From freeconcord.org:
Yesterday, a much more pleasant aroma than usual lingered through the smoking parlor of the New Hampshire state house. While legislators coughed on tobacco fumes, Irvin Rosenfeld puffed his medicine under the lights of WMUR news cameras. As one of the few surviving participants in a federal medicinal cannabis study, Irvin is given 9 ounces of cannabis in pre-rolled joints per month. The cannabis is grown at the University of Mississippi under the control of the federal government. Along with the cannabis, Irvin also possesses immunity from any US drug laws which would otherwise criminalize him.
Since childhood, Irvin has been struck with Multiple Congenital Cartilaginous Exostoses, a bone disorder that causes tumors to form in his joints. Without using any other medicines, Irvin has not had tumor growth since he began using cannabis, which he has been doing regularly for 30 years.
The purpose of Irvin’s visit to the state was to clear up misconceptions about medicinal cannabis and to meet with legislators who are still on the fence. At the end of the attached video, you can see interactions with Rep. Al Baldasaro and Sen. Gary Lambert, both former opponents of medicinal cannabis legislation. Biker Bill has coverage of the press conference prior to the discussion in the smoking lounge, and WMUR did a piece on the visit that aired last night as well.
It would have made more sense for the group to have had, say, forty or fifty people touching such plant rather than one.
The answer to the question raised by one of the participants, "Where's the victim?" is the State. It acts as the victim.
Plenty of people who I will not name held the plant, it's just I chose not to upload those short video's as they were not planning on getting arrested. If we could get 20-40 people together to all hold a small amount in protest I think it would be great but they would all have to be willing to get arrested. That is part of the reason Andrew is so brave, and such a good activist is that he was willing to be arrested which is more than I can say for that day.
Ya, that's right, Andrew's the victim.
I give props for Andrew for having as much balls as he did.
What is Andrew's reason or point for getting arrested? Does he really believe that his arrest and possible conviction will result in a bill to repeal the war on drugs or a call to legalize pot? Does he believe that his arrest will be the tipping point in people’s hearts and minds to change the law? People say that you need to choose your battles, why this one and why now? Does he have a plan to introduce something in a court of law that will send the establishment to its knees? Is he able to make the government prove… Read more »
@geofalon007:
You can hear Andrew's reasoning yourself at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRnFNep5mW4.
Obviously it's something he's personally committed to. Why question his intent? It won't be the "tipping point" as you said, but it will help lead to it.
"What is Andrew’s reason or point for getting arrested?"
To show how absurd the law is, that is part of the point of this type of activism. What was he doing? Just standing there, holding vegitation, and gets hauled off to jail for it. Stupid ass laws.
I don't think it will be noticed at all. I think everyone here agrees it's a stupid law. I think the detriment to Andrew will eclipse any benefit. The state was in a budget crisis even before the national stuff hit the fan. The legislature will not react to this, they won't even know about it. This is not the year to be pushing this kind of stuff at the state house. At least Andrew will have a criminal record (yes I know most of you don't care, we've been over that) and have to pay some fine. At most… Read more »
Andrew will not pay a fine. He is a hero and will help attract others here at a minimum. What will they do when 20 people are possessing and smoking cannabis?
I dont know what they will do when you have 20 people possessing and smoking cannabis. I bet they bring a large number of police and arresst everyone. I bet they figure out how to charge them with more than possession. Distubing the peace, disorderly conduct, trespass, inciting a riot…I don't know . It really depends on the will of the police chief in the town or city you do this in doesn't it. It also depends on the State Police and the District Attorney. What is the overall climate in New Hampshire regarding pot anyway? Is someone pushing a… Read more »
Geofalon, if you don't mind, what state are you in? Just based on your reference to "representative town meeting" in some post, I'm guessing Mass. There was a bill to legalize hemp, which failed. I think there was a bill to legalize possession of pot, similar to Mass. If so, it failed too. I don't think there is any big zeal to crack down on marijuana possession, as opposed to sales. When I was young, 30+ years ago, people smoked pot fairly openly. That was before Nancy Reagan and the war on drugs and all that. My sense is that… Read more »
Lots of people will see these videos, so you're wrong.
Note I said "nobody outside the liberty movement."
How many of our 424 state reps and senators will ever hear about this?
Curt I am in Massachusetts. I have believed that something is wrong with this country for along time. I decided to get involved where I am. I am battling certain people in government that believe it is ok to use zoning by laws to impose there will. I have tried to get elected to the planning board and will try again. As for the legislative body in NH knowing about Andrew, that is for the people in the movement to let them know about it. If you want to make changes, you need to know the current players. It seems… Read more »
I work in Cambridge. I pay Mass income tax. I told everyone in my office that I would appreciate their vote to abolish the Mass income tax, acknowledging that it would save me money and not cause me any lack of government services. We have zoning in my town but the town is really sensitive to property rights. I am proud to serve on the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) because it is our role to ensure that people can use their property even if there are circumstances where it does not strictly conform to the zoning law. One difference… Read more »
I wrote At least Andrew will have a criminal record (yes I know most of you don’t care, we’ve been over that) and have to pay some fine. At most he will try to have a show trial and try to discuss jury nullification then really have trouble with the court. As noted in one of the videos, this was incorrect. I thought that with Class B you still had the right to a jury, just not a free lawyer. But with Class B you lose your right to a jury trial. So there will be no show trial or… Read more »
You always have the right to a Jury trial, it is just you must take/appeal the charge to the Superior Court where you will be allowed one. Most people lose and then fail to appeal to the Superior Court which is where you are guaranteed a Jury trial from my understanding.
That's incorrect. I looked it up.
The federal guarantee of a jury trial does not apply to state trials. The NH constitution only guarantees a jury trial in capital cases. Current statutes (RSAs) only provide for jury trials for class A misdemeanors and felonies.
"I am not sure that one man getting arressted will end it or even be a big enough deal to change the minds of the government."
Well, it's better to try and fail, than take a path of inaction and not know.