I am so excited to break the news that we have four new contributors to help bring you the Daily Audio Stash!  In response to my call for volunteer music editors I received a lot of applications and picked from the best of them to give you our new lineup:

These fine Stashers will be finding the best 420-friendly music on the web and bringing it to us each week.  You already know me and Cannabis Karri.  Sahra Kant joins us from Massachusetts; I met her up at the Boston Freedom Rally this year.  Johnny Reeferseed’s music has been featured on the Stash before.  And John Doe is the man behind John Doe Radio, another fine internet podcast.

But just because we have music editors that doesn’t mean you can’t still be involved.  If you have a band or have found a tune that you think should be on the Stash, just email it to me at stash@norml.org and I’ll pass it along to our editors.

Also join me in welcoming Amanda Bannon to our lienup of contributors.  Amanda is getting college credit as an intern working for me in NORML Chapter Outreach.  She will begin by reviving our dormant “Politicians on Pot” series, where you send us the replies you get from your elected officials when you write to them about ending marijuana prohibition.  If you haven’t written to your elected officials, visit our Take Action center and get started.  Now that the AMA has reversed its position on smoked cannabis as medicine, many of these congresspeople will need to update their form letter!  Write your congressperson and send that reply back to us at stash@norml.org.

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Hemp Headlines

1. Brian Bergeron: Report from Massachusetts HB 2929 Legalization hearing
2. Alcohol is safer than marijuana, says Foundation for a Drug-Free World
3. CBS MarketWatch: End the War on Drugs, Start the Legalization

Daily Toker Tunes by Marijuana Music Awards . com

• ‘We Love the Herb’ by Herbal Nation

California Marijuana Report with Eric Brenner

• Interview with Steve Kubby

Click here to view the embedded video.

My Report From The Massachusetts Committee on Revenue Hearing for HB2929 (Cannabis Taxation and Regulation) on October 14, 2009

By Brian Bergeron

I just returned home from the meeting at the statehouse. It kicked off at 10am and lasted until close to 1. Though there were other bills on the docket, HB2929 received by far the majority of the attention. I’m happy to say that most of it was positive. I don’t know the exact number but I would say that around two-dozen or so people spoke in support of the bill in a manner of a three-minute testimony. Only one person managed to speak in opposition to the bill. He was from Worcester and was part of a public health/safety organization.

Many of the people that spoke were (and I told them as such) the ‘rock stars’ of marijuana reform. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Keith Stroup, and Jack Cole (of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) who all spoke. Dick Evans, the author of the bill, whom I had worked with leading up to the hearing to drum up support, spoke articulately as well. MassCann and SSDP (Students for Sensible Drug Policy) were also well represented with passionate speakers. It was interesting to see the progression of the hearing. My own three-minute testimony had to do with how the prohibition affects so many issues that are important to the country today—health care, underage consumption, hemp as renewable energy, etc. The committee members started off disinterested, but over time I felt that they came around and started asking pertinent questions. Sadly, only half of the committee showed up, so a lot of our argument won’t be verbally relayed (though many people submitted written testimony). The meeting room was full and at its peak there was standing room only so we were well represented.

In the end, I doubt the measure will pass but it was a great step in the right direction and we will hopefully continue the debate. Mr. Evans felt that this was the largest, most serious legislative discussion for marijuana legalization that he has ever seen or been a part of.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated today in this big step. Good luck to California! Good luck to Oregon! Good luck to every other state that is trying to decriminalize cannabis, or legalize medical marijuana, and end this fruitless prohibition.

One thing that stuck out from the meeting is this: Early on, the committee chairman commented that this is the largest group of people who have ever come before him asking to be taxed.

We’re winning!

Thank you friends and let me know if you have any questions: brian@brianbergeron.net

Thanks, Brian.  If you have a breaking marijuana news story and want to see it here on the Stash, just email me at stash@norml.org.

(The Herald-News) The question in 2009 is whether we keep the prohibition laws in place or repeal them, replacing them with a system of regulation and taxation, with controls over cultivation, purity, distribution and sales, and age limits on purchases.

There’s a big problem with that suggestion, however, and it’s not that it’s a radical idea. Privately, people readily agree that we shouldn’t be arresting people for pot — growing it, selling it or using it — and ought to be looking seriously at the revenue potential. The problem is they say it only in private, fearful that speaking up in public about the wrongheadedness of the marijuana laws would put their job, security clearance or custody of their children in serious jeopardy. It’s a simple matter of priorities, and they have theirs right.

The immediate struggle is not to legalize marijuana, but to legalize discussion about it.

As Keith Stroup and Dr. Lester Grinspoon testify today in Massachusetts for legalization, I’m reminded once again why I get up most every day and talk into cyberspace about legalization of marijuana.  How many of you listeners to the podcast would suffer consequences if you even hinted that you support legalization?  How many of you would be busted by a spouse, employer, or the community if they saw “NORML Daily Audio Stash” in your iPod rotation?

This is why I never fully trust statistics on marijuana use in this country.  When your actions can cost you your freedom, you tend to be paranoid about polls, even elections.

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Hemp Headlines

1. PayPal dumps California NORML, “We have made the business decision to not be involved with this type of business.”
2. Mendocino county sheriff ordered to return hash to patients
3. Dr. Bronner among those arrested for planting hemp at DEA HQ

Daily Toker Tunes by Marijuana Music Awards . com

• Supersuckers – “Can Pipe”

Cannabis Conversations

• NORML Founder Keith Stroup and Harvard emeritus Dr. Lester Grinspoon discuss their upcoming testimony to the Massachusetts statehouse in support of legalization of cannabis.

Boston: 30,000 smoke pot, celebrate decrim

9/20/2009 -  Chris Goldstein

An estimated 30,000 people were crowded onto the Boston Common at the peak moment of the 20th annual Boston Freedom Rally on September 19th 2009.

That moment was 4:20PM ET.

The thousands celebrated freely under a landmark victory for cannabis prohibition reform. In 2008 Massachusetts decriminalized marijuana possession of less than 1/4 ounce by adults with a Ballot Initiative, Proposition 2. That means you can only get a NON-criminal ticket with a $100 fine for a pot violation. The decrim effort was won because of the hard work of the very same folks who organize the rally:  MASSCANN/NORML.

A Parks Services officer (who strangely had a thick eastern European accent) agreed that 30,000 seemed a likely estimate of the peak attendance.

A police officer, who did not wish to be named, said the department does not officially release crowd estimates for any event. But Boston Police confirmed that there were 3 arrests for distribution and over 100 citations issued for marijuana possession.

Keith Saunders, MASSCANN’s president, told me that over 50,000 people had probably walked through the grounds over the course of the day and encountered the message of marijuana legalization.

Overall, the police were civil although I saw numerous random searches and heard stories of many more. At past events there have been more than 150 arrests for pot possession… but not on Saturday. Without fear of arrest the crowd was polite and almost everyone I saw was openly enjoying marijuana.

An impressive line-up of bands and speakers appeared on two stages. Styles P, a big time reform supporter showed up and did a surprise set thanks to High Times Magazine. Because of some juggling to accommodate the last minute act, the countdown to 4:20 got squeezed. A sea of people were gathering before the main stage and filling in the large hill.

Steve Bloom of CelebStoner corralled the final 60 seconds  holding a clock up on stage and pointing as the hands came together. Looking out from the stage you could see huge clouds of smoke rise up from the crowd. There were dozens of spontaneous circles formed in a surreal organic collage of people. They cheered from across the rolling hills as giant 6-foot long joints were passed around.

Everyone smoked. There really was a quite visible haze over the entire crowd at 4:20. The sweet and fragrant odors of a wide variety of plant strains and hash drifted by, offering this interesting quilt of cannabis.

The crowd was extremely well behaved. There cannot be a finer exhibition of the positive effects of human cannabis smoking than large crowds of people doing it together. Without alcohol available at the event there were no fights, pushing or shoving. But with free cannabis consumption there was dancing, conversation and a genuinely happy atmosphere.

Personally, this was the most wonderful day for prohibition reform I have witnessed. The event itself; all of the people I met for the first time and friends to spend time with made this trip heartening, empowering and just plain fun! The locals really did treat me very well too.

Our country deserves this freedom that Massachusetts already enjoys.

I have seen Victory for Cannabis in Boston. It is sweet and green. It needs to be nationwide.

The first two pics were from my cellphone, this last one is from Derek at PhillyNORML. I’ll have some more blogging about the bands, speakers, backstage and social events from the Boston Freedom Rally tomorrow. Then its off to San Francisco for the NORML conference as I continue my Green September.

Included that day was an exclusive interview with NORML’s Founder Keith Stroup and Associate Publisher at High Times Magazine Rick Cusick … just after their arrest for a minor marijuana violation on the Boston Common.

Play 9-17-07 AudioStash MP3
Also included: Speeches from the Freedom Rally Stage from Keith Saunders of MASSCANN/NORML, Danny Danko of High Times, Steve Hagar of High Times, Keith Stroup, Steve Bloom of celebstoner.com and music from Ben Scales.

I took this shot of Keith Saunders of MASSCANN in ‘07

"The Death of Dr. Thompson" - To Keith: The Wicked Accuse, The Godly Defend

There’s a certain surreal part of this job. I’m typing this post from Keith Stroup’s place in Virginia, watching the San Diego Chargers play the Baltimore Ravens. Ten feet away he’s catching up on email and I’m snapping pics of his framed pictures on the wall. One is a signed personal pic photo of Hunter S. Thompson firing a shotgun at a photo of Ronald Reagan in cowboy gear. Another is a shot of Keith and Willie from long ago. Another is a drawing of Keith from a piece in the New Yorker. “Sometimes I feel old,” I tell Keith, “especially when you’re around these young people at these rallies. Then I think of the great people and great music I missed by being as young as I am. Growing up in the Eighties sucked.”

Keith had picked me up from the CVS at 7th & Pennsylvania in DC.  I’m lugging my two overstuffed carry-ons full of studio gear (which TSA loves to make me completely unpack and repack at every security checkpoint, so ixnay on our secret stoner plan to bring down Babylon by disguising soundboards and wireless keyboards as explosives to bring down the Boston-DC shuttle) and my literally bursting at the seams hanging bag that the baggage handlers have been abusing for the modest fee of $15.  And I’m wearing my Packers t-shirt, because it’s game day, and it is horribly old and tattered, and my Concordia University sweats, because I don’t wear anything metal while flying.

Can we talk about flying?  Nobody can seem to understand why the airlines keep losing money?  Well, that nobody ain’t six-foot-and-two-fifty!  I’m trying to respond to emails offline in the air with my arms like a T-Rex on a nearly five hour flight from PDX to Logan, completely packed full.  I’m forced to haul two heavy limit-pushing bags of recording gear because no freakin’ way will I let the baggage gorillas throw around the laptop and the Mackie and the mics AND pay an extra $30 or $40 for the privilege.  I’d pack it all in the flight case, but they want to charge $100 for that, each way.  It’s going to get to the point where it’s cheaper to fly with no bags and just buy your clothes at Wal-Mart when you land.  Oh, are you feeling peckish?  Well, for eight dollars, we’ll give you a Lean Cuisine-quality meal poorly cooked to eat on your folding tray that’s in your gut from the person reclined in the seat centimeters in front of you.  I swear if I get enough revenue flowing I will get a Madden Cruiser and just bus my way to all these events.

Stevie Lee Webb at the audio desk where he used to engineer The Russ Belville Show on XM Satellite

Where was I?  Oh yes, before Keith picks me up I’m visiting my friend Stevie Lee Webb at his offices at The Bill Press Show.  We worked together for over a year.  He’s from London and a complete Monty Python fan and radio comedy vet in England.  We used to have so much fun on our show and he’s agreed to provide some voice overs when we have some egregious UK reefer madness to read.

Packer Baby at the Hawk'n'Dove in DC

Stevie let me park my gear in his office, then we trekked a couple of blocks to the Hawk’n'Dove.  It’s a big Democratic hangout in DC, I’m told, but more importantly, the Packers bar on Sunday!  I enjoyed watching most of the game as Stevie and I ate pub food and drank beer (yes, I did some hard drugs – alcohol!)  Nice to finally meet face to face, and we’ll be having dinner in the next two days so I can meet his wife and we can play Monty Python Fluxx (don’t ask, it’s a nerd thing).

It's 4:20am in Boston after a long day of sun and fun and three hours sleep.

The day begun very early.  At 4 am I’m getting up in Cambridge at a hotel near MIT after having partied past midnight at the “Boston Tea Party”.  Caught a cab at 4:20, thought it was appropriate, to catch the 6am shuttle to Dulles.  Flying is so miserable (did I mention that?) that I prefer to do it as early as possible to have the time for the repacking and so I can sleep through it later.  But that put me in DC at 8am, way too early to bug Keith.  Called Stevie and he could meet me at noon, so I found a spot near the “Flyer” bus terminal and slept for three hours.

The party after Freedom Rally that kept me up so late was a blast.  It was invite only and I had a “plus one” invite, but no one to join me.  But it turned out that Anne from New Jersey NORML wanted to go, and her boyfriend Ron was with her, and I did some quick talking and we all got in.  Then Delia from New Jersey called, so we went back out toward the Boston Common and picked her up and I talked her in as well.  It’s not too difficult talking beautiful women into stoner parties.

Georgine DiMaria at the backstage studio for NORML SHOW LIVE

Speaking of, it was a pleasure to meet Georgine DiMaria, a High Times Freedom Fighter of the Month and Miss New Jersey 2006.  She stopped by NORML SHOW LIVE and gave us a great interview.  The Freedom Rally was amazing, with excellent music and really cool people.  Toby Grear was also on the show and his girlfriend Nicole shot a photo of me holding up fists to Toby and him giving me a funny look.  I can’t wait until she sends me that photo!

It was a fun show to do, though I’m not sure how well it came out.  Toby Grear, Danny Danko from High Times, Chris Goldstein, and Keith Stroup all stopped by.  When I was interviewing Danny, the rapper Styles P stopped by and got on the mic for a sec.  Me, being the old overworked nerd I am, had no idea from Styles P to Master P to the Stylistics.  I told Delia at the party that Styles P dropped by and she said, “Styles P!?!” She filled me in that he’s currently the bomb with his hit song about getting high that I’ve never heard.

I was actually more thrilled to get an interview with a total stranger, a woman in a powered wheelchair sitting backstage named Lori.  She was quite attractive with what I’d call big East Coast hair and makeup, and visibly affected by some sort of severe medical condition that has drastically diminished her legs.  It was nearing 4:20, so I couldn’t get any luminaries back at the table, so I asked her, on a hunch, if she’d like to talk about medical marijuana.  She told me she doesn’t like to talk about her condition and she couldn’t give more than her first name, I assured her I only wanted to talk to her about her opinions on medical use.  It’s one of my favorite interviews ever.  She so perfectly represents and communicates why arresting people for using marijuana is just plain evil.  She told me it was her first-ever moment “coming out” in public about medical marijuana.  I feel like we just birthed an activist.

I’m exhausted.  Here are some more of the pictures, most of them I think made it into TwitPic.  I’m going to listen to the live show and try to catch some sleep.

The two ladies on the outside are from Girls4Ganja.com (Mikaela on the right) and the two inside ladies are a Miss High Times 2007 finalist on the left and Miss High Times 2006. I can't remember everybody's name (sorry!)

I loved this band Graveyard BBQ, and not just because they had dancers.

Right before this shot, High Times Associate Publisher Rick Cusick says "Say 'Evidence'!"

"A question. Since before your sun burned hot in space, and before your race was born, I have awaited ... a question." Me and the singer from The Force going though lighted sculpture at MIT

Dr. Keith Saunders and Dr. Frank Lucido at the High Times / MassCann Awards and Fundraiser, where the NORML Daily Audio Stash won Best Podcast for the 2nd straight year. Thanks!

Hey, Stashers, just getting ready to head out to the Boston Freedom Rally. I’m rescheduling NORML SHOW LIVE to fit the time frame; they only run Freedom Rally from Noon to 6pm out here, and then from 9pm on there is a special invite-only party I have to go to that won’t be conducive to a live broadcast.

Our special backstage studio has been set up and the show starts at 3pm ET / Noon Pacific. You’ll hear 4:20 live here from Boston. Guests include Keith Stroup, Keith Saunders, MikeCann, Danny Danko, Chris Goldstein, Dr. Frank Lucido, and anyone else we can round up backstage.

Wish me luck!