I got a lot of great entries in our latest Pass the Stash contest. The contest was to see which listener got busted with the smallest amount of pot. Many of you have been harassed or arrested for less than a gram or even “specks”:
Darral in Washington: I had less than one half gram of marijuana in a film container, when the motorcycle officer felt it in my pocket he asked, “what’s this” I told him it was film and not to open it but he did, and took me to jail.
Darral, next time get an attorney. If you refused to consent to a search of that container and he searched anyway, your charges could’ve been dismissed by the judge.
Adam in Tennesee: Imagine you had three nicely rolled joints in a baggy, you remove the j’s from the bag and you got an empty baggy with like 3 specks of shake that fell out of the joints. The complaint affidavit states I had a “bag containing a residue amount of green leafy material was found”.
Gomyo in Japan: At the station they questioned me for another ten hours or so and showed me the supposed evidence they had found in my car. They had gotten it out of the ashtray. They actually went searching through the ash under a microscope, or whatever, finding a speck about the size of the tip of a pencil lead that they assured me had been tested and was indeed MARIJUANA.
Brandon didn’t enter the contest, but he did pass along this story:
This is a story from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (hell on earth for potheads) where a man traveling from Britain was sentenced to 4 years in Dubai prison after a speck of marijuana weighing less than a grain of sugar was found in the tread of his shoe. In all it was an amount of .003 grams.
But my winner today is Jimmy from Oregon. Jimmy’s a registered grower and caregiver in the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and yet still, he was charged and fined $300 for possession of a baggie with “sticky residue” on it. Thanks to everyone who played Pass the Stash… and if you have any suggestions for our next contest, send them in to stash@norml.org.
Wow, am I bushed from my first festival of the season. I drove the 110 miles south down I-5 to table at the Emerald Empire Hempfest. I set up the Oregon NORML Multimedia Booth and our literature table and ran the the thing all Friday night by myself. Then I drove home that night, because Saturday morning I have my XM satellite radio show. After the show, I drive back to Eugene for the Saturday afternoon portion of the festival, joined by Oregon NORML’s Anna Diaz. Spent the night in Eugene and then tabled all Sunday, until I tore it all down by myself and hauled it back home.
To recap, that’s 440 miles of driving, three days of speaking and gathering petition signatures, and a full set-up and tear-down of a booth all by myself. And they say we’re not motivated and productive!
Finally, a new Pass the Stash contest: This time, you can win a copy of the DVD of “a/k/a Tommy Chong”, the Josh Gilbert documentary of Tommy’s nine-month prison sentence for selling bongs over the internet to Pennsylvania. To win, we’re looking for the person who can prove to me that he or she was busted with the smallest amount of pot. The idea for this contest arose in a conversation I had with Scott from Urb Age Designs this weekend (I won’t tell you how little he was busted for in Alabama). You’ve got up through July 31st - if you are the first person to send me an email and can prove you were busted with the smallest amount of pot, you’re a winner! (You can remain anonymous and you must be 18 or older to play.)
Raffle for Tickets to see 311 and Snoop Dogg in DC - NORML 311 and Snoop Dogg are hitting the road together for Unity Tour 2008. The tour will begin June 24 in Phoenix and run through August 3 in Austin. Special guests Fiction Plane will open the shows.
You could win a pair of tickets in our raffle for the show this Sunday, July 20th, at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia(Washington DC area) with a $4.20 donation to NORML.
311’s Summer Unity Tour has become an annual event for music fans across the country. With their dynamic and celebratory live shows, 311 have cultivated a grassroots touring fan base that is thriving now more than ever. Blending rock, reggae, hip-hop and funk, 311 have released eight studio albums, a live album and three DVD’s – selling over 8 million units in the U.S. and establishing themselves as a core modern rock artist.
Snoop Dogg is fresh off the release of his new album, Ego Trippin’. With his legendary rap flow and diverse appeal, Snoop has released nine solo studio albums and has sold 30 million records worldwide. Snoop will undoubtedly add a party vibe to the shows – from DoggyStyle to Ego Trippin’ – the big boss will be bringing all his hits and classic cuts. Whether starring in his hit E! show, “Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood,” or rocking a live show, Snoop is always able to light up a crowd.
Raffle Rules & Regulations
NORML and LiveNation 2008 Unity Tour Ticket Raffle:
July 14 – July 18 2008
Must be over 18 to enter
Prizes: 5 pairs of tickets, with 1 pair given away daily.
Approximate value of daily prize: $100
One Entry constitutes $4.20 donation
Unlimited entries with matching $4.20 donation
Entries must be submitted daily by 4:15pm EST in order to be considered for the 4:20pm EST drawing.
Winners will be contacted via email and/or phone the next business day for age verification and instructions on where to pick up tickets. (failure to provide age verification will forfeit prize).
Questions can be directed to NORML at carlos@norml.org or by calling 202.483.5500.
We have a winner! A Stash fan (wishing to remain anonymous) correctly answered these three questions (I did receive a few people that made multiple guesses and eventually came up with the right answer, but this was the first email I received that got it right on the first try).
NORML Daily Audio Stash
#1) Which of the following four stoner movies made the most money at the box office:
b) The Big Lebowski (with Jeff Bridges as “The Dude”) [$46,498,804]
c) Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (the first H&K movie) [$18,225,165]
a) Half Baked (with Dave Chappelle) [$17,394,881]
d) Tenacious D & The Pick of Destiny (with Jack Black) [$13,434,575]
If we were only counting domestic box office, then Harold & Kumar win, besting The Big Lebowski’s domestic gross of $17,498,804. However, the question only says most money at the box office, and since they have box offices in places other than the US, we have to add in the $29,000,000 The Dude made overseas.
#2) How many people were arrested for simple marijuana possession in 2006?
c) About 740,000 (are arrested for simple possession of marijuana)
a) About 1.9 million (are arrested for all drug crimes)
b) About 830,000 (are arrested for all marijuana crimes, including possession)
d) About 610,000 (are arrested for all violent crimes in America)
Lots of people answered 830,000, which is good that we all know how many marijuana arrests there are. But 89% of those arrests, or 740,000, are just for the possession - not sales, not trafficking, not production - of marijuana.
#3) According to the Institutes of Medicine, what percentage of cannabis users eventually become clinically dependent on cannabis?
c) About 9% become dependent on marijuana
a) About 31% become dependent on tobacco
b) About 15% become dependent on alcohol
d) Trick question: nobody becomes “clinically” dependent on marijuana!
I got a lot of “trick question” answers. It’s important to note that marijuana dependency, though, is a far different condition than the addiction that comes with alcohol or tobacco. But yes, for some people, particularly those prone to mental illness and the adolescent, marijuana can be a bad lifestyle choice.
It’s not for everyone, but that doesn’t mean it should be illegal.
There still is no winner in the June Pass the Stash contest, so here is another hint: The United States of America is not the only country on the planet with box offices.
Time for our June Pass the Stash contest (yeah, with only one week to go). The prize this month is a copy of Steve Bloom’s new book, “Pot Culture: The A to Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life” and all you have to do to win is pass our special drug test.
Don’t worry, we don’t want your pee. We just want your correct answer on the following three multiple choice questions:
#1) Which of the following four stoner movies made the most money at the box office:
a) Half Baked (with Dave Chappelle)
b) The Big Lebowski (with Jeff Bridges as “The Dude”)
c) Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (the first H&K movie)
d) Tenacious D & The Pick of Destiny (with Jack Black)
#2) How many people were arrested for simple marijuana possession in 2006?
a) About 1.9 million
b) About 830,000
c) About 740,000
d) About 610,000
#3) According to the Institutes of Medicine, what percentage of cannabis users eventually become clinically dependent on cannabis?
a) About 31%
b) About 15%
c) About 9%
d) Trick question: nobody becomes “clinically” dependent on marijuana!
Send in your answers along with your name to stash@norml.org. You can remain anonymous if you wish, just say so. The first email to hit my inbox with all three correct answers wins the “Pot Culture” book.
Among more than 6,000 youngsters interviewed for the largest study of its kind, users of the drug had a higher average number of symptoms associated with a risk of psychosis.
These included feeling like something strange or inexplicable was taking place, suspecting they were being influenced or followed and difficulty in controlling the speed of thoughts.
Researchers also found that those who took cannabis in adolescence had a greater risk of developing schizophrenia than older users of the drug.
The teenagers, aged 15 and 16, were asked about their drug use before their risk of developing a psychotic disorder was assessed by experts.
More than 5 per cent said they had used cannabis once or more, and one in 100 had used cannabis more than five times. Girls were more likely to take the drug than boys.
The study, carried out by a team at the University of Oulu in Finland, is published on Monday in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Dr Jouko Miettunen, who led the research said: “These teenagers are likely to be vulnerable to the mental effects, which means they are probably vulnerable to developing psychosis at some point.”
Once again, we have to agree that teenagers shouldn’t use marijuana. There is evidence that the developing adolescent brain can be negatively affected by cannabis use.
That said, these symptoms that are associated with psychosis risk - that association was discovered in non-drug-using populations, right? I mean, if you have never used cannabis, and you felt something strange was happening or couldn’t control the speed of your thoughts, then you’d be considered at risk for psychosis.
But what if these “symptoms” are just the natural by-product of what some of us call the “mind expansion” from using cannabis? What if early cannabis users do have “speedy thoughts” or feelings of being followed, but then that never leads to full-blown psychosis? Maybe inexplicable feelings and a bit of paranoia are as far as it progresses?
OK, it’s time to announce the winners in this month’s Pass the Stash contest. I asked you to send me your story, in 420 words or less, about the first time you ever got high. The prize is your own copy of the DVD “Totally Baked”, autographed by Brian Johnson, lead singer of AC/DC and executive producer of the film. I received a ton of entries*, thanks everyone who sent me an email.
Our Grand Prize Winner is Tom D.
“Get yourself a can of soda”, Dave said before we rode our bikes out to the railroad tracks. I watched as he turned the empty can into a pipe, which he then “packed”. After a quick lesson in how to use it, we both smoked up. I didn’t feel anything at first, so we smoked another. Still, I didn’t feel much of anything, so we smoked another… and another… and that was all the bud he had. So, we left and I followed him back down the dark, dimly lit street. He was having fun riding all over the street, swerving from one side to the other. Then, I heard the sound of a car behind me, so I shouted out to him, “car!” He pulled over to the right, then looked back and said “There ain’t no car!” I looked back and realized he was right… strange, I must have been hearing things. We rode on, and Dave went back to weaving all over the street, then I heard a car coming up behind us once again. “Car!” I shouted to Dave. He turned around, looked back at me, and said, “Dude, you are so high!” As soon as he said that, at that very moment, I realized for the first time… “whoa, I *AM* high!”
Check out the rest of the top three in the Full Story
We’re continuing our latest Pass the Stash contest, and you could win the uncensored DVD of “Totally Baked”, written by Craig Shoemaker and autographed by the Executive Producer, Brian Johnson, the lead singer of AC/DC.
All you have to do to win your autographed copy is to send me an email at stash@norml.org. All I want to know is your funniest first-time pot-smoking story. Limit your story to 420 words or less and send it in now – this contest only lasts two weeks, winner will be announced May 30.
(My Stash interview with Craig Shoemaker from April 17)
It’s a hilarious story of two medical marijuana activists who hide out in the home of straight-laced dad and take him and his debate team friends hostage. While the activists employ creative strategies to convince the squares on the truths about cannabis, a Rod Serling-esque narrator (Shoemaker) weaves us through commercials, stand-up, documentary interviews, and skits that are interspersed throughout the movie.
(A little bit of stand-up from the movie)
By submitting a story, you agree to have it published on the Stash blog and read on the air, but we will be glad to change names and identifying details to keep you anonymous.
I’ve received a few entries so far - here’s one that’s definitely in the running - read on in the Full Story below…
We’re beginning a new feature on the Stash - a weekly contest! I want the Daily Audio Stash and Stash Blog to be more interactive, and that means soliciting comments and questions from all of you.
Here’s how you can win: Just submit your questions to Dr. Earleywine at 420research ‘at’ gmail.com or send them directly to me at stash ‘at’ norml.org. The topic for this contest’s questions goes out to parents:
As a parent, what is your greatest concern about raising your children in the middle of the War on (Certain American Citizens Using Non-Pharmaceutical, Non-Alcoholic, Tobacco-Free) Drugs? Student drug testing, loss of financial aid, health issues, how to talk to kids about marijuana, whatever your question regarding parenting and marijuana, please send it in.
Three questions will be selected by Dr. Earleywine for response on next Wednesday’s Daily Audio Stash. You will remain anonymous and you will WIN a copy of Dr. Earleywine’s new book, “Parents’ Guide to Marijuana”.
Dr. Mitch Earleywine on cannabis and tobacco co-dependence; Del Snavely of Medical Cannabis Assoc. of ND; CA raids and convictions; music by Blue Line Highway.
SSDP's Kris Krane on HEA Aid Penalty; Pt 3 with Wendy Chapkis, Richard Webb, Valerie Corral on "Dying to Get High"; DEA + Blackwater?; music by Don Nix.
Members Of Congress Demand An End To Federal Pot Possession Arrests; National MS Society Makes Recommendations Regarding Therapeutic Use Of Cannabis; The Tragic Death Of Rachel Hoffman -- And The Tragedy That Is Pot Prohibition; Interview with Rep. Barney Frank.
Pot Compound Enhances Efficacy Of Anti-Cancer Agents, Study Says; California: Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act Qualifies For November Ballot; New Orleans: District Attorney Charging Minor Pot Offenders With Felonies; Kelly Maddy on Joplin MO Decrim Effort.
Marijuana Extracts Provide Superior Pain Relief Compared To Plant's Isolated Compounds; Case Study: Inhaled Cannabis Improves Symptoms Of ADHD; ONDCP Insider: Drug Czar's Office Is "Flying Blind"; Austrian Parliament Approves Medical Marijuana Use.
John Wesley Hall, president-elect of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, describes the case precendent in roadside traffic stops and search and seizure.
Seattle, Washington attorney Doug Hiatt explains the latest medical use issues in Washington State, including denial of transplant organs for medmj patients.
Raffle for Tickets to see 311 and Snoop Dogg in DC - NORML
