To Whom It May Concern;
First of all, thank you for being a part of something that is a big part of me, and lending your time, and ears to listen to what I, and others have to say with regards to the War on Marijuana. I enjoy being a vehicle from time to time, and I’m sure my colleagues in crime at Marijuana Radio, The Stoner Forums, NORML Podcasts, CannabisTV, The Marijuana Music Awards, and many many more to come, enjoy it just as much as I do. It becomes more than a hobby when you deal with ideals. We all strive for accomplishments in our own way, but coming together in the end is what does it all to accomplish that common goal.
The landmarks in our life represent a road map of where we have been and the lessons that have been taught. To me, none is more visible than the raid on my medical marijuana grow, and subsequent arrest and felony conviction one year ago October 18th. My birthday. (Read About the Outcome Here) (See Video of Me Getting my Medicine Back Here) It is one thing to look out and see headlines, and Google Alerts filled with victims of a senseless war on drugs, but when it hits close to home, or pretty much slaps you squarely in the face like it did me, you understand from the first hand knowledge of how negative an impact the War on Drugs really has.
As a mark for this Anniversary, John Doe Radio will speak with a former DEA agent and creator of the ‘Never Get Busted’ Series of tips and DVD’s, Barry Cooper. Barry Cooper was a former Drug Agent charged with tearing after drugs at full speed. He soon realized the not so great affects the War on Drugs was having, and decided to place his time and efforts in other areas. Barry Cooper also contributes articles to Cannabis Culture and supports the efforts of Marc Emery for no extradition of the BC3 from Canada.
I felt it was as good a time as any to open up and discuss what I might have done wrong to place myself in the position I did, and what I could have changed. And to possibly help and address some issues that could prevent normal marijuana users and growers from running into the same problems 870,000+ of us Americans every year now have to face for the rest of our lives. A pointless conviction.
The intended effect in the War on Drugs was the reduction of harmful substances and behavior to our society. The ‘Scourge’ as it was called so many times, drugs that is. In some ways the War on Drugs has accomplished small victories. By helping to prioritize the ladder of substances, and showing us what will not work in an approach to something every human being is susceptible to. The ability for a substance, available to all, to take you away from the everyday life you live, and implant you into a new, more exciting way to get by. I think any educated person understands the danger in that statement, and predicament. The thought of a substance like meth, or heroin ending up in our child’s hands and veins holds no more want than tossing someone into a jail cell to rot for the rest of their existence. No one wants to see any human, child or adult suffer and destroy themselves in any way, no matter what the means. But, we will never rid ourselves of such substances, and the one difference is we should understand the prioritization of what is important to save, and what can actually be accomplished. A child is innocent, but a mind, corrupted by the unfortunate abuse of a substance is almost just as innocent. And I think we make it worse, by creating a world where we refuse to look at the problem from the right angle, and instead of treating and addressing a problem face on, we throw up a glass wall, and choose to stand and look at an entire nation; an entire population of people who we hold no hope for in the end. Why? Is it because we fail to understand and forgive? We are built to forgive, and understanding is not always our best quality, but we have always got it done before and the crisis millions of Americans face every day with substance abuse can be addressed with a better solution than Billions of dollars a year sent to shove those people and their problems under the carpet, and to literally turn our backs on a very large group of people who need our help and support.
I ask you all, during a time that I am reminded of the value of freedom, and the hope for a better life, that you all do the same, and make and attempt to be active locally, by taking substance abuse training, becoming an addiction specialist or donating time to listen to a hurting heart. In any kind of drug treatment and alternative placement programs the importance is support. The answer is not to brush a problem of this magnitude under the carpet. In fact the carpet we have been sweeping the War on Drugs under is bulging pretty high. I think we are ALL starting to realize this.
My case was no different than anyone else’s.
I haven’t talked about it as much as I thought I would, at least on the show I haven’t. To be quite honest, the emotional toll the process has taken has crippled me from time to time. But, I step back and understand where I am on the roadmap. It’s hard to talk about an issue that some would have you pegged as a dangerous criminal because of. But I am here, and you are here. Thankfully we can both be here working together, and for that I am proud to say I am part of.
No one can take it, and no one can crush it. The hope for freedom and better medical treatment in order to live a better way of life is nothing to mess with. Even the freedom to a SAFER choice than alcohol. It’s what we all hope to accomplish, and it’s what we all will see some day.
The best,
Tim Martin
‘aka’ John Doe
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