I want so much to get involved in lobbying for legalization in our state, but I'm really paranoid that there will be negative consequences. We live in a really small town, EVERYONE knows your business, so it's not something one could secretly do. And our cops...*shudder*....I'm afraid they'd make my life a living hell. Let alone what would happen in my "work place" if they knew I was for legalization. Any stories? Words of encouragement? Legal issues, like what to do if you (or I) finally speak out and we are harassed or targeted? Could they (work) make you take a drug test if you've never had to take one before?
I admire your desire to enact change. Coming from a small town, I can relate. The sad part is there is no way to shield yourself from a small town mentality, especially if it is one of those religous based towns...they are the worst. IMO you wont have any legal issues other than if cops got word you are not "one of them" they could find reasons to pull you over more, an employer certianly could ask you to pee test if they got wind that you were a smoker. This is one negative of living in a small town where everyone tends to know each others' business, I wont give any advice on how to procees other than make phone calls/emails to your legislators and encourage your pot smoking friends to do the same.
In a small town, I think you're better off going at through subtler means. Make a new email and use that so send letters to the editor of your local paper where you speak about the positives of legalization. Then make a new account and do the same thing again (using different names each time). That way, it makes it look like a there's a bunch of people in favor of reform, and other folks are likely to read those letters and follow suit. I've done this a few times for my paper and it sparked some discussion. Now that there's a campaign going on right now to decriminalize here in BC, Canada, I plan on going through a bit of a newspaper blitz. Good luck with whatever you choose.
You're not alone in wanting to stay on the low down. Here's how one person has managed to do just that and still be a powerful force in spreading the truth about Cannabis. "(NORTHERN CALIFORNIA) - I am a well-respected teacher's aide in my 60s. I start my day with 8th grade math. I quilt, paint, sculpt and am an avid genealogist. I enjoy posting on several websites. My husband is disabled and on SSI. We live in a tiny rural town in California with our two adult sons. Our lives are filled with computers and books. We are all compulsive educators- a family of quiet, intellectual geeks. I lead a double life. I am a secret, international, medical cannabis activist. Even though I am "California legal", I hide in the shadowy world of the internet. As the mysterious "Granny Storm Crow", I influence cannabis-using people worldwide. Mostly what I do is I tell people about medical studies, but even so, I must hide my "secret identity". http://www.salem-news.com/articles/june202009/granny_crow_list_6-20-09.php Follow the link, read the article and see how you can stay under the radar and still help inlighten(sp?) those still in the dark,
As is the case for most of us, we need our jobs. Jobs and pee testing are most likely reason #1 most people keep a low profile about their pot smoking.
I changed my name slightly to protect my identity and had some op-eds published in some of the largest newspapers in our state. I also used the same name to contact State senators when I was trying to help get medical passed in our state. No one has come for me yet.
If you really want to make a big change you got to make a big fuss, get on tv, papers etc but if you want to do your bit you can then do so in a quiet way. I kind of think should I take it to the next level. Get into politics for the soul hidden agenda of changing cannabis laws. What granny does is amazing she is our Sergeant major but we need faces upfront, on the news, papers, more people shouting it from the roof tops (strength in numbers) its the only way to make quick progress. We should all do our bit to educate, even if its just not giving up after someone tries to shoot you down for saying cannabis heals etc and they say dont you know that stuff kills brain cells or some other BS, you got to hold your own and say well hold on, these are the facts and tell try to tell them in a calm and confident manor, never loose your cool.
And having your copy of "Granny Storm Crow's List" to back you up, doesn't hurt at all! Bottom of my sig gives my email address to get your free PDF copy. Here's a few ideas for "quiet activism"- We all just have to educate others! Get a copy of the List and forward it to your friends. They deserve to be amazed by our "funny little weed"! There is SO much more to cannabis than just getting high! Commenting in the news is easy and can reach 100s of people in a single day! Cannabis is a "hot topic" and it always brings out the more rabid prohibs! I use them as "educational platforms" from which to educate the saner readers! This dude, however, rubbed me the wrong way in several comments, so I was less polite with him than I usually am. deafsmith2016 \ndumb white trash stoners are funny \nMe- \nBut the joke is on YOU, Deaf! “Marijuana's Active Ingredient Shown to Inhibit Primary Marker of Alzheimer's Disease†(Scripps.edu), “Marijuana Cuts Lung Cancer Tumor Growth In Half, Study Shows†(ScienceDaily), “Lab Notes: Pot Has Benefits for Diabetic Hearts†(MedPageToday), “14 of 15 MS patients show clinical improvement with CANNABlS consumption†(Examiner), “Marijuana Slims? Why Pot Smokers Are Less Obese†(TIME) and “Marijuana may be Helpful in Lowering Blood Pressure†(BioMedicine). So they may be dumb, but they sure are smarter than you, and likely to live longer, too! \n(FYI- Yahoo censors the words "cannabis" and "medical marijuana"- Type them in capital letters, EXCEPT for the "i". Use a lower case "L" for your "i", and it goes right past the censor, and it makes them stand out, too! ) \n\nMost doctors know very little about cannabis! When it comes to educating our doctors, the post office is our friend! They do not require return addresses on envelopes, so you don't need to blow your cover! A word of advice, do not just send medical abstracts to just your doctor- mail them to every other doctor that shares the office building. This makes it much harder to identify you! If you are really paranoid, just drop them in a mail box in the next town over. A first class stamp will mail 5 pages, so you have the potential of 10 abstracts in each mailing. My List will give you 100s of studies to choose from. \n\nYou could throw a "Political Party"! Grab some buds and beers, some voter registration form (Post Office) and, if your state has them, whatever petition is being done in your state. Invite the guys and gals over to watch the game and get registered to vote. After the game, have your state's government site up and have everyone send your politicians a letter- or just hit NORML- they always have quickie form letters for folks to use. Everyone leaves with a petition to get their friends to sign and a good time is had by all! \n\nFor college students, my List provides all the sources you could possibly need to do that cannabis paper you have dreamed about doing. If you are worried about any consequences from a conservative prof, just do your paper on the endocannabinoid system - 100% safe since everyone has one and it is "cutting edge" science! Since my List comes as a PDF attachment, it can be easily forwarded to your fellow students so they can do their own papers on cannabinoids. \nOne young person told me he had slipped bookmarks into the college library books on cannabis that had "Need MMJ studies? Run a search for "Granny Storm Crow's List" online" printed on them. \n\nIt is all about educating people! There are lots of ways of being a "quiet activist" that don't put you in danger. You just have to do a little thinking! \n\n\nGranny
Nomoredoubts, I hope that all of you will use my little bypass! I wonder if the CEOs at Yahoo realize just how ridiculous and "1950s" their censoring the proper scientific name of a plant makes them seem? Anyway, commenting in the news is a very effective way of educating people! Just remember, you can't fix stupid, but you can educate the rest of the crowd! Granny
You can say I'm an advocate. I throw the fact that I smoke around all the time at work. Never been tested or confronted about it. At the same time, my boss is from India and it's the norm in his culture, so that's probably what's saved my ass past 5+ years. I bring it up all the time when possible. To educate people, that even a health care worker like me, can be a professional and a smoker. Either that or I'm an over opinionated idiot... Lol Fuck your French, and excuse my Ebonics....
Great ideas. We have a rep in our state that's been trying to pass a medical MJ law for years, but for the first time they're actually looking at it. It's going through committees, but every year before this it's been thrown out right away.
ARK, that is exactly why we SHOULD be using Yahoo! For the most part, the folks who use Yahoo are uneducated about cannabis! We have to keep pounding away at educating them! Every "Yahooligan" mind we change is a victory! Last week, I got a dude named "Chuck" to go from "absolutely not" to "maybe"! Not a big victory, but "Chuck" now knows that you can lead a normal life and use cannabis. He was basing his view of cannabis on his slacker-in the-basement neighbor (don't be that guy!), but after politely chatting back and forth with him for a bit, he is a bit more open-minded now! "Chuck" isn't likely to vote for legalization, yet, but his education has started! He will eventually run across me again, or "Gandalf", or "Ankle Spin", or "Clay Gooding", or one of you, and learn a bit more. Each time one of us educates him, he will see that he has been lied to by the government and take one more step toward enlightenment about our healing herb! Granny