What Advocacy Doesn’t’ Look Like

What Advocacy Doesn’t’ Look Like   

    Recently it was reported that two fast food workers in Tacoma were fired for trading burgers and fries for hash oil while on the job. The incident happened at a local fast food joint, and was an impromptu video according to the report. The videos creator, a local so called “marijuana advocate”, said he shot the video in order to make a statement and promote his cause, dabbing.       Although it is understandable the videos creators desire to make dabbing more socially acceptable, there is an issue with using the word Advocacy” to describe his actions. Even using the phrase “civil disobedience” would be a stretch to label this behavior, as that is usually planned, and certainly doesn’t involve putting others at risk. The word advocate
 implies a person is looking out for someone. Usually, it involves someone helping a person, or sticking up for a cause. “The parent went to the school to advocate for their kid.” This is clearly not what happened. The videos creator on a whim broke several laws and set up [ a situation in which two people lost their jobs. In the report on KOMO News the reporter was quick to tie “dabbing” to BHO explosions, and easily painted the action in a negative light.

     At a time when cannabis legalization is going through a rough patch here in Tacoma, There were just 2 retail outlets caught selling to minors in the city, stunts like this do nothing but hurt the cause. Additionally, it gives cannabis consumers a bad name. The prank adds to the stereotypes that cannabis consumers have poor judgment, suffer from irrational thinking and a whole host of other bad labels that have been assigned to the cannabis community.

Leading Medical Cannabis Researcher Arrested

    The mission of the Medical Marijuana Coalition of Washington State is to promote a medical cannabis system based in compassion and science. The word compassion has many different meanings, but is generally known to mean showing kindness, or helping. The original medical cannabis law in California was named the Compassionate Care Act. So, it is natural we would promote compassion in a medical cannabis system. Cannabis being the most chemically complex plant on earth it was natural we included “Science’ in our mission, as well. But, we added “Science” to our mission largely due to the innovative research of Dr. Jeff Raber of The Werkshop, which was located in Pasadena, CA. “Was”, because The Werkshop was raided early in the month of April.

     According to reports a “tip” about people smoking cannabis outside and a strong smell of cannabis in an industrial area of Pasadena led authorities to the unsuspecting lab. When police arrived they found elegidly 500 pounds of cannabis and 200 pint jars of cannabis oil on site. Well you know, if you have that much weed around, you must be a criminal. So, Dr. Raber was arrested, along with a business partner. Later 26 employees were taken into custody, then later released. Dr. Raber later posted a 75,000 dollar bond and left the jail, waiting a June hearing.

     To someone who doesn’t know about his work 500 pounds and 200 jars of cannabis oil seems like a lot. However, his work centered around bringing more diversity back to the Terpene profile of the cannabis plant. The report didn’t say if the 500 pounds was processed, or were there plants. Knowing what he was doing, 500 pounds doesn’t seem like to much to accomplish his research goal. He also was researching the different therapeutic properties of various Terpenes, which occur in heavy concentrations in cannabis. You can imagine each one of those 200 jars with a label on it listing out the Terpene profiles. He was doing research. It takes large amounts of whatever you are researching to get good results.

     It is ashamed police didn’t take the time to investigate what he was doing, before they took all his work. Even if he is found innocent, years of work and innovation have been lost. Hopefully, after the trial Dr. Raber can resume this very important research to shed more light on the therapeutic effects of the Terpenes in cannabis.