Honorary Advocacy Lobby Guide

© 2022 (21Sick) Productions
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TABLE OF CONTEXT
INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………….3
MARIJUANA MYTHS…………………………………………………………4
CANNVERSATION.…………..……………………………………….………6
IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS…..………..…………………………….7
FROM SEED TO EXCEL………………………………………………………8
4:17………………………………………………………………………………10
PHOTO GALLERY…………………………………………………………….12
SOURCES……………………………………………………………………….15
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the future of cannabis law reform!
The goal of this literature is to inspire participants to engage in effective cannabis
lobbying on a general level. As the required reading for the Honorary Advocacy course;
this information can also be applied as standard talking points during conversations
with your representatives. This information, paired with lectures, will help guide
participants through basic interactions with political representatives both locally and
federally. Hyperlinks for source material have been embedded throughout this
document for your convenience. These findings are based on the author’s cannabis
research and real-life interactions with elected officials. Please be sure to check your
state’s specific guidelines for lobbying, petitioning and the right to assemble.
Cannabis history is seemingly made every week, so it is of absolute importance to
stay up to date with the news. Some newsletters you can subscribe to include: NORML,
Marijuana Moment, Leafly, Marijuana Business Daily, and others. There is also an
abundance of course offerings available through The Harrington Institute for Cannabis
Education, Cannabis Hub, and Cleveland School of Cannabis. Thanks for choosing this
course, because by doing so, you chose to invest in yourself for the betterment of human
rights. The impact of cannabis is so vast it affects issues that range from racial, civil,
familial, to medical, environmental, and even economical.
Brian "B-No" Adams is an emcee, producer, activist, and instructor. He is the
former Executive Director of Cleveland NORML (2013-2017), and founder of Sensible
Cleveland; a not-for-profit ballot initiative PAC that led to the historic decriminalization
of marijuana possession in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Brian is also one of the founding
instructors at the Cleveland School of Cannabis and currently the Director of Education
at the Harrington Institute for Cannabis Education. Brian is college educated and
married with two children. You can listen to him as a regular host on the weekly
business and politics podcast Marijuana Today.
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MARIJUANA MYTHS
Know the facts! Learn how to parry the propaganda!
This section serves as a basic debunking of some of the most common marijuana myths
with source material hyperlinks included.
01. MARIJUANA CAUSES CANCER!
“Smoking cannabis has not been proved to be a risk
factor in the development of lung cancer, but the data
are limited by small studies, misclassification due to
self-reporting of use, small numbers of heavy cannabis
smokers, and confounding of the risk associated with
known causative agents for lung cancer (such as
parallel chronic tobacco use).”
Cannabis Use, Lung Cancer, and Related Issues
(Pub Med)
02. MARIJUANA KILLS BRAIN CELLS!
“Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant
properties…The cannabinoids are found to have
particular application as neuroprotectants, for
example in limiting neurological damage following
ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the
treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as
Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and HIV
dementia.”
US Patent 6630507 (Health and Human Services)
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MARIJUANA MYTHS (continued)
03. MARIJUANA IS THE GATEWAY DRUG!
“Alcohol is the most commonly used substance, and the
majority of polysubstance using respondents consumed
alcohol prior to tobacco or marijuana initiation.
Respondents initiating alcohol use in sixth grade
reported significantly greater lifetime illicit substance
use.”
Prioritizing Alcohol Prevention: Establishing Alcohol as
the Gateway Drug and Linking Age of First Drink With
Illicit Drug Use (Pub Med)
04. LEGALIZATION INCREASES YOUTH USE!
“Consistent with the results of previous researchers,
there was no evidence that the legalization of medical
marijuana encourages marijuana use among youth.
Moreover, the estimates reported showed that marijuana
use among youth may actually decline after legalization
for recreational purposes.”
Association of Marijuana Laws With Teen Marijuana (JAMA
Pediatrics)
05. MARIJUANA CAN CAUSE A FATAL OVERDOSE!
“While a fatal overdose caused solely by marijuana is
unlikely, marijuana is not harmless. The signs of using
too much marijuana are similar to the typical effects of
using marijuana but more severe.”
Marijuana FAQs (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention)
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CANNVERSATION
Spark the conversation with your representatives using the
following sample talking point.
So, you busted some common marijuana myths. Great. Now it’s time create a dialogue
with your representatives. This interaction may be useful in determining the worthiness
of your continued support. The following template can be customized to fit the profile of
your lawmaker.
Dear <elected official>,
As your constituent, I feel that is important to express
my views on cannabis legalization. Roughly 7 out of 10
Americans support legal adult-use cannabis. What this
says to me is: despite our disagreements on a variety
of issues, no matter our race, age, sexual orientation,
or political affiliation; we believe that cannabis
prohibition has done more harm than good.
Are you currently taking action to end the federal
prohibition of cannabis?
I enthusiastically anticipate your reply.
Thank you,
___________________________
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IMPORTANT ORGANIZATIONS
View this list of advocacy groups and support them if feasible.
You can volunteer your time to help end the drug war using the following outlets. You
may also choose to financially support the following organizations, as most of them are
non-profit. There may also be opportunities for you to start your own local chapter or
affiliate using a nationally recognized name. These groups also have valuable resources
online that can be used as tools to fight cannabis prohibition on all fronts.
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FROM SEED TO EXCEL
By Brian Adams
My political activism goes back as far as 2008 when I got involved in voter
registration. It was leading up to Barack Obama’s inaugural term when I felt a strong
sense of responsibility to create awareness around our right to vote as citizens, but more
importantly, the power of the Black vote. In addition to helping register hundreds of
local voters, me and my father, Brian Adams Sr. produced a song called “The
Barack-O-Anthem (Yes We Can!).” We circulated our music around town for free and
eventually gained the attention of a voter awareness group, in which I was invited to
perform the anthem live, outside of the polls, for citizens who were voting during the
2008 presidential campaign. Eventually, our song made its way to the White House,
scoring a signed letter of receipt from Barack Obama himself. I graduated with my then
girlfriend, now wife in 2009, and both of us acquired a Bachelor of Arts in
Communication. I continued to write and perform original hip hop music live from then
to present day, COVID pandemic notwithstanding. From 2009 until 2017 I became a
radio personality and hosted a show called 2-1-Sick Radio; an underground, local,
independent and classic hip hop program on WCSB Cleveland 89.3 FM.
In 2013, I found myself leading a local NORML chapter until 2017. During my
time at Cleveland NORML, one of eight operational Ohio NORML chapters, I continued
my voter registration work, volunteered my time answering phone calls, lobbied both
locally and nationally, collected signatures for almost every Ohio cannabis initiative of
that time period, served as Executive Director, Membership Chair and Entertainment
Chair. I used to host and produce monthly information meetings that were open to the
public, in addition to the world-renowned Cleveland Global Marijuana March. In 2015,
under the guidance of fellow activist Chad Thompson, I founded Sensible Cleveland, a
not-for-profit ballot initiative Political Action Committee which eventually led to a
successful local lobby effort to decriminalize marijuana possession (under 200 grams) in
the city of Cleveland; No Fine, No Jail Time.
In 2017, I became the Lead Instructor and curriculum developer at the Cleveland
School of Cannabis; having taught courses from History of Cannabis and Cannabis
Advocacy, to basic Cannabis Extracts and Dispensary Operations. I would later become
the first Director of Faculty of Cleveland School of Cannabis, helping lead the school to
state approval by way of the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools. This
sparked a great business relationship with the founder of Cleveland School of Cannabis:
Austin Briggs. In fact, I remember his name from our Cleveland NORML Membership
Drives, as Austin himself was a member. Venturing into cannabis education has been
uniquely special. The Cleveland School of Cannabis is now on pace to become the first
cannabis school accredited by the Middle States Association.
In 2018, I joined The Botanist, umbrella corporation: Acreage Holdings, as one of the
first Key Employee Managers and helped open one of Ohio’s first medical cannabis
dispensaries in Canton, Ohio. The Botanist would go on to open up five different
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FROM SEED TO EXCEL (continued)
dispensaries, three of which I worked (Canton, Wickliffe and Cleveland, Ohio). I later
became an actual medical cannabis patient myself, due to my “qualifying condition” of
Sickle Cell Anemia, a lifelong blood disorder. I was the Lead Dispensing Agent at the
Botanist and even trained staff. I continued to instruct History and Dispensary courses
at Cleveland School of Cannabis part time, while working full time at the Botanist.
In 2021, I resigned from budtender duties altogether and rejoined the Cleveland
School of Cannabis full time as a Director of Education. Officially, my role is Director of
Education at the Harrington Institute for Cannabis Education! Cannabis brand Viola,
started by former NBA All Star Al Harrington, announced the launch of Harrington
Institute, an online series of courses created in partnership with Cleveland School of
Cannabis. At The Harrington Institute, we focus on providing Black and Brown people
with cannabis knowledge needed to understand this complex and ever-changing
industry. As Director of Education for Harrington Institute, I have been granted the
opportunity to help build and maintain an elite faculty to lead this very important
initiative. Courses are in a single offering format, available to take individually in
sessions. Education has and always will be at the center of our comprehension of how to
navigate life’s expectations, and our progression as human beings. Our group is humbly
creating the standard for cannabis education across the country due to the quality of our
content, commitment to accreditation, and the establishment of professional industry
connections.
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“4:17”
By B-No Good
VERSE ONE:
Sniffin’ it
Taggin’ it
Clippin’ it
Baggin’ it
Infinite textures
Intricate measures
Were taken
Not even Liam Neeson could relate with
Don’t worry about what I’m blazin’
It’s sacred, it’s *the ganja*
The reefer
The pain reliever
The Sour D buds
But Pink Panther tastes sweeter
Light up the incense
The smell is intense
Remember when a dime was ten cents?
Ask ya mama
I keep a thick stick of *the ganja*
Rastafari – the Black Messiah
Who pack the pipe up
And pop up out of nowhere at any random cipher
When I say roll, I’m not talking ‘bout dice bruh
This strain taste like apple cider
Gimme back my lighter
*The ganja* is what I brought to the party
You think I’m boozin’ on alcohol, not hardly
Show you a safer alternative
When I burn a spliff
Time to use Mother Nature’s gift
To live long and prosper…it’s *The ganja*
CHORUS (4x):
I get blazed at 4:17
That gives me three minutes to roll some more green
VERSE TWO:
I’m just being real people
Prescription pills kill people
No taboo ‘cause it’s legal
But at the same time lethal
Cigarettes too
Even our food
Beware of what the FDA approves
*The ganja* has committed zero deaths
So with all due respect
Don’t worry about what the f*** I do
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“4:17” (continued)
Go ahead and drink your brew
And I don’t think I’m better than you
I’m just not stopping until it’s legal as lettuce, ya fool
*The ganja* is a very sacred herb
That grows wild on this earth
And by now, it’s common knowledge that alcohol is worse
While they’re claiming there’s not enough official research
They hold the only patent on its medicinal worth
*The ganja*, the green and all of its prestige
What does a law mean?
If the feds can still raid your dispensary
Better not let you third eye wander
Don’t let the coppers
Know you unlocked
Your chakras
All because of *the ganja*
CHORUS
VERSE THREE:
Why is it that I’m four times more likely
To get arrested for producing joints like Spike Lee
And I ain’t know s*** about dabs
‘Til I kicked it with Chad
Now I’m convicted for possessing big bags of *the ganja*
When used proper
It can stop the
Spreading of cancer
Teaching our youth is the answer
Expand the young minds of the future
Watch a decline in teen usage
The only thing I wanna harm is lasagna
When I smoke *the ganja*
Not to brag
But I gotsta have
That high potency
But not the schwag
In my zone
DTD don’t need your dirt weed, we got our fucking own
This is a another song about *the ganja*
Follow the bouncing bong
And sing-a-long
As I take it from seed to clone
Your own grown
In the comfort of your own home
Straight to the dome
Got my head in the montañas
From one hit of *the ganja*
CHORUS
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PHOTO GALLERY
Journey through the history of Brian’s cannabis activism.
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SOURCES
Credits and source material for claims made throughout this
document.
Photos provided on behalf of (21Sick) Productions, Richard Metzger, NORML,
MJToday Media, and National Cannabis Industry Association.
Adam E Barry, Jessica King, Cynthia Sears, Cedric Harville, Irina Bondoc, Kessy
Joseph. “Prioritizing Alcohol Prevention: Establishing Alcohol as the Gateway
Drug and Linking Age of First Drink With Illicit Drug Use.” Pub Med, January
2016, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26645418/
D. Mark Anderson, PhD; Benjamin Hansen, PhD; Daniel I. Rees, PhD; et al.
“Association of Marijuana Laws With Teen Marijuana Use.” Journal of the
American Medical Association Pediatrics, July 2019,
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2737637?guestAcc
essKey=5e4e41eb-ec96-4641-86f9-b5c89cc7cc48
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Frequently Asked Questions.” CDC,
January 2017, https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/faqs.htm
James Jett, Emily Stone, Graham Warren, K Michael Cummings. “Cannabis Use,
Lung Cancer, and Related Issues.” Pub Med, January 2018,
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29374567/
Aidan J. Hampson, Julius Axelrod, Maurizio Grimaldi. “Cannabinoids as
antioxidants and neuroprotectants.” United States Department of Health and
Human Services, Patent US6630507B1, October 2003,
https://patents.google.com/patent/US6630507B1/en
Interviews are conducted with respondents on landline telephones and cellular
phones. Gallup obtained sample for this study from Dynata. “Support for Legal
Marijuana Holds at Record High of 68%.” Gallup, November 2021,
https://news.gallup.com/poll/356939/support-legal-marijuana-holds-recordhigh.aspx
Important Organizations (URLs). http://norml.org,
https://minorities4medicalmarijuana.org, https://minoritycannabis.org/,
https://thecannabisindustry.org, https://www.aclu.org,
https://www.safeaccessnow.org, https://www.mpp.org, https://ssdp.org,
https://drugpolicy.org, https://lawenforcementactionpartnership.org,
https://sensiblemovement.home.blog
Ezekiel Edwards, Will Bunting, Lynda Garcia. “REPORT: THE WAR ON
MARIJUANA IN BLACK AND WHITE.” American Civil Liberties Union, 2001-
2010, https://www.aclu.org/report/report-war-marijuana-black-and-white
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