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Colt Smith moved to Lubbock from Washington State six years ago, but he never had the intentions of becoming a political activist.
"I never wanted to be a marijuana activist," Smith said at the Oyster Bar on 18th Street.
Smith is the executive director of Hub City NORML, or National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The local chapter is in its infancy, but it is hosting a two-day event featuring music and speakers at the Oyster Bar.
Prior to the creation of the official local chapter, Smith said a group of concerned citizens were meeting regularly and discussing their disappointment with marijuana prohibition.
"I started getting sick of it," Smith said. "Nothing was happening. There was no organization."
Smith and his wife, Amanda, decided to change this. Amanda serves as the chapter's communications and outreach director.
"Really what we're here to do, is to change peoples' hearts and minds," Amanda said. "We want to arm them with the truth and not this reefer madness."
Smith said he would also like to work with local enforcement agencies so officers and deputies could cite people into court as opposed to making custodial arrests in some situations. He said law enforcement officers have had that option for several years, but only Travis County really takes advantage of the option.
"Very few police departments, and even more so, officers use discretion wisely in that arena," Smith said.
Lubbock police spokesman Jason Lewis said officers will be patrolling the Depot District this weekend. However the department has taken no stance on NORML's activities.
"We're not allowed to have one (an opinion)," Lewis said. "It's not your job to have an opinion."
The group hosts meetings on the second Saturday of the month at Yoga Bean on 34th Street. Smith invited supporters and skeptics to attend.
When asked how his group plans to change the minds of people who fear marijuana legalization Smith's answer was fairly simple.
"The best that we can do is try to talk to them and present them with studies and information and testimonies of rational thinking people," Smith said.
He said his group has a fair amount of support of non-cannibis users, which he attributes to people understanding the actual effects of marijuana.
Above legalization for recreational use by adults, Smith said he strongly believes that people who are sick should have the option of using marijuana as medicine.
"That's more important than the recreational user being able to light up a joint," Smith said.
There are thousands of diagnoses and diseases that can be cured or treated with cannabis, Smith said.
"It's remarkably non toxic," Smith said. "There's never been a reported death associated with marijuana use."
Medical marijuana can be used for arthritis, lupus, Krohn's disease and epilepsy, he said. Most medical marijuana users, ingest the plant in ways other than smoking. Vaporizing is a method often employed.
He also pointed out that a lot of medical marijuana users are using plants with a high cannabidiol count, but a low THC percentage to eliminate the psychoactive effects of the plant.
Smith said he has met with Lubbock's district representative and senator and also four of Lubbock's city councilmen. He said about half of the people he spoke with were in full support of medical marijuana.
"I haven't met any legislature here, in this area yet, that is for legislation," Smith. "But medical marijuana is a step in the right direction."
NORML supports the full legalization of marijuana, but Smith said smaller steps might have to be taken to realize the full goal.
This month US Attorney General Eric Holder announced a shift in federal policy during a speech made to the Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association's House of Delegates Monday, Aug. 12.
He said the Justice Department's policy shift will keep "certain low-level, nonviolent drug offenders" who have no connection to large-scale criminal enterprises from being charged in a manner that results in "draconian mandatory minimum sentences."
Smith called the Justice Department's new stance "fairly brave" and "a small step in the right direction." But what it doesn't do is legalize and regulate cannabis for adults, he said.
Smith also briefly commented on Colorado and Washington State's recent change in state law that regulates recreational marijuana useage by adults. He said other states including Alaska are considering similar measures, but for now he thinks other states will take a wait-and-see stance.
"I think for a couple of years we have to state-wide laboratories," Smith said. "Yeah, I think for awhile some states are going to kick back and watch."
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: lubbockonline.com
Author: Jennifer Loesch
Contact: Contact Us | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Website: New pro-marijuana group seeks to raise profile with weekend festival headline | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
"I never wanted to be a marijuana activist," Smith said at the Oyster Bar on 18th Street.
Smith is the executive director of Hub City NORML, or National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The local chapter is in its infancy, but it is hosting a two-day event featuring music and speakers at the Oyster Bar.
Prior to the creation of the official local chapter, Smith said a group of concerned citizens were meeting regularly and discussing their disappointment with marijuana prohibition.
"I started getting sick of it," Smith said. "Nothing was happening. There was no organization."
Smith and his wife, Amanda, decided to change this. Amanda serves as the chapter's communications and outreach director.
"Really what we're here to do, is to change peoples' hearts and minds," Amanda said. "We want to arm them with the truth and not this reefer madness."
Smith said he would also like to work with local enforcement agencies so officers and deputies could cite people into court as opposed to making custodial arrests in some situations. He said law enforcement officers have had that option for several years, but only Travis County really takes advantage of the option.
"Very few police departments, and even more so, officers use discretion wisely in that arena," Smith said.
Lubbock police spokesman Jason Lewis said officers will be patrolling the Depot District this weekend. However the department has taken no stance on NORML's activities.
"We're not allowed to have one (an opinion)," Lewis said. "It's not your job to have an opinion."
The group hosts meetings on the second Saturday of the month at Yoga Bean on 34th Street. Smith invited supporters and skeptics to attend.
When asked how his group plans to change the minds of people who fear marijuana legalization Smith's answer was fairly simple.
"The best that we can do is try to talk to them and present them with studies and information and testimonies of rational thinking people," Smith said.
He said his group has a fair amount of support of non-cannibis users, which he attributes to people understanding the actual effects of marijuana.
Above legalization for recreational use by adults, Smith said he strongly believes that people who are sick should have the option of using marijuana as medicine.
"That's more important than the recreational user being able to light up a joint," Smith said.
There are thousands of diagnoses and diseases that can be cured or treated with cannabis, Smith said.
"It's remarkably non toxic," Smith said. "There's never been a reported death associated with marijuana use."
Medical marijuana can be used for arthritis, lupus, Krohn's disease and epilepsy, he said. Most medical marijuana users, ingest the plant in ways other than smoking. Vaporizing is a method often employed.
He also pointed out that a lot of medical marijuana users are using plants with a high cannabidiol count, but a low THC percentage to eliminate the psychoactive effects of the plant.
Smith said he has met with Lubbock's district representative and senator and also four of Lubbock's city councilmen. He said about half of the people he spoke with were in full support of medical marijuana.
"I haven't met any legislature here, in this area yet, that is for legislation," Smith. "But medical marijuana is a step in the right direction."
NORML supports the full legalization of marijuana, but Smith said smaller steps might have to be taken to realize the full goal.
This month US Attorney General Eric Holder announced a shift in federal policy during a speech made to the Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association's House of Delegates Monday, Aug. 12.
He said the Justice Department's policy shift will keep "certain low-level, nonviolent drug offenders" who have no connection to large-scale criminal enterprises from being charged in a manner that results in "draconian mandatory minimum sentences."
Smith called the Justice Department's new stance "fairly brave" and "a small step in the right direction." But what it doesn't do is legalize and regulate cannabis for adults, he said.
Smith also briefly commented on Colorado and Washington State's recent change in state law that regulates recreational marijuana useage by adults. He said other states including Alaska are considering similar measures, but for now he thinks other states will take a wait-and-see stance.
"I think for a couple of years we have to state-wide laboratories," Smith said. "Yeah, I think for awhile some states are going to kick back and watch."
News Hawk- Truth Seeker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: lubbockonline.com
Author: Jennifer Loesch
Contact: Contact Us | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Website: New pro-marijuana group seeks to raise profile with weekend festival headline | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
