Pubdate: Thu, 18 Apr 2013
Source: Philadelphia Daily News (PA)
Copyright: 2013 Philadelphia Newspapers Inc.
Contact: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/about/feedback/
Website: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/339
Author: Jason Nark
Page: 19

'NJ WEEDMAN' HIT WITH BLUNT CHARGE

IT SOUNDS LIKE some alternate reality, where down is up and hot is
cold, but Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion said the words himself Wednesday
morning, and even he can't believe it.

"I'm getting a little stressed," said Forchion, 48. "I have no
weed."

Oh yeah, he was arrested again, too, but that's normal for the
longtime marijuana activist.

This time, Forchion says, he was a passenger in a car that was pulled
over Monday night on Route 73 in Evesham Township, Burlington County.
The car had a faulty taillight, but he said that once the officer saw
his dreadlocks and a shirt with a marijuana leaf on it, he became the
center of attention.

Evesham police discovered marijuana in a prescription-pill bottle on
Forchion, along with some rolling papers, and charged him with
possession of less than 50 grams and paraphernalia. Forchion has a
court appearance scheduled for May 8 in Evesham.

"This is like a nightmare that never seems to end for me," he
said.

Last month, Forchion was sentenced to nine months in prison for
possessing a pound of marijuana during a 2010 traffic stop in
Burlington County. The judge allowed him to travel to California for
bone-cancer treatment.

Forchion claims that the marijuana he had Monday night was prescribed
and brought back from California, where he has a medical-marijuana
card. New Jersey does not recognize that card, he said, and that's
another issue he's looking to highlight.

"At this point, there's 18 states that legalize marijuana, and people
travel now. This is the 21st century," he said. "If I was prescribed
Viagra, I wouldn't have to get a new prescription from every state I
go to."

Forchion said he'll be a guest speaker at Saturday's Smoke Down
Prohibition at the People's Plaza on Independence Mall.
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