Gov. Gary Johnson in Austin

This weekend I had the honor to be invited to Texas NORML’s Global Marijuana March, Rally, and Fundraiser.  Former NM Gov. and now official GOP Presidential candidate Gary Johnson was the headline speaker and he did not disappoint.  Local media’s coverage of the event was primarily focused on Johnson’s pro-marijuana legalization message.

Also on the bill were Kris Bailey, who is running for Austin City Council; NORML Women’s Alliance’s Greta Gaines, who also played at the evening fundraiser; and Chief Greenbud, another performer at the fundraiser gig.

"Radical" Russ shows the Texans what an Oregon Medical Marijuana Program card looks like

I spoke to the crowd of about 300 who had marched and gathered in the hot Austin sun, explaining how the war on marijuana touches all of the Bill of Rights, except for the Third Amendment proscription on housing soldiers in citizens’ homes.  A thoughtful Texan corrected me by comparing the drug test to a soldier quartered in your home, keeping an eye on whether you’re misbehaving at home.  Good point.

Greta Gaines gives her new CD to Gov. Gary Johnson

That evening we retired to MoMo’s on 6th Street, a second-floor pub with an open-air rooftop balcony.  Greta Gaines opened the show with a solo acoustic performance, including her new “pot anthem”, “Light it Up”.  Chief Greenbud and I jammed on some of his tunes.  Then the full bands showed up.  Sun Salvation rocked with a ska/reggae feel, followed by Clyde & Clem’s Whiskey Business, billed as “The Worst Bluegrass Band in Texas”.

Chief Greenbud and Radical Russ

I got myself my Hempfest sunburn three months early, as we Pacific Northwesterners don’t think about sunscreen until about July.  I’ll never forget Sixth Street, the “live music capital of the world”, and all the amazing bands I heard block after block at night.  Then that same street becomes a street fair by day where I saw the world’s largest grill and ate some alligator on a stick.

For the full photo slide show and my captions (as I add them), check out on my PicasaWeb, or just watch below… 
“Radical” Russ’s PicasaWeb – Austin, Texas 2011 March

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Download audio file (NORML_Daily_AudioStash_2011-05-09.mp3)

Hemp Headlines

Brought to you by Cannabis Fantastic

1. Toronto Marijuana March draws 25,000 people
2. Louisiana man gets life in prison for fourth pot conviction
3. Montana activists pressing initiative to prevent implementation of SB 423
4. Colorado DUID bill is back and looks poised for passage
5. Michigan dispensary owners who sold to undercover cops with patient cards facing drug trafficking trial
6. Illinois medical marijuana bill stalls in House

Daily Toker Tunes

Brought to you by CannaBob and The Viper Hour on The NORML Network

• Roots Monday: Rainy Daze – “Acapulco Gold”
• NEW: Chief Greenbud – “Smoke As Much As You Like”
• NEW: Chief Greenbud – “The Drug Bust”
• NEW: Greta Gaines – “Light it Up”

Radical Rant

• Show and Tell from Austin, Texas

Click here to view the embedded video.

Chief Greenbud performed live with "Radical" Russ and CuzzinKenny at NORML's Conference Fundraiser Party

We have some extra special audio from the NORML Conference.  On Friday night we had our fundraiser party at the Red Lion Skyroom in Portland.  Chief Greenbud played along with NORML Outreach Coordinator Russ Belville on bass and Kenny Davis on drums.

Then Ben Scales joined us from the audience to perform his hit “Growin’ Marijuana in my Yard”.

Governor Gary Johnson made it in after his delayed flight to address the crowd.

Finally, Los Marijuanos closed the show; however there is no audio as they were using the recording computer to play their backing tracks.

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 01 – When Pot Was Illegal (Live at NORML CON)

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 02 – Another Dry Day (Live at NORML CON)

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 03 – I Just Want to Get High (Live at NORML CON)

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 04 – Sell Me Something Good (Live at NORML CON)

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 05 – It’s Only a Weed (Live at NORML CON)

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 06 – It’s 420 Somewhere (Live at NORML CON)

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 07 – Keith Stroup, Gov. Gary Johnson, Allen St. Pierre, Russ Belville remarks

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 08 – Growin’ Marijuana in my Yard (Live at NORML CON)

NORML CON 2010 (FRI Party) 09 – Jamaica in the Moonlight (Live at NORML CON)

Enjoy the "atmosphere" of NORML's annual fundraising party!

I’m excited for our annual fundraiser this year!  We’re holding it on the rooftop of the downtown Red Lion Hotel in their Skyroom this Friday at 6pm-10pm.

Download audio file (NORML-CON-2010-Party.mp3)
NORML CON 2010 Party Ad MP3 download

Chief Greenbud from Nashville, Tennessee, joins us straight from his headlining gig at the mammoth Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  Winner of numerous Marijuana Music Awards, Chief Greenbud’s country-infused toker tunes range from the rockin’ Song on the Year “It’s 4:20 Somewhere” to pop pot parodies like “It’s Only a Weed” (Plain White T’s “Hey There, Delilah”) and “It’s Another Dry Day” (Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day”).

Los Marijuanos from Las Vegas, Nevada, are veterans of the marijuana movement who’ve performed at Seattle Hempfest, Amsterdam’s Cannabis Cup, and Eddy’s Medicinal Gardens.  PonyBoy and FCM Click make up the hip-hop hempsters whose songs “Time 2 Get High”, “Mr. Weedman”, and “Flame On” are Pacific Northwest favorites.

Ngaio Bealum is the editor of West Coast Cannabis magazine and one of America’s brightest cannabis comedians.  Ngaio will have you in stitches as he tells you why storing hash in your passport is a bad idea and how smoking pot can make you a better parent (“My kids smell me smoking pot and they know we’re heading to miniature golf in the next twenty minutes.  I’m down for any animated feature when I’m high!”)

Tickets for the fundraiser are $75… and you’ll enjoy much more than just music and comedy for that price.  It is a NORML Party, after all.

Casino officials fear 50,000 cannabis consumers will be uncontrollable and the Mandalay Bay could lose its gaming license

I have the unfortunate duty to let you all know that Cannapalooza, the entire event, has been canceled.

Just yesterday I posted the official press release from Cannapalooza announcing the event.  Today, as I am beginning my live show, people in the chat room asked me why Cannapalooza was canceled.  I logged on to their website while preparing the show to find:

We regret to inform all of our fans who were eagerly anticipating the Cannapalooza event that Mandalay Bay has decided to cancel our contract for space and therefore we will not be able to hold the event.

We are incredibly disappointed and appreciate the overwhelming support for the event that we have received since first announcing our plans.

I spoke with Louis, my contact at Cannapalooza, the man who recruited me to host and create the live speaker’s panel that we were to air on a special three-hour NORML SHOW LIVE March 19-21.  He sounded as devastated as you would expect.

I asked him what happened and he told me that the Mandalay Bay Casino just canceled the contract.  Organizers of the event found out that the casino had been bombarded by lobbying from law enforcement groups and gaming commission officials, who painted a scenario that 50,000 cannabis consumers descending on the Mandalay Bay would get “out of control” and open the casino up for possible violations that would cost its gaming license. So rather than risk the millions Mandalay Bay makes every day from gambling, they’d rather pay the $300,000 or so in expenses to make Cannapalooza go away.

In the meantime, I’m hoping some attorneys on the NORML Legal Committee look into this.  I’m not sure why the Antique Arms, Int’l Sporting Arms and Invitational Knifemakers Show scheduled for June 1-3 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is less likely to get “out of control” than a bunch of glass and hemp displays and non-profit activists.

LAS VEGAS, NV — 01/27/10 — March Madness takes on a whole new meaning with the first ever Cannapalooza event, debuting March 19-21, 2010 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Cannapalooza, the international marketplace for all things cannabis, will showcase the latest products and technologies that have made cannabis one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Open to the public, Cannapalooza expects to draw 50,000 attendees from across the country and around the world.

Now, more than ever cannabis is moving into the mainstream, with marijuana playing a key role in popular culture. Showtime’s Weeds, pot infused musical lyrics and cover stories in national media outlets, along with heated political and medical debate have all pushed cannabis into the spotlight. The beauty and fashion industries have embraced the plant as well, with a rise in demand for natural hemp clothing and cosmetics.

The event will span 50,000 square feet of convention center space and is designed to provide an entertaining forum where everyone from industry insiders and medical marijuana users to those with a casual interest can gather to celebrate the culture. Attendees will be surrounded by every imaginable product including hand blown glassware, industrial hemp goods and more. For three days Cannapalooza will be the largest head shop on the planet.

Cannapalooza will also feature an educational symposium moderated by NORML’s Russ Belville, with expert speakers and celebrity guests addressing legalization, decriminalization and medicinal benefits, while debunking marijuana myths and sharing simple home garden techniques, green agricultural technologies and more.

Legalization and reform advocacy groups including The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Americans for Safe Access (ASA), Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) will be represented at Cannapalooza. Currently fourteen states, including Nevada, allow for the medical usage of marijuana and another fourteen are weighing legislation or ballot initiatives that would legalize medical marijuana in 2010. There are strong movements pushing for the outright legalization of cannabis across the United States, including California’s Tax and Regulate initiative that will be on the 2010 ballot.

To learn more about the event or reserve exhibitor space, visit www.cannapalooza.com.

Chief Greenbud and his guitar provide the hilarious Toker Tunes in-between presentations

I’m really excited to be a part of Cannapalooza, and more excited that the educational symposium I’m hosting will be streamed live for you on NORML SHOW LIVE at http://live.norml.org.  I’m taking a seven-person crew down to Vegas for the event and we’re going to get you a look at Cannapalooza that is second only to being there yourself.

Our show will stream from 1pm-4pm Pacific Time.  Chief Greenbud from Nashville, Tennessee, will serve as our “house band” to play speakers on and off the show.  Cannabis Karri will be by my side to help with the show, as I will be giving my presentations:

• Oregon Medical Marijuana Act: The Gold Standard
• The Top Dozen Reefer Madness Lies and How to Stop Them
• History of Marijuana’s Popularity during Nixon’s War on Drugs
• The Racist Nature of America’s War on Marijuana

I’m proud to announce that our speaker line-up will include:

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• Alison Holcomb (Washington State ACLU) – Medical Marijuana, Decriminalization, and Legalization in Washington State
• Chris Conrad (Oaksterdam University) – Medical Marijuana Cultivation Expert Witness
• Georgine DiMaria (NORML New Jersey) – Miss New Jersey 2006 Fights For Medical Marijuana
• Jessica Corry (Denver Attorney) – Republican Moms for Marijuana
• Jim Gierach (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) – Why Cops Say Legalize Drugs
• Madeline Martinez (NORML / Oregon NORML) – A NORML Mom Blazing the Oregon Trail
• Mikki Norris (West Coast Leaf newspaper) – The Rise of the Marijuana Media
• Ngaio Bealum (West Coast Cannabis) – Observations on California’s Marijuana Culture
• Omar Figueroa (Oaksterdam University) – Medical Marijuana Law in California
• Paul Armentano (NORML) – Medical Marijuana Science and Research
• (tentative) Rob Van Dam – World champion pro-wrestler and outspoken cannabis advocate
• Robert Platshorn (“The Black Tuna Diaries”) – America’s Longest Serving Non-Violent Marijuana POW

Stay tuned to NORML SHOW LIVE for more details.  If you want to join us in Vegas, log on to http://cannapalooza.com and book your hotel rooms now before the special $99 room rate has expired (February 19 is your deadline).

Hey, Stashers, I’m enjoying Christmas with my family. For you I have a special Christmas Music Edition of the Stash.  See you next week!

1. “Let’s Get Blazed for the Holidaze” – Chief Greenbud
2. “Marijuana Christmas” – Jet Baker
3. “Frosty the Dopeman” – Sister Sensi
4. “We’re Smokin’ What We Want for Christmas” – The Tall Brothers

Download audio file (NORML_Daily_AudioStash_2009-12-25.mp3)

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Download audio file (NORML_Daily_AudioStash_2009-07-06.mp3)

Hemp Headlines

1. Middle School Girls Made to Jump in Underwear to Test for Marijuana
2. THC eliminates heroin dependence in lab rat tests
3. Prohibition putting Atlanta families in danger
4. Chef, 17, ‘killed by cannabis’

Reforming Marijuana Laws with the NORML Legal Committee

• NORML Founder Keith Stroup on the Importance of Personal Cultivation in any Legalization Proposal

Daily Toker Tunes by Marijuana Music Awards . com

• 2009 AMMA Best Acoustic Song – ‘A Friend With Weed’ by Chief Greenbud

Grassroots Activism

• Scott Greene, Executive Director of the newly-formed Mile High NORML in Denver.

Today’s tune won 2009 American MMA Best Acoustic Song. Chief Greenbud was a huge success at this years’ AMMA, winning a total of four Awards!

His music career is flying high with a self titled new CD out, MMA Award wins for the last 2 years and favorable reports in the media about his work.

Music News Nashville recently said of Chief Greenbud’s CD, ‘many songwriters out there could take lessons from the quality of Chief Greenbud’s work… Critics would be hard-pressed to discount the talent demonstrated throughout the CD”.

Chief Greenbud is in popular demand on the underground concert and festival circuit. To keep updated about the Chief check out myspace.com/cgb.

Enjoy today’s Toker Tune, 2009 American MMA Best Acoustic Song, ‘A Friend With Weed’ by Chief Greenbud!

Download: Secret Stash - Register to access Download audio file (Chief%20Greenbud%20-%20A%20Friend%20With%20Weed.mp3)

CHIEF GREENBUD ON MYSPACE

MMA ON MYSPACE

Download audio file (NORML_Daily_AudioStash_2009-06-24.mp3)

Hemp Headlines

1. United Nations backs drug decriminalization
2. CBS News: The War on “The War on Drugs”
3. Marijuana Mamas – a look at the hidden legion of female tokers

Reefer Madness!

• This is your Oklahoma police on drugs

Cannabis Science with Dr. Mitch Earleywine

• Reefer Madness: Cannabis damages your DNA

Daily Toker Tunes by Marijuana Music Awards . com

• 2009 AMMA Best Male Artist – ‘Toke N Bounce’ by Chief Greenbud

Cannabis Conversations

• Michael Kawitzky on his new movie, Cognition Factor, inspired by Terence McKenna