Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jan 2017
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Copyright: 2017 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/general/30627794.html
Website: http://www.jsonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265

FREE MARIJUANA TO BE HANDED OUT INAUGURATION DAY

A man smokes a marijuana joint.(Photo: Elaine Thompson, AP)

WASHINGTON -- The DC Cannabis Coalition says it plans to hand out
thousands of joints of marijuana on Inauguration Day -- for free -- to
urge federal legalization of pot.

The group plans to start handing out joints at 8 a.m. Jan. 20 on the west
side of Dupont Circle in the nation's capital, where recreational
marijuana is legal. Then, marchers will walk to the National Mall where
the real protest will begin.

"The main message is it's time to legalize cannabis at the federal level,"
said Adam Eidinger, the founder of DCMJ, a group of D.C. residents who
introduced and helped get Initiative 71 passed in the District. Initiative
71 made it legal to possess 2 ounces or less or marijuana, to grow it, and
to give it away, but it is not legal to sell it.

Eidinger is worried, though, that all this progress will be lost with the
incoming administration, specifically, with President-elect Donald Trump's
pick for attorney general, Jeff Sessions.

"We are looking at a guy who as recently as April said that they are going
to enforce federal law on marijuana all over the country. He said
marijuana is dangerous," Eidinger said.

The great marijuana giveaway is legal, as long as it's done on D.C. land.

"We don't want any money exchanged whatsoever. This is really a gift for
people who come to Washington, D.C.," he said.

There will 4,200 gifts, to be exact. Then, at 4 minutes and 20 seconds
into Trump's speech (420 is the internationally known code for weed),
protesters are encouraged to light up. That part, is most definitely
illegal.

A reveler lights a joint. (Photo: David Zalubowski, AP)

"We are going to tell them that if they smoke on federal property, they
are risking arrest. But, that's a form of civil disobedience," said
Eidinger. "I think it's a good protest. If someone wants to do it, they
are risking arrest, but it's a protest and you know what, the National
Mall is a place for protest."

Eidinger said this is not an anti-Trump event, or even an attempt at
disrupting the ceremony. Everyone is welcome.

"If there are people from Texas, some Cowboys fan, who is walking down the
street in a cowboy hat and a big fur coat and he walks up to our
demonstration, I want him to feel welcome coming to D.C.," he said.

Eidinger said the DC Cannabis Coalition is hopeful the new administration
will not be a problem, but they are preparing for the worst.
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