Ep 79: Unlimited Hypocrisy

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Fire it up on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS | More

“I find it sad that we can only vote for things and not against things.”

So, we’ve had a lot of stuff going on in the past week since we last talked to you. Some of it good, most of it bad. There was a great blog post by Montanafesto about the back and forth hypocrisy of the federal government, and some of this information was taken from that post. I highly recommend you read the original post, because it’s filled with a ton of great information and videos.

Do you remember back in June of 2007, when Obama was asked about medical marijuana and the federal government’s stance on it, he said, “I don’t think that should be a top priority of us, raiding people who are using medical marijuana. With all the things we’ve got to worry about, and our Justice Department should be doing, that probably shouldn’t be a high priority.” Then a couple months later in August of 2007 when asked if the Federal government should stop medical marijuana raids, he stated again that, “You know, it’s really not a good use of Justice Department resources.” I fully agree with this statement. It is the worst use of governmental resources possible. You know, besides getting involved in religious wars that have absolutely nothing to do with us and that will never end.

Then, about a year after Obama was elected president (change anyone?), his administration released the Ogden memo. This memo informed U.S. attorneys that the U.S. government would NOT focus federal resources on prosecuting people who are operating within their STATE LAWS. Of course once that came out, people took it to mean that we could all open up legitimate business providing cannabis and care to people who have their medical marijuana cards. It’s silly to go out on a limb and open up a new business based on a memo, when the president did nothing to enforce that memo. If he was smart, he would have rescheduled cannabis, but he did not.

Continue reading “Ep 79: Unlimited Hypocrisy”

Ep 78: Rock the Vote

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Fire it up on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS | More

“Do you really want to be told what you can do and can’t do to your body, in the privacy of your own home?”

Back after a long hiatus. Scheduling problems, money issues, if it was a problem trying to stop us from doing a podcast, you can bet it happened. So after a long time of waiting for things to work themselves out, I finally found a co host worthy of trying to fill the shoes. I’d like to welcome Ian Baker of Glacier health to the show. He’s going to be hosting with me until he gets sick of it, we all get arrested, or pot finally gets legalized. We’ll try to stick to doing an episode every Saturday, but you probably want to follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get real time updates. If you want to download a copy of the 55 page PDF that Ian Baker put together, that can be found RIGHT HERE, and also HERE on the Hot Box forums. Please pass this along to any and all of your friends. There is some amazing information in those pages.

And now, I present to you, an article about why education is a very necessary tool in the war on cannabis prohibition, as written by our resident pro cannabis blogger, Denton Ramsey. Happy reading!

 

Advocates vs. Adversaries: Education Remains Vital as Cannabis Crusade Continues

By Denton Ramsey, NORML of Waco Inc. Director of Volunteers

When it comes to advocates against adversaries of this often-debated medicinal plant, two words remain vital in this ongoing fight: cannabis education. Most of the time, albeit sad yet true, adversaries of marijuana are plain and simply uneducated about the plant. A majority of what adversaries of cannabis turn to in arguing against legalization revolves around health, FDA-approval, and safety for children. Unfortunately, mass media outlets hurt the cannabis cause as well.

Ep 77: Not Feasible

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Fire it up on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS | More

“That is corruption in our government and it is up to the people to remove that.”

Due to life throwing curve balls, the Montana Legislature making laws that go completely against the will of the people, and the dying economy, the schedule for the Hot Box is no longer Tuesday and Saturday. As of right now, until further notice, we will try our best to do a show at least once a week. Whether that’s on a Sunday, Thursday, or Saturday, we have no idea. The best thing you can do to keep updated with us is to like the Hot Box Facebook page and follow the Hot Box on Twitter. We aren’t pod-fading, we are just having a hard time making ends meet right now.

You can help! Every contribution you make goes to help us survive, and not have to slave away for minimum wage. Donate some cash so we can get back on top of things. Every little bit helps. If 100 of you each gave 10 bucks, that would be a tremendous help! Anyways, sorry to pan handle, but times are tough, and the people who are supposed to be making changes to HELP the state, are doing the exact opposite. See you soon!

Ep 76: Informer

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Fire it up on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS | More

“If you make this law, we’re coming after you.”

And now it’s time for something completely different. It’s my pleasure to introduce to you, our friend from Texas, Denton Ramsey. He is the director of volunteers for the Waco chapter of NORML. We’ll be featuring his articles here and there for our show notes, so sit back, and get yourself educated. If you were wondering, the Hot Box is back on a weekly schedule. We’ll try as best as we can to bring you new episodes every Saturday, but your best bet is to like the Hot Box on Facebook, join the Hot Box Facebook group, and follow the Hot Box on Twitter. This will allow you to keep up with our schedule in real time. See you Saturday!

Flushing Facts from Fiction: The Truth Behind the Cannabis Lies…

By Denton Ramsey, NORML of Waco Inc. Director of Volunteers

One of my very first columns ever written—back as a student at Memorial Senior High School in Houston, Texas—quoted Robert Louis Stevenson, who once famously said, “the cruelest lies are often told in silence.” Sadly, the same rings true in regards to your average American’s views and education on cannabis. Granted, there are plenty of LOUD noises and nonsense tossed at American citizens daily in terms of reefer madness; just look at your average television anti-drug advertisement for the latest lies on cannabis. But the biggest—and as Stevenson would say, “the cruelest”—lies are often the ones told in silence. In this particular matter, that “silence” would be the FACTS pertaining to marijuana and how the cannabis plant can save and cure a multitude of illnesses and ailments. Toss aside the federal fiction for a moment and let’s review the evidence on this plant.

NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano, who recently spoke at the organization’s 2011 annual conference in Denver, Colorado, said it best when talking about five key arguments opponents to medical cannabis often mention—and how we as activists can educate the naysayer on the reality of this plant. Those five arguments? Cannabis is too dangerous; cannabis has too many unwanted side-effects; scientists haven’t effectively studied it; no medicine is smoked; and cannabis isn’t FDA-approved. Let’s begin breaking down these anti-cannabis arguments—and debunking the so-called marijuana myths—one at a time, Armentano-style…