Pubdate: Thu, 02 May 2013
Source: Eugene Weekly (OR)
Copyright: 2013 Eugene Weekly
Contact:  http://www.eugeneweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/136
Author: Nick Poust

HIGH NOON MARCH FOR CANNABIS

Marijuana is legal in Washington and Colorado, and it should be in 
Oregon, too. That's the goal of the upcoming Global Cannabis March to 
be held at high noon on Saturday, May 4, in downtown Eugene's Free 
Speech Plaza. Eugene is one of 235 cities participating worldwide, 
and it joins Portland and Medford in a localized effort to pass legislation.

In trying to make the most out of the march, organizer Jim Greig and 
his fellow legalization proponents will bring in a wide variety of 
speakers. A local representative from the ACLU, another from Law 
Enforcement Against Prohibition and several activists are among those 
scheduled to speak.

Marching isn't all Greig has done in attempting to get cannabis 
legalized. Through the years, he and his colleagues have put forth 
legislative initiatives, and they won't stop doing so. "A few years 
ago, we had Measure 74 [medical marijuana dispensaries] we put a lot 
of emphasis into," he says. "Last year, of course, was Measure 80 
[legalization and regulation]." Every year, their focus is different, 
working to place more attention on all aspects of cannabis, not only 
legalization for recreational purposes.

Greig spoke at the Americans For Safe Access' Congressional Panel in 
Washington D.C. earlier this month in regard to HR 689 and HR 710, 
two federal bills that, if enacted, would protect medical marijuana 
patients, reschedule cannabis so legal penalties are lesser and allow 
states to regulate cannabis. He stressed the four phases of cannabis: 
industrial use, recreational use, medical use and use for religious purposes.

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have "embraced hemp for industrial 
use," Greig says, "but there is still the medical use, the 
recreational use and then people still use it for religious purposes. 
So I try to bring different speakers on different parts of those four 
phases to represent the four phases and individualize it."

For more information on the Global Cannabis March and how to get 
involved, visit http://wkly.ws/1gk.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom