After
a nail biting week watching weather reports about the hurricane,
members
and visitors to the fourteenth annual MassCann Reform
Coalition's
Freedom Rally and first annual Hemposium got together
under
the most beautiful blue sky to show support for the modification
and, in some cases, outright repeal of the laws currently in place
on
the use of cannabis, more commonly known as "marijuana."
Although
the inaugural Hemposium was limited by its location and a PA
system
glitch, exuberance for the uses of the cannabis plant were broad.
The
Master of Ceremonies, Don Wirthsafter, founder of Ohio Hempery and
member
of the Hemp Industries Association, kept the sparse crowd of
inquisitive
and alert participants regaled with numerous bits of Hemp
history.
From
the famous quote by George Washington: "Make the most of the hemp
seed
and sow it everywhere," to the many industrial uses for the plant,
Don
illustrated the need for changes in how the US treats the production
of
the cannabis plant.
The
HIA was represented by John Dvorak who spoke on the thousands of uses
for
the plant including the environmental benefits of allowing hemp to be
used
for paper as a compliment to paper from wood fiber. One acre of hemp
grown
for paper eliminates the need to cut 4 acres of 20 plus year old
trees
for the same purpose and will be ready for harvest within months.
40%
of the trees America logs are used to make paper products.
Attention
was also placed on the many uses for the hemp seed. For
example:
The oil from the hemp seed contains all the essential fatty
acids
and amino acids in perfect ratio to maintain healthy human life.
Not
only that, hemp seed oil can be refined into biomass fuel. Rudolph
Diesel
developed the engine named after him to burn hemp as well as other
biomass
fuels.
Many
more uses for the beneficial and benign plant, Cannabis sativa L.,
were
on display at the Hemposium. Those who had an opportunity to
discover
them were amazed and questioned the wisdom of this plant's
prohibition.
Board
member and Hemposium Coordinator, Jeanne "Magic" Black-Ferguson,
a/k/a
"Gramma Ganja" spoke to the women in the crowd reminding them that
the
laws surrounding prohibition of this plant has contributed to the
incarceration
of their children over four generations. These laws have
impacted
hundreds of thousands of our citizens causing the USA to have
the
largest incarceration rates in the world. Gramma Ganja told the women
they
had an obligation to stand up and speak out for their children and
their
grandchildren in ending this "reefer madness."
Even
the overabundant presence and intimidating posturing of Boston's
"finest"
could not put a damper on the participants enjoyment at this
year's
Freedom Rally and Hemposium. The weather was delightful, the music
excellent,
food was plentiful and the crowd was exuberant.
Next
year will be an election year. Will we be close to celebrating a
change
in political administrations? And will women be joining together
in
demanding an alternative to our current drug laws approach?
These
and other subjects will be topics at Freedom Rally XV and
Hemposium.
But please, do your part in the meantime.
Be
Peaceful
All
the best from Magic
Gramma
for Ganja #1
www.grammasforganja.org