For years I have been the executive director of the largest marijuana policy reform rally in the world: the Seattle Hempfest. Over 150,000 people come out annually to demand their freedom to live as responsible Americans, and Hempfest has a staff of over 1,000.  I have worked with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML),  the November Coalition, and for two decades I have participated in debates, presentations, vigils and direct action.

In 2001 I was the High Times Freedom Fighter of The Year, and I've been a celebrity judge at the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam. Locally,  for the last 20 years or so, I have been working along side the people who, with your help, have passed I-692, Washington State's medical marijuana law, and I-75, Seattle's lowest priority law. 

My activism has brought me into personal contact with the leading national experts on changing the pot laws, and I am about to share what I have learned from them with you.

In the following series I will be detailing the 5 simple steps you can take to become an effective marijuana and hemp activist. We want the freedom to responsibly enjoy the many benefits of the amazing and wonderful cannabis plant, a freedom that, until the War On Drugs,  human beings took for granted for 5,000 years. These steps will take some work, but they don't take a rocket scientist in any way. We can get our liberty back, but we have to follow the steps.

We have all seen what we can achieve when our community pulls together. The times are changing, and we need to make the next wave reach the shores of victory.

Stepping Stone

Any good strategy is broken down into a series of steps which are divided by the order in which they are to be taken. If you deviate from the order of the steps you are compromising the effectiveness of your strategy. A good activist is someone who can demonstrate discipline, patience, and restraint, and who can look at both the big picture and the components that it is comprised of.

You may think you can skip learning much about your cause because you have been an activist on other issues. You are dead wrong, the cannabis cause is so complex and multi-faceted it is like a Medusa with tendrils extending across the board into public health policy, economics, industry, technology, criminal justice, religion, agriculture, prison and sentencing reform, and national and global politics.

Activism takes education, so there is no other more important step than getting informed about your cause, its cause, & those causing it. The single most effective thing that you can do to contribute to marijuana and hemp becoming decriminalized, and possibly legalized, taxed and regulated, is to personally find out as much as you can about the subjects. I say subjects because the cannabis issue breaks down in three basic categories: Medical marijuana, industrial/nutritional hemp, and personal recreational use by adults.

The pot movement stands for a variety of ideals and principles. Relief from suffering (medical marijuana is cost effective, non-toxic, side effect free), environmental preservation (hemp can prevent and correct soil erosion and depletion, and replace old growth lumber), renewable energy (hemp biomass could run our cars), economic revitalization (taxation and regulation of marijuana and hemp could raise billions), personal liberty and sovereignty (marijuana policy reform for adults to use responsibly).

You can learn about the political, legislative, medical, scientific, cultural, agricultural, nutritional, recreational, environmental, or spiritual aspects of this multifaceted issue by going to the NORML website: norml.org

1. Support those already involved in the struggle. Join the national organizations like NORML who have been in the trenches for years already. The first step to becoming an activist is to support the people who already are active. You can't possibly understand how important it is to support membership based groups who are up against the government's unlimited War On Drugs budget! Besides, by joining you will get access to all of their information and networks, and support the important work they have been doing for decades

2. Get educated, informed & articulate on the issues. The worst thing for our movement is having "advocates" running around that don't know what they are talking about, or worse, spreading exaggerations, half truths or outright falsehoods in the name of legalization. We need to be scathingly accurate so we garner and maintain credibility. You want to be an ambassador for reform, and to do that you have to become able to argue your position based upon facts and science. Other good websites for cannabis activism education: cannabisconsumers.org, www.thehia.org/, cannabisnews.com, chrisconrad.com, hempfest.org, hemp.net, mpp.org, november.org, drugsense.org, mapinc.org, drugtruth.net, hr95.org,

3. Global problems have local solutions. Identify the local organizations where you live, NORML may have a chapter in your or town, city or state. If you have no local chapter can contact NORML about how you can start one. Anybody can join up, educate themselves and find out how to start a chapter by going to NORML's website at norml.org.

4. Back to education. Learn the law and the system. If you are going to advocate for the reform of marijuana laws you have to know and understand the laws you are opposing, and the justice system that enforce those laws. There are federal, state, county, and city laws that pertain to the use, possession, delivery, and manufacture of controlled substances and the paraphernalia associated with them. You don't have to be a lawyer, you just need to learn the laws in your area regarding cannabis.

5. More education. Learn about your representation in the Senate and Congress, how to "lobby" them by meeting and speaking with them in person. They only care about issues that they hear about from their constituents. The following is information on how to address your representative here in Washington State.

"Grassfire Tips" for the Effective Cannabis Advocate

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." - Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

The Grassfire Campaign intends to replace every incumbentin Washington State (and beyond) who does not support a change in marijuana's Federal Schedule. Don't support medical marijuana? You're fired, Grassfired! But to be fair, first we have to give them a chance.

We need to educate them first, so they will have zero excuse, and we can than feel OK when we Grassfire them. This is a matter if life and death, misery and suffering. If our leaders don't lead, another leader will follow. Until we get what we want. This is how politics works the world over. Any person can understand the following instructions on how to connect with and make an impact on your law makers. It is not a matter of whether we will change the laws, only a matter of how. This is how we are going to do it...

Basics About Our State Legislature

Washington State is broken down into 49 legislative districts. Voters in each district elect one senator and two representatives to serve in the legislature. The senators serve four-year terms and the representatives serve two years. Elections are in even numbered years. Senators serve overlapping terms, so half of the senate is elected every two years.

The Washington State Legislature is a bicameral body with 49 members in the Senateand 98 members in the House of Representatives. Each district is served by one Senator and two House members. You live in one of those districts.

Every other year our state legislature makes decisions on the budget. The legislative session lasts for 105 days on "budget years" and 60 days on "non-budget years".

How To Find Out Who Represents You

It just takes a minute to find out who your representative is. If you are using the telephone, look in the blue pages of your local phone book. In most counties, the County Auditor's Office should be able to assist you in locating and identifying your district and in certain counties, including Hempfest's (Martin Luther) King County, you can contact County Records and Elections. If you are using the "nerd noggin'", you can peruse the State Legislature's homepage at http://www1.leg.wa.gov/legislature/

How To Make A Difference

Assess the issue carefully, and determine who has the opportunity and authority to make a decision one way or another concerning your specific issue (medicinal, industrial, recreational, nutritional, legislative, etc.) and communicate with them. It may be your Senator, your Representative or even the Governor. You can A. Write letters, B. Call the decision maker, C. E-mail them, D. Invite the decision makers to attend your meeting. E. Write an LTE (Letter to the Editor). F. Influence your friends, family, co-workers, church members to write letters and e-mails. Share your addresses with them. G. Hold a press conference. H. Personally meet with your decision maker.

How To Meet With Your Legislator

1.Make an appointment in advance.

2. Be organized, introduce yourself, if you are in a group select one person  to be the primary spokes-person for each issue.

3. Do not assume that your legislator is familiar with your issue - recognize that legislators have many issues before them, and need to be briefed quickly on your subject or issue.

4. Do your homework. Know your issue. Present the facts in an orderly manner. Do not present purely emotional arguments, but demonstrate the impact of your issue with examples, the stories of an inmate/patient/business owner, comparison numbers, Drugwar stats. Know your legislator's voting record on your issue and other issues. Research your legislator's peeve interests and core values.

5. Determine the legislator's position on your issue. Ask for some action, or a commitment from your legislator. How will they vote? Will they take a stand for or against the proposal?

6. Be persistent, be a pest, don't be afraid. This is freedom we are fighting for not a pay raise. Ask repeatedly, albeit politely,  until you get an answer.

7. Allow time for questions. Encourage questions and answer them thoroughly and factually. If you don't have an answer, offer to get back to the legislator after you have found out.

8. Always be very presentable, courteous, and informed on your subject.

9. Follow up with a thank you call or card, in which you restate your position on your issue.

10. Remember that your legislator has many constituents and many issues to consider. Very few are experts on all issues. They rely on US to give them good, accurate, scientifically based information. They are interested in what the voters want. Let them know your stand. Tell 'em Hempfest and NORML sent you!

Important Phone Numbers For Cannabis Activists

FCN's (Frequently Called Numbers)

Bill Room (360) 786-7573

Campus Operator (360) 753-5000

Governor's Office (360) 753-6780 

Secretary of State (360) 753-7121

Tours (360) 586-8687

Toll-Free Legislative Hotline 1-(800)-562-6000

Hearing Impaired Toll-Free 1-(800)-635-9993

Hours of operation during session:

    8 am to 8 pm Monday - Friday

    Saturday 9 am to 1 pm

Off-session hours:

    8:30 am to 4:20 pm Monday - Friday