by the federal government of taking a backseat, while the states stand on the right side of history. This is not the first time that the states have been forced to take action while the federal government avoids it’s responsibility to address outdated, flawed and failed policies that harm Americans.

States, one-by-one, are standing up against unconstitutional laws like the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages granted under the laws of other states. Prior to being ruled unconstitutional, DOMA followed a very similar pattern like various cannabis ballot initiatives. Just like we saw with DOMA, we know more states are working to take an important stance against failed and unconstitutional drug policies of the federal government.

It is important to look at the facts regarding how our nation’s failed cannabis policies harm Americans:

  • According to the ACLU’s original analysis, marijuana arrests now account for more than half of all drug arrests in the United States.
  • Of the 8.2 million marijuana arrests between 2001 and 2010, 88% were for simply having marijuana.
  • Nationwide, the arrest data revealed one consistent trend: significant racial bias.
  • Despite roughly equal usage rates, African Americans are 3.73 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana.
  • Every year, medicinal cannabis is denied to tens of thousands of patients and our military veterans, who could benefit from its therapeutic uses.
  • Modern research suggests that cannabis is a valuable aid in the treatment of a wide range of clinical applications. These include: pain relief, nausea, spasticity, glaucoma, movement disorders, among others. Marijuana is also a powerful appetite stimulant and emerging research suggests that marijuana’s medicinal properties may protect the body against some types of malignant tumors and are neuroprotective.
  • Currently, more than 60 U.S. and international health organizations support granting patients immediate legal access to medicinal marijuana under a physician’s supervision.
  • Numerous research studies also show that the dangers of marijuana may have been overestimated in the past, while the risk of alcohol has been commonly underestimated.
  • In 2011 alone, an individual in the U.S. was arrested for marijuana use, sale or possession every 42 seconds, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report.
  • Alcohol and tobacco—both legal substances in U.S.—are more toxic, more addictive, more harmful to the body, more likely to result in injuries and death than cannabis.
  • There are more black men in prison, on parole or probation today than were enslaved in 1850 before the Civil War began.

While we are appreciative of your administration’s initial effort to take steps to begin an open dialogue with the cannabis community and its organized constituents, we would like a formal commitment from your administration to continue this conversation and are requesting:

  • An official response to DCMJ regarding our listening session with ONDCP
  • An official response to our original and standing request for a higher-level meeting with senior administration officials, such as the White House Office of Public Engagement before Friday, May 20, 2016; and
  • An answer to our original request that the White House host a cannabis policy reform summit with you, your senior staff and other key stakeholders such as patients, patient advocates, business owners, grassroots advocates, the disabled community, scientists, the medical community, veterans and others.

Given the compelling and staggering facts as to why these failed cannabis policies harm Americans, we are sure you can understand why we cannot tolerate your inaction on these important issues any longer. We simply cannot stand on the sidelines and watch while everyday more Americans are harmed by what is clearly racist and unconstitutional failed drug policies. This is why we are requesting a formal response regarding the above from your administration before May 20th.

Otherwise, on Friday, May 20, Harry Anslinger’s 124th birthday— a staunch supporter of prohibition and the criminalization of drugs, who played a pivotal role in cannabis prohibition—DCMJ will gather in front of the White House for another “Deschedule Marijuana” demonstration with non-violent civil disobedience. We feel compelled to do this as a symbolic message of solidarity on behalf of the tens of thousands of medical patients denied safe access to cannabis and the additional tens of thousands of Americans, who are rotting behind bars due to cannabis criminalization.

Harry Anslinger famously said the following deplorable, racist statements to justify marijuana prohibition:

“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others.”

“…the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races.”

“Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death.”

“Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men.”

“Marijuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing.”

“You smoke a joint and you’re likely to kill your brother.”

“Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind.”

You should understand our protests are not just for medical research into cannabis, but ending cannabis prohibition once and for all. You have the opportunity to heal the national wound of unjust cannabis policies that have always targeted minorities, hurt patients and corrupted policing in America for nearly 80 years.

If we do not hear back from you regarding the above meeting request, we also plan to highlight the racist views justifying marijuana prohibition which are more current than Mr. Anslinger at our demonstration. We will play recordings at the protest of President Richard Nixon’s xenophobic comments made while inside the White House. For example, we intend to play a recording of President Nixon saying the following:

“I mean one {a new bill} on marijuana that just tears the ass out of them. I see another thing in the news summary this morning about it. You know it’s a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish. What the Christ is the matter with the Jews, Bob, what is the matter with them? I suppose it’s because most of them are psychiatrists, you know, there’s so many, all the greatest psychiatrists are Jewish. By God we are going to hit the marijuana thing, and I want to hit it right square in the puss, I want to find a way of putting more on that.”

Our protest will ask if the 5 million Americans that were arrested for marijuana during your time in the White House went to jail for Anslinger and Nixon’s bigotry or your indifference?

At DCMJ’s April 25, 2016 meeting with ONDCP, there were 20 empty chairs in the room that could have been filled with additional cannabis stakeholders for a meaningful and open conversation with the your administration. It’s clear that the time has come to expand the conversation. You simply were not willing to let bad policies like DOMA to be left to the states to sort out. Why should cannabis reform be any different? Now is the time for you to call cannabis prohibition a bad policy that was formed by propaganda, is unjust, un-American and extremely racist in its enforcement, even in 2016.

DCMJ looks forward to hearing from you and continuing this important dialogue with your administration—behind open or closed doors. We fully realize that continuing this conversation is vastly more effective than more demonstrations, but we need a commitment from you to keep talking. Otherwise, you should be aware that this movement has no plans on stopping protests— just like those who knew it was the right thing to not stop until DOMA was overturned.

We appreciate your administration’s consideration of continuing a sensible dialogue as well as hosting a cannabis summit with key stakeholders before you leave office.

Sincerest regards,

Adam Eidinger
Nikolas Schiller
Co-Founders, DCMJ

NEWS ADVISORY: DCMJ Available After Meeting with White House Officials

Contact: Adam Eidinger, Founder, DCMJ: (202) 744-2671 adam@dcmj.org

DCMJ Leaders Available to Answer Questions Following Meeting With White House Officials Monday April 25

WASHINGTON, DC – DC Marijuana Justice (DCMJ co-founders Adam Eidinger and Nikolas Schiller, who spearheaded a successful marijuana legalization initiative in DC in 2014, will hold a press availability on Pennsylvania Avenue directly in front of the White House immediately after their meeting with White House officials regarding removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act designation of Schedule One.

The meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EDT, Monday, April 25 and is expected to last 30-45 minutes. Members of the group Weed for Warriors including disabled Army combat veteran Brandon Wyatt will also be available for media interview at the post-meeting stake out. He will speak to the recent DEA decision to allow research into PTSD treatments with cannabis.

More background on the events that lead to this historic meeting with marijuana grassroots advocates can be found here http://dcmj.org/letter-president-obama-concerning-reschedule420/ .

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White House Seed Share & Cannabis Summit – 4/16

See you on Pennsylvania Ave. on April 16
We’re going back to the White House on Saturday, April 16 to hold the:

White House Seed Share & Cannabis Summit

WHO – Seed Seekers, Seed Sharers, Master Growers, Closet Gardeners, and Cannabis Advocates
WHAT – The legal sharing of cannabis seeds, buds, and cuttings and a discussion about the immediate descheduling of cannabis
WHERE – On Pennsylvania Ave., north of the White House, exactly where #Reschedule420 took place
WHEN – Saturday, April 16 from 4:21pm to 6:00pm
WHY – President Obama has failed to respond to our request to hold a cannabis summit and to provide cannabis advocates with seeds, buds, and cuttings

Click here to RSVP on Facebook!

Since Pennsylvania Avenue is District of Columbia land, adults can legally carry up to 2 ounces of cannabis and give it away to other adults without fear of arrest. The White House Seed Share & Cannabis Summit will start AFTER 4:20pm because we want this to be a fully legal event without any on-site consumption of cannabis.

As you may know, last weekend’s “smoke-in” ruffled the feathers of many mainstream cannabis advocacy groups because we openly broke the law by consuming cannabis in public.  Since we do not plan on breaking any DC laws on April 16, we are formally inviting all drug policy reform groups to join us for the Cannabis Summit that President Obama refuses to have with us.

History shows us that in order to change the laws, we must be persistent and that means more actions are needed. We all know the Emperor Wears No Clothes, but lighting up near a 51-foot inflatable joint is not going to deschedule cannabis overnight. It’s going to take ALL OF US to convince President Obama that the time for action is NOW!

Some of the press have reported that President Obama said that we should focus our efforts on Congress because they have the power to deschedule cannabis. Unfortunately nearly all of the media fails to mention that we, the cannabis activists of the District of Columbia, do not have Senators or a voting Representative to focus our efforts on. Thanks to the 23rd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, we have only the President to hold accountable, and accountable we’ll continue to hold him!

We do not expect the White House Seed Share & Cannabis Summit to be as well-attended as Reschedule420 because we are not aware of many groups of out-of-town activists who plan to join us. But we expect it to be just as awesome (minus the 51′ joint) and we know that we must all continue to put pressure on Obama to use his authority to deschedule cannabis NOW!

PLEASE NOTE: DCMJ is not giving out seeds, buds, or cuttings, rather volunteer cannabis advocates who support our efforts will be the generous ones this Saturday. Please read over the rules we drafted last year for the previous seed share.

As you know, any adult in Washington, DC can carry up to 2 ounces of cannabis on them on non-federal land, so the White House Seed Share & Cannabis Summit is open to all adults.  Lawful sharing of cannabis can only take place between adults 21 and older. We urge you to not feel embarrassed to ask someone who looks under 21 for their government-issued ID before sharing with them.

In regards to the sharing of cuttings, we define a cutting as a branch of a female cannabis plant that weighs under 1 ounce and is not in a growing medium (soil, perlite, rock wool, etc.). A clone is a cutting that is in a growing medium and these can be considered plants, which are not allowed outside of your home. We suggest preserving your cuttings by placing them in a ziplock baggie with water and when you get home you should start the rooting process in the growing medium of your choosing. The last thing we want is for cannabis growers to be detained or arrested for accidentally bringing rooted plants or clones.

We will have the sound wagon with us so seed sharers can talk about their their seeds, as well as why they believe Obama should immediately deschedule cannabis.  We look forward to your sharing of stories, seeds, buds, and cuttings this Saturday!

#Reschedule420

We did it!


Hundreds Got High In Front of the White House To Protest Weed …

Hundreds of people got high in front of The White House to protest the federal government's policies on weed


It's time to demand Obama reschedule cannabis!

PUBLIC NOTICE : Due to popular demand, we’re rescheduling 4/20 this year to 4/2 because Obama’s been a BIG ZER0 on cannabis reform.

President Obama has the power to use his authority to reschedule cannabis. But recent reports have shown that he has no plans to change the status quo and, frankly, that is just pitiful.

While we have been able to drastically reduce arrests for marijuana possession in the District of Columbia, millions of Americans across the United States are not so lucky. As long as cannabis is treated in the same category of drugs as heroin, with no accepted medical use, police will continue to arrest & lockup our brothers and sisters.

We will gather outside the White House at 2:00pm on Saturday, April 2 and have speakers from DCMJ and other cannabis advocacy groups. At 4:20pm there will be a mass-consumption* of cannabis. We will not be seeking any type of permit from the National Park Police because it is our constitutional right to peacefully gather and demand Obama stop being hypocrite. He smoked cannabis and became the president of the United States, and while he might think cannabis is a bad habit, does he seriously think it’s on par with heroin, nicotine, or alcohol?

Some people think we should not protest President Obama in an election year. But if not now when? Let’s make the rescheduling of cannabis a campaign issue now!

This is a challenge to the frontrunners. Will Donald Trump federal legalization? Has Hillary evolved long enough on the issue of cannabis to support federal legalization? Will Bernie Sanders take a national legalization approach instead of a state by state approach? But most importantly, does Obama want a legacy of being the president who finally ended the failed war on drugs? We’re rescheduling 4/20 this year to find out. Join us!

What you can do:

* A 4:20pm Mass-Consumption of cannabis includes smoking, vaping, but also eating. Do you think the National Park Service will go after your brownies, gummies, rice crispy treats, or cookies? Doubtful. As we #Reschedule420 this year, we encourage people who do not want to smoke or vape their cannabis to eat it as a form of protest. So in the misquoted words of Marie Antoinette, LET THEM EAT CAKE!


Reschedule420 is this SaturdayReschedule420 is this Saturday

Did you see yesterday’s Washington Post? The 51 foot joint was on the front page of the Metro Section! What does that mean? We have the opportunity to show America an amazingly positive display of non-violent civil disobedience. It also means we need to ensure that everyone knows EXACTLY what is going down before we’re lighting up.

We are meeting at the corner of 15th & Pennsylvania Ave NW at 1:45pm and walking Cesar Maxit’s 51 foot joint a half a block down Pennsylvania Ave. At 2pm our curated open mic begins and will be lead by MC Adam Eidinger. We have various speakers from different movements confirmed to show up but we encourage everyone reading this to consider making brief remarks if their is time.  At around 4:15pm we will make announcements about the civil disobedience.  At 4:20pm there will be a blessing and many of us will engage in civil disobedience by consuming cannabis.  Shortly afterwards, we’ll part ways, go home, and watch ourselves on the evening news…. SEE YOU THERE!


Possible Civil Disobedience Scenarios at 4:21pm:

1) NO ARRESTS – After consuming cannabis as an act of civil disobedience, we march down Pennsylvania Ave. toward 17th Street for a victory lap!
2) ARRESTS OCCUR AND PEOPLE ARE RELEASED QUICKLY – After paying a small fine ($100 or less) people are released Saturday evening.
3) ARRESTS OCCUR AND PEOPLE ARE DETAINED UNTIL MONDAY – After going before a judge, you are released Monday afternoon and will likely have to return to court at a later date.


Demonstration DOs & DON’Ts

DOInvite your friends!

DON’T – Consume cannabis (smoke, vape, eat, etc.) until 4:20pm. The fastest way to get arrested is to be the only person using cannabis. If you see someone consuming cannabis, politely suggest they relocate to a different area or refrain until 4:20pm.

DO – Help hold the 51 foot joint! You know that you want to take a selfie holding the biggest joint ever brought to the White House!

DON’T – Swear or say offensive things to the general public.

DO – Listen to the various speakers. You will hear some amazing stories about how cannabis has impacted the lives of your fellow Americans. Please show speakers respect by engaging in discussions away from the sound system.

DON’T – Be rude to tourists, strangers, or other cannabis activists. One of our biggest strengths is that we are united in the belief that the federal laws related to cannabis need to be changed. You may meet people who have different political viewpoints than yours and it’s important that you know how to agree to disagree.

DO – Bring your government-issued ID. In case anything happens, it’s always good to be able to prove who you are.

DON’T – Be disrespectful to the police! Treat them like you would like to be treated yourself. Do not call them names! If you engage in civil disobedience and the police arrest you, do not fight back or you might end up with a assault charge.

DO – Be peaceful! Have fun! Know that you are making history! Don’t let the detractors who think doing nothing will somehow change something.

DON’T – Forget that the area around the White House is federal property where Ballot Initiative 71 does not apply. So don’t bring large amounts of any “illegal” substances or paraphernalia such as chillums, bowls, dugouts, bongs, etc. We recommend joints, vapes, and edibles for those who are engaging in civil disobedience.

DOBring $50 to $100 cash if you plan on engaging in civil disobedience. Often the police offer a “Post and Forfeit” option, where you may simultaneously post and forfeit an amount as collateral (which otherwise would serve as security upon release to ensure the arrestee’s appearance at trial) and thereby obtain a full and final resolution of the criminal charge. Since there are so many arrests in DC every year for civil disobedience, the post & forfeit option is very common, so bring extra cash with you.

DON’T – Resist arrest if you are engaging in civil disobedience. Resisting Arrest is defined as:
– fleeing a police officer while being arrested
– threatening a police officer with physical violence while being arrested
– physically struggling to free oneself from being restrained
– attacking a police officer while being arrested
– providing an officer with false identification

DO – Be educated on why you are demonstrating. You may be asked by a reporter for your comments. Do you have something ready to say? It’s OKAY to say nothing! But it’s best to read up on why the Controlled Substances Act needs to be changed in regards to cannabis.

DON’T – Act like a fool! We expect national & international media to be present, so do your best to represent cannabis community.

DO – Understand that if you choose to engage in civil disobedience, you might be in DC jail until Monday.

DON’T – Try to find parking nearby! Take the Metro, Bus, ride your bike, or walk! But there is garages & metered parking nearby, but it’s going to cost you a lot!

DO – Know that it is YOUR RIGHT TO PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLE! You are not risking arrest by showing up, rather you risk arrest by engaging in civil disobedience.

DON’T – Expect the world to change over night.

DO – Bring your prescription medications if you plan to engage in civil disobedience. The last thing we want is for you to get sick in a DC jail! Make sure your prescription medication has your name on it! REMEMBER: Medical marijuana is not recognized by the federal government (this is one of the reasons why we are demonstrating!)

DON’T – Forget to write 202-733-4640 with a permanent marker on your arm. If you engage in civil disobedience and get arrested, call 202-733-4640 when you are at the jail. We’ll have someone helping with jail support. We want to know who you is arrested and when they are getting out.

MOST IMPORTANT DOBE COOL!! Always stay calm. Change happens at the speed of protest, so know that after the demonstration, our efforts will go on!


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It's time to demand Obama reschedule cannabis!

It's time to demand Obama reschedule cannabis!


It's time to demand Obama reschedule cannabis!


It's time to demand Obama reschedule cannabis!


DCMJ is the District of Columbia's leading cannabis community organization

Letter to President Obama Concerning #Reschedule420

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC

Dear President Obama,

This is our 3rd letter to you in the last two years concerning cannabis reform. DCMJ previously wrote you before Ballot Initiative 71 was voted on in the District of Columbia and after the initiative passed with over 70% of the vote. Unfortunately, we haven’t received a reply from our previous letters. This lack of correspondence is why we are writing you today.

Next month DCMJ is rescheduling the international cannabis day of celebration, April 20 to Saturday, April 2, and making it a protest of your inaction on cannabis reform. We are rescheduling the date to urge you to use your power as the president to reschedule cannabis. As a former cannabis (and current?) user, you know firsthand that cannabis does not belong in the Controlled Substances Act. While thousands of Americans die each each year due to dangerous drugs like heroin, the placement of cannabis in the same category makes a mockery of the Controlled Substances Act and breeds distrust in our law enforcement and our government .

I anticipate hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans will join us at 4:20pm for mass-consumption of cannabis on Pennsylvania Ave. as form of civil disobedience. However, I am willing to call off the mass-consumption of cannabis if you agree to a Bud Summit, where leaders of the cannabis reform movement are invited to the White House to discuss steps you can take to end the failed War on Drugs you inherited as president.

As American citizens of the District of Columbia, we do not have Senators or Representatives to advocate for us in Congress. Thanks to the 23rd amendment to the Constitution, we only have you to speak for us. I am tired of waiting for Congress to reschedule cannabis. They would rather continue the failed War on Drugs instead of actually fixing the problems facing America. DCMJ respectfully urges you to call out their failed leadership and fix a genuine problem that you have the power to fix. No more lives need to be ruined with unethical imprisonment for cannabis-related crimes if you act now.

Sincerest Regards,

Adam Eidinger
Founder, DCMJ



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