I normally fly home from Europe in time for Hempfest, when over 100,000 people cap the summer by gathering in a Seattle park to call for the civil liberty to smoke marijuana in America. Because my home state passed I-502 (a referendum legalizing the adult recreational use of marijuana), the 22nd Annual Hempfest was the first one where smoking pot was legal at this “protestival.” I really wanted to be there, but I wanted to be in Russia and Iceland more, so I missed it.
But I did get home in time for High Times’ Cannabis Cup, which was celebrated in Seattle this year. And I was honored with their Lifetime Achievement Award for my work in helping to end the US government’s determined war on marijuana. (Yes, it’s early for a lifetime achievement award but, like the “most interesting man in the world” honors, I hope to earn two.)
Imagine being on stage in a smoke-filled room looking out over a thousand stoners and trying to get some serious ideas into the heads of these heads. I thought you might enjoy my three-minute attempt to do just that with this little video clip.
It’s been a good year for drug policy reform in the USA. Last November, Colorado also legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana. Last month the Obama administration gave us the go-ahead to make it a taxed and regulated market like alcohol. And the scare-mongering claims against I-502 (mostly by people who profit from the black market and fear legalizing pot will hurt their bottom line) have proven wrong. Here’s my take on a new kind of travel that’s no longer illegal in two states–and I’d bet is coming soon to what I now call “the Lower 48.”
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
You just get better and better :) Greetings from Sicily
Rick, you’re the greatest. Thank you for the work that you do. The prisons are full of people who don’t belong there. The Mexican cemeteries are full of people too young to be there. And what have we accomplished?
This is one area I will never agree with you on. You are not home enough to really see how drug use effects society. I really worry about the future generation. Not all kids have the backing of their parents to teach them that drug usage can be controlled. I look around at the youth in our town and see such a lack of ambition and interest in their future. The marijuana industry in California has strained law enforcement and has brought into our little county some pretty bad people. Say what you want but from Northern California I really don’t see any benefit from it at all. And it is “legal” here too. You can all trash my opinion, but your not living it here.
I listened to your little speech and now I get it. In order for you to be able to sit around after a hard days work and get high, the rest of the country can “just go to pot.” I see, do you ever get dizzy from all of those planets spinning around your head “Mister center of the universe?”
I guess that you being drugged all the time explains why so much of your travel advice is crap.
Keep on spreading the truth, Rick. Congratulations on your award!
I want every American to enjoy good health. Smoking anything will damage the lungs and could cause cancer and other serious ailments.
Our nation is in the midst of a battle for and against the Affordable Care Act. In order to keep health care costs down our citizens need to be healthy.
I understand Rick’s position and respect his opinion. He and I are about the same age. I’d like to lead a long healthy happy life and hope he does too.
Rick’s doppelganger
WEDU TAMPA