I think there is an element of pot smokers coming "out of the closet" to a degree that was unthinkable even 10 years ago.

Wait till we find out Barbara Bush is a major brownie producer/manufacturer... LOL.

RIP, Ben

did you know him?

I hope his passing was gentle.

And he'd met up with many of the other Kossacks out west. I don't recall interacting with him much, if at all, even over on DK, but his writing was always worth reading.

http://norml.org/advisory-board/item/norm-stamper

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/30/citing_failed_war_on_drugs_former

I have a list here in the DP forum with a bunch of people who signed on to support CA's 2010 attempt to legalize.

even if they never smoked again, is extremely important in this because they all know it's overrated as far as killer drugs go. Alcohol and tobacco are both far worse.

A majority of people under 60 or so have tried it. A majority of people think it's time to put aside the paranoia about Hispanics that Harry Anslinger focused on, change its name back to cannabis, and legalize, regulate and tax it as the mostly benign recreational drug it is.

Those are the heroes in this fight, the ones who know the DEA doesn't have a moral leg to stand on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Peron

He got the ball rolling on medical marijuana thing in California in the 90's.
I used to play music with his brother, and got to know Dennis a little bit 20 years ago or so.
I went to a couple of events, including a S.F. city council meeting back then.
I opened up a concert in Dolores Park that he organized that got the whole issue started.
Nice fella. We're Facebook friends now.
He'd be at the top of my list of activists.

I met Brownie Mary at his place once.
Several years later, when she died, a friend showed me her obituary. When I said I had met her, my friend laughed and laughed and said "of course you did! I knew there was a reason I had to show you this."

I'm just that kind of guy, I guess.
Great list!

I wish I were in the land of cotton...mouth. LOL.

That's about it, really.

That's the S.F. crew.
In New York, there's the Yippies.
Yes, they're still around!
I've met Dana Beal, and he should probably go on your activist list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Beal

He runs the Yippie Cafe and Museum on Bleecker Street.
My band played there a few years ago.
Yes... the Yippies have a frikkin' museum!

http://www.9bleecker.com/

Thanks for the other stuff, too!

that created the nickname "vipers"?

Gayle Farrell and Dick Dale doing on of the newer songs...

I nominate every DEA head since Reagan for spewing nonsense that has caused successive generations of kids to ask good questions.

I have some people from long-ago history, but I was sorting out a bunch of different names... but Rick Steves (james... dunno why, but I always wanna say that...) is there!

I'm gonna update my list, upthread, because I've been reading about this some more.