Pubdate: Thu, 09 Jul 2015
Source: Tucson Weekly (AZ)
Copyright: 2015 Tucson Weekly
Contact:  http://www.tucsonweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/462
Author: Aari Rubin

MMJ Opinion

MMJ Is Here to Stay and Is Legal, but It Depends on What Public 
Agency You Talk to and That Needs to Change

Friday, July 10 will go down in history but not for the same reasons 
I would have wished. There was a state of the art social event 
planned that had to be cancelled, well not entirely cancelled, just 
the state of the art part.

Counter Culture Events AZ planned and promoted the Fire and Ice 7/10 
dab party. For those who don't know July 10 is the new 4/20. The 
reason is if you turn 710 upsidedown and backwards it spells OIL. 
Hash oil is one name for some of the popular and potent cannabis 
extracts in the market these days. The event features three local 
bands including Alter Der Ruine who is about to embark on a 
nationwide tour opening for Haujobb, other local acts Mother's Lament 
and Intertwine, who have a Native American radio station, will also play.

The portion of the event that has been cancelled had to do with 
medical marijuana, big surprise. This event is not, and never was, 
open to the public. Everyone who attends must purchase a ticket 
making it a "private event." State certified medical marijuana 
patients were to be allowed to purchase VIP access to a "medicated 
area," where they could sample and share cannabis and 
cannabis-infused products with other like-minded patients. This type 
of activity has happened in places around Arizona, such as Phoenix 
and other private events and clubs here in Tucson. In and of itself, 
consuming cannabis at a private event is legal. Sharing amongst those 
with the right to consume and possess cannabis is legal. Talking 
about and considering the merits of different cannabis with 
like-minded folks is legal. But the powers that be apply pressure 
wherever and however they can.

In this case, the pressure came from the Arizona Department of Liquor 
Licenses and Control. An agent visited our friends at Club XS and 
said that smoking inside was in violation of the rules surrounding 
the clubs liquor license. The liquor control agent tried to scare the 
owner of the club saying there would be a citation and fine 
forthcoming if he allowed the event to include a medicated area, and 
it worked. My contract to rent the space has been abruptly cancelled, 
without return of deposits, although we were able to re-negotiate and 
maintain the venue for the concert.

Sponsors and vendors have had to change their weekend plans after 
being told there will be no medicated area. The patients that have 
enjoyed similar events in the past are being denied their chance to 
socialize and share their freedoms. I feel like I have broken my word 
to all those above, but letting the patients down hurts me the most.

Counter Culture Events AZ won't go away. There are parks, concert 
halls, ballrooms, and many other venues that don't have liquor 
licenses, where we can host entertainment and socialize. Most medical 
cannabis patients don't enjoy alcohol anyway, but we wanted to be 
inclusive and have the party in a place where non-patients would feel 
at home and have fun as well.

This sort of issues also happen in places like Denver, where cannabis 
is legal but public consumption is not. Private clubs, bars, hotels 
and bed and breakfasts are marketing their businesses as 420 
friendly. Some, with liquor licenses, have had similar visits from 
Colorado liquor control.

These pressures are a form of intimidation and discrimination. It 
scares people into the shadows. We need an open honest conversation 
about laws and customs surrounding cannabis. Times are changing and 
it's time to accept the differences between us.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom