Sacramental Cannabis in US courts

[Medical Marijuana]

Cannabis Sanctuary Kit provides potent legal defence!

Sarah Stevens is an American marijuana user recently arrested for having 29 grams of marijuana. She was charged with felony possession, and faced up to three years in prison, along with loss of federal student financial aid and her driver's license.

Steven's lawyer examined the arrest reports and questioned Sarah. In his opinion, the arresting officers didn't commit any constitutional violations that would raise reasonable doubt or get the charges dismissed.

He advised Sarah to accept a misdemeanor plea bargain that stipulated several thousand dollars in fines and costs, as well as two years formal probation. During probation, Sarah would be urine tested every week.

Sarah was left without any options other than surrender, but if she had been in contact with Reverend Roger Christie before her arrest, she would have had a fighting chance of beating the charges - or not being arrested at all!

Christie is a Hawaii cannabis minister and activist who has been fighting for marijuana decriminalization for 15 years. Five years ago, Christie's academic studies and personal growth led him to conclude that marijuana could be accurately described as a religious sacrament and its use protected by the US constitution's guarantee of religious freedom.

Christie studied theology, became an ordained minister and established the "The Hawaii Cannabis Ministry." Christie is America's first, state-licensed "cannabis sacrament" minister.

His Ministry offers all marijuana users an opportunity to participate in the legal protections offered by religious freedom guarantees. These protections can be activated when Christie provides the user with his Cannabis Sanctuary Kit containing legal precedents, registration cards, and public documents. His kit also contains marijuana plant tags, which identify the plants as religious instruments.

"Cannabis use is a Divine Right, even when we don't realize it," Christie said. "Assertion of religious protection has prevented several Ministry members from being arrested. And if a member is arrested, our program provides a potent defense that judges, prosecutors and juries will respect."

Christie put me in contact with several Ministry members who have benefited from his kit. One of them was an Arizona man arrested for having nearly a pound of marijuana at home.

"The police and judge are respecting my religious exemption, and are treating me real different than they would if I was a regular guy with marijuana," the defendant said. "My lawyer told me that if we didn't have Roger's help, we wouldn't have a leg to stand on. Because I had his SANCTUARY sign on my wall, his registration card in my wallet, his 'stash-tag' in with the herb, and the info about marijuana religious freedom and the law, my lawyer says we are likely to win."

The defendant said that the presiding judge called him "Reverend," and reduced bail from $25,000 to zero, all because he asserted a religious defense to his marijuana charges.

Christie says that his religious protection kit was designed to work in all 50 states.

"Ministry participants explain that their cannabis use is for religious purposes, based in part on the information I provide them," Christie said. "But the stereotypical definition of 'religious' doesn't apply here. You don't have to start going to church, or pray before you smoke. You do have to be sincere, show respect for the herb and yourself, and ensure that your cultivation and/or possession of sacrament is a private matter. Then show police, your attorney, and judicial officials that you are registered with our Ministry, and you are protected."

Attorneys who have examined Christie's kit say it provides legitimate protections that can be invoked by pot people. They cite a 1996 ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned marijuana convictions for three Rastafarians convicted of marijuana possession in Montana.

"If you get arrested for marijuana, what can you do to defend yourself?, Christie asks. "My Ministry gives you a powerful, victorious answer to that question."

Contact:

Roger Christie can be contacted via his website at Aloha and welcome - e komo mai or by email at pakaloha@gte.net.