Washington DC

Should You Be A Cannabis Activist If You Have A Family?

December 4, 2017 by CCT Staff Leave a Comment

There are many cannabis activists doing great things for the legalization movement in the United States. These activists have made a noticeable impact in influencing not only government policies, but also the attitudes people hold towards medical and recreational cannabis. However, as with just about every type of positive activism, doing so can come with a hefty price to pay.

The consequences of activism can be hard enough on someone who is single and doesn’t have children – but for those who have families, they can be devastating. Should you become a cannabis activist if you have a family? What are the risks of cannabis activism? Are there some forms of cannabis activism that are safer than others? What are some ways you can plan for the worst-case scenario? Read on for the answers to these important questions.

The Risks Of Cannabis Activism

With the continued war on drugs and the illegality of cannabis at a federal level, activists run the risk of being ticketed, fined, and even arrested. Police and other officials tend to be standing by for protester, and those participating in “smoke-outs.” On top of that, known cannabis activists can be shunned and ostracized by their communities and other organizations. There are still some more conservative towns and cities out there, the majority of their residents clinging to an antiquated prohibitionist mindset.

The “think of the children” rhetoric is one that’s often trotted out by these individuals, repeating the either uninformed or dishonest viewpoint that legalization increases underage use. Of course these anti-pot prohibitionists rarely admit in the same sentence that alcohol and tobacco – the two legal drugs that claim the most lives year after year – are readily available in most American locales.

Activists with children, especially single parents, take on the added risk of Child Protective Services taking their children from them, or at the very least making their lives more difficult. Regardless of the level of harm or drug activity these children are being exposed to, any shred of evidence that a parent is a known user of an “illegal drug” can trigger an investigation. While many of these investigations are fair and honest, unfortunately many of them are not.

In addition to this danger, a known cannabis activist runs the risk of being denied jobs, bank loans, and the like. With all of these risks that cannabis activists are up against, it’s commendable that there are still brave people that do so with the knowledge of what awaits them.

Are Any Forms Of Cannabis Activism Safe?

With all of these risks involved, it’s natural for one to wonder – what kind of activism can you do that is safe?

There is one method of activism, one that is just about as old as time: word of mouth. Having conversations with friends, neighbors, and extended family members about the truth of the failed war on drugs and the myriad of benefits from medical cannabis certainly is not illegal; at least not yet, anyway. It might seem like doing so is small potatoes and that these conversations don’t matter, but you might be surprised at how many former prohibition supporters saw the light and came around to favor legalization after having these kinds of conversations.

Even sharing cannabis-related articles with your connections on social media can have a positive impact on the way these people perceive legalization and its supporters. While most people do in fact live in an echo chamber and shut out the majority of what they disagree with – especially when it comes to social media – there are still those open-minded few that are willing to hear new ideas and engage in points of view that contradict their own. These are the people we should be focusing on and trying to engage with in conversation.

Planning For The Worst-Case Scenario

So you’ve weighed the pros and cons about being a cannabis activist while having a family and you’ve decided that you’re going to go through with it. Your bravery is commendable. At this point, you need to make some plans should something unexpected happen. Even those with the best-laid plans can experience setbacks and unfortunate events. Thankfully, there are several steps that you can take in order to plan for the worst-case scenario. This can mean several things ranging from being incarcerated to having your children unjustly taken from you.

The first and most important thing you need to do to plan for the worst-case scenario when being a cannabis activist is having a plan of action. Create contingencies for your children to be taken care of should you be incarcerated or have something else happen to you. Communicate your intentions to a trusted family member or friend and prepare them for the possibilities.

Another important action you can take to protect yourself while being a cannabis activist is to put aside some emergency money. Create an activist fund and put as much money as you can afford into this fund. Over time, you can build up this specific account to help you pay costly court fines or cover tickets for civil infractions. Grant account access to your spouse or someone you can trust should you need assistance and be rendered unable to get to the funds – such as being jailed for activism.

Your activist fund will help you pay for another important thing you can do to prepare for unfortunate events – hiring an attorney. Depending on where you live, you may need to shop around for one who is open to representing cannabis activists. Developing a relationship with a legalization-friendly attorney will not only get some of your important legal questions answered, it will ensure that you have competent legal counsel to represent you – someone that understands your unique situation and can act as your advocate should you be arrested for your cannabis activism.

Conclusion

Whether you have a family or you don’t, you are the only person that can decide if cannabis activism is right for you and your lifestyle. Do your research, understand the risks that come with cannabis activism, and try to make an impact any way you can. Every legalization advocate has a role to play whether they realize it or not; by working together, we can keep peeling back the layers of the harms brought about by prohibition.

How to Get a Cannabis Job in Washington DC

January 19, 2017 by Maishah Leave a Comment

Want to Land a Dispensary Job? Here’s What You Need to Know

As marijuana legalization continues to flourish across the country, dispensary employment opportunities have steadily increased.

Since medical marijuana was legalized in the District of Columbia 3 years ago, dispensary operators have been flooded with inquiries for jobs, specifically as dispensary technicians. Since the Medical Marijuana Program is operated by the District’s Department of Health, dispensaries shy away from the term “budtender.” Some dispensaries also advertise the position as “sales associate.”

Criteria

Washington, D.C. has specific criteria one must have before being able to apply for a dispensary job.

Applicant can not have been convicted of any felony before filing the application.
The applicant can not have been convicted of a misdemeanor for a drug-related offense before filing the application.
The applicant may not be someone whose authority to participate in the Medical Marijuana Program has been previously revoked by the Department.
The applicant must certify that he/she does not owe more than $100.00 to the District of Columbia government.

This application does require notarization of a signed statement confirming that you meet these criteria.

Following an official offer, pending employees are required to undergo a background check and fingerprinting that the hiring dispensary will pay for and is required before an employee may begin working at the dispensary site. This process is completed at the Department of Health and takes just a few minutes. This step is crucial for most dispensaries since they pay the applicant’s fee; and also why those hiring whittle the selection down to the best cover letters and resume.

This wait process generally takes about 30 days, so applicants should plan accordingly. Once hired, some dispensaries will pay for the new employee to undergo certification training, which can include updated information on laws, dispensary rules and procedures and basic knowledge of cannabis science.

Tips

As with any search for employment, there are some things applicants should know, particularly in this newly growing industry. Here are a few tips that can help in successfully landing a gig with a dispensary in the District of Columbia:

Your first step is a brief but well-written industry resume. It’s a good idea to mention why you are interested in the field and point out any background you have (if any in the industry).
Because dispensaries are retail environments, customer service skills are a must since dispensary technicians deal directly with patients.
Brush up on your knowledge of a few strains. This gives interviewers a first-hand example of how you will handle questions patients might ask.

Top 5 Things To Do While Stoned in DC

January 19, 2017 by Maishah Leave a Comment

While the air in the District of Columbia may be currently filled with heated political debates, there is something else in the air. Marijuana!

Possession and use of marijuana was legalized in 2015 for adults 21 and older making the nation’s capital more 420-friendly, just not in a public place.

Most people don’t want to sit home and waste an awesome sativa buzz endlessly cleaning things that are already clean (my personal sativa effect). But, there are other options if you plan ahead.

I have found a bunch of really cool, trippy places to visit while high in the District of Columbia. Here are some favorites, including suggestions from some of my favorite sources and canna-buddies.

Labyrinths

Some might be surprised to learn that we have a quite a few labyrinths to walk in our midst here in Washington, DC. Two of my favorites are the labyrinths in Georgetown Waterfront Park and the University Labyrinth on the campus of American University. Labyrinths date back to ancient times where many walk the many patterns to take a journey inward. They are my personal top picks of places to visit after munching on an edible to ponder the universe, fantasize about the heavens, or simply just to think about plain old life.

Einstein Planetarium

I have been a science nerd since age 5 and now one of my favorite places to stay “spacey” is at the Einstein Planetarium, located in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. For under $10, you can take a “trip” through the nightly skies with telescopic images taken on Earth and in space. If you are low on cash, you can still take a fantastic voyage through the museums free exhibits. Either can take your buzz to the stars!

Floatation Tanks

Let your mind float…and float…and float again at Hope Floats, one of the latest attractions to become popular in the DC cannabis community. The facility’s main attractions are the floatation devices which puts users into a deep state of relaxation. So just imagine floating…while you are floating! Some use this system to reduce stress, anxiety and negative mental habits. Some athletes say it can help improve performance. I have a friend who swears by this place, and all I know is I can’t wait to try!

Smithsonian National Zoo

Ever notice how fascinating your pet cat or dog becomes after a few hits of the vape? Take this experience to another level at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Lions and tigers and (panda) bears…how high! Oh…it’s FREE $.99!

Reflecting Pool

After knocking back some of my favorite Blue Dream tincture, there is nothing like sitting on the step of the Lincoln Memorial and watching the Reflecting Pool work its reflective magic. Also a great place to people watch (if that’s your thing) and enjoy the Cherry Blossoms when season is right. Also free!

Cannabis In D.C. Legal or Just Sort Of Legal?

August 29, 2016 by Brittany Driver Leave a Comment

Legal or Just Sort Of Legal?

Cannabis Is Legal In Washington, DC

Cannabis was legalized for adult recreational use in November of 2014. Colorado had not melted down in an apocalyptic nightmare when cannabis became legal there, the way many detractors of marijuana had predicted. So, just 11 months into the Centennial State’s great cannabis experiment, the nation’s capital voted to follow suit.

It was thanks to a perfect storm of preparation, action and respected opinion that began the process. A group called DCMJ formed in early 2013. After banding together DCMJ wasted no time and set to work collecting signatures and email addresses of like minded residents in April of that year.

In June, shortly after DCMJ began their efforts, the American’s Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a report (available in full here) detailing not only the disparity between black and white arrests for marijuana in the United States, despite similar rates of use between the two races, but also made a spectacle of the billions of dollars the nation wastes every year on arrests of marijuana offenders. The report is an incredible read and speaks very matter of factly about the obvious “black and white” differences with jolting statistics, like that “In 2010, nationwide the white arrest rate was 192 per 100,000 whites, and the black arrest rate was 716 per 100,000 blacks.”

Just one month after the ACLU’s report was released, the Washington Lawyer’s Committee of Civil Rights and Urban Affairs delivered it’s own opinion in a report entitled, “Racial Disparities in Arrests in the District of Columbia, 2009-2011, Implications for Civil Rights and Criminal Justice in the Nation’s Capital” (available to read in full here). The 35 page report echoed the sentiments of the ACLU, expressing the view that “ drug abuse and addiction are most appropriately treated primarily as public health concerns rather than criminal matters.”

July also marked the transition of the DCMJ to the DC Cannabis Campaign. The environment was ripe for change and the DC Cannabis Campaign was ready. They were going to take take the bull by the horns and make it happen.

The Battle For Initiative 71

The DC Cannabis Campaign posted their entire ballot Initiative, entitled Initiative 71 (available in full here), on their website in October of 2013. Then they waited and listened. They considered the praise and criticism they received from people who read it before they submitted the final language for Initiative 71 in January of 2014.

The Initiative would move beyond the decriminalization status recently adopted by the District. It aimed to secure the rights of adults 21 and older in the district to:

Possess, purchase and transport of up to two ounces of cannabis for personal use.

Cultivate up to six marijuana plants – with only three at maturity at any given time. If there was more than one adult growing cannabis in the household, the total amount Initiative 71 allowed in a single unit was 12 (with only six at a time in maturity).

Transfer up to one ounce to another adult 21 or older – for free, no sales, no money can exchange hands.

Use or purchase cannabis paraphernalia for cannabis use, cultivation and/or processing.

After obtaining official petitions from the DC Board of Elections in April, the DC Cannabis Campaign set out once again to collect signatures. This time they needed to collect the valid signatures of some 22,373 DC registered voters. They had just over two months to do it in order to ensure its inclusion in the general election in November 2014.

Collecting around 300 signatures everyday would be overwhelming for some, but seemingly not for the DC Cannabis Campaign. On July 7 they submitted an estimated near 57,000 DC resident signatures and qualified Initiative 71 for the November ballot. Spirits were…high.

On November 4, 2014, Washington D.C. voted. Initiative passed with 70% of the vote, 115,050 to 49, 168 according to the now re-re named DCMJ. The DC Board of Elections certified the count on December 3rd and became a law on February 26, 2015. Less than two years after their formation, the DCMJ had accomplished their goal of legalizing cannabis in D.C.

There’s A Catch

There is no legal place to purchase cannabis in Washington, D.C. While it is perfectly legal to consume, the Initiative included no way for dispensaries to operate – or even for caregivers to accept donations for their flower, concentrates or edibles. Online digital media provider, Stuck in DC, recounts the account of Kush Gods, a short lived company that provided edibles for $10 “donations” before getting busted and shut down by the police.

The only legal place to use cannabis is in a private residence, except for one caveat. It is still illegal to consume marijuana in your home if you are on federal land, ie federal housing. Which means if you so happen to be a lower income resident of D.C. who lives in federal housing, who voted for legal cannabis so that you too could be afforded the right if the vote passed, you’re just out of luck. You can’t grow any cannabis in your unit and you can not smoke, vape or eat cannabis in your unit.

Which begs the question…is that good enough? Did Initiative 71 go far enough?

More Change Moving Forward

Many residents of D.C. didn’t think that it was good enough and it seemed like there might be a shift in February of 2016. It was beginning to look as though the D.C. Council was going to loosen up it’s stance regarding private marijuana clubs. Current law was preventing businesses to allow marijuana consumption, regardless of “private” club status or not. For all intents and purposes, using marijuana anywhere outside a residence was illegal in D.C.

This juxtaposition between what voters wanted and the reality of legalization is what prompted the creation of a special task force, intended to examine the pros and cons of giving the community the opportunity for legal, privately licensed cannabis clubs to operate in Washington, D.C. Proponent of private clubs, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, made clear her intent in pushing the issue in an interview for the Washington Business Journal saying, “For me, this isn’t about who gets to smoke and where. We wouldn’t be in this position if the Congressional rider hadn’t made us think last year that the sky would fall unless we implemented a full ban on social use in communal spaces…The sky hasn’t fallen and we are a year wiser. The time is right to consider designated spaces for communal use of marijuana.”

The task force was given several months to explore the issues before reporting back to the council. However, in April, just two months into timeline, Councilman Kenyan McDuffie reintroduced legislation for a permanent ban on private cannabis clubs, despite the January poll by the Washington City Paper suggesting that 60% of D.C. residents supported regulated, private cannabis clubs. The ban passed, with a vote of 7-6. The decision was crushing for the Nadeau, who likened it to a “slap in the face.”

Because the ban is considered “permanent”, it is not clear if there will ever be a legal way forward for cannabis clubs in Washington, D.C. Despite the sentiments of the public, the majority of the D.C. Council refuses to budge. In the meantime, according to the Mayor of the District of Columbia it is perfectly legal to host a party of adults 21 and up inside of a private residence, provided there is not more than 2 ounces of cannabis per person in the home. So it’s not a total loss?

Puff, Pass & Paint comes to Washington DC!

June 28, 2016 by CCT Staff Leave a Comment

Puff, Pass and Paint in Washington DC!

Puff, Pass and Paint founder Heidi Keyes taught her inaugural class in Washington DC last week. It was held August 19. It was a special class in many ways, the best being that her aunt Gail was able to attend.

This unique DC event was held at the Purple Mansion in Columbia Heights. This is the home of the Marijuana Policy Project’s Rob Kampia. The advocacy and hard work that the MPP has done to advance the changes in cannabis laws around the country is outstanding, so the opportunity to hold a ground-breaking cannabis event in that space was one that couldn’t be passed up.

So what is Puff, Pass and Paint?

Shortly after Amendment 64 came into effect in Colorado in January of 2014, Heidi Keyes began teaching her class after taking a suggestion from a friend who saw the potential in combining two things Heidi was passionate about. She has crafted what many consider the best experience out there in which to get high and be creative with paint. Heidi has continued perfecting the style and format of the class since she started her marijuana-friendly painting class nearly 3 years ago.

Classes are held in a private residence. Paints, canvas and brushes are provided, and paintings are taught step by step. The classes are “BYOC” and “BYOB”, where guests are welcome to share amongst themselves if they choose.

Why Washington DC?

Washington D.C. passed Initiative 71, a law that made it legal for adults to possess up to 2 ounces of cannabis, and to consume it in a private residence. This made the private party format of Puff, Pass and Paint DC a natural fit for the district. After holding the first class of P3 there it was evident that the community is eager for the chance to socialize and meet others in the context of smoking marijuana. Heidi and I were stopped by a local resident when we were wearing our Puff, Pass and Paint tank tops. Curiosity and enthusiasm for cannabis events seems to be exploding in D.C.. Currently classes scheduled for August and September are sold out! But we will be adding more soon. Check PuffPassandPaint.com for details about upcoming classes.