It's that time in April again.
East City Park will be buzzing with excitement Saturday as the community celebrates the 14th annual Moscow Hemp Fest.
Moscow's first outdoor event of the spring season couldn't be a better choice. Hemp Fest has become a much anticipated part of Palouse culture since its emergence more than a decade ago. What started as a student-led event now continues on through Hemp Fest coordinator and owner of Tye Dye Everything, Arlene Falcon.
From 10 a.m. until dark, the day will be filled with food, live music, 30 to 40 hemp merchandise vendors, fire dancing and guest speakers. The speakers include Steve Phun, a Seattle Hemp Fest activist and emcee, and Adam Assenberg, the radio host for KRFP's "Marijuana – Fact or Fiction" program.
This year's speaker lineup also has a special addition. Rep. Tom Trail from the Idaho House of Representatives will announce his proposal to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes in the state of Idaho, making it the 15th state in the nation to do so.
Trail became interested in the proposal almost three years ago when several patients approached him and said medical marijuana was the only way to relieve their pain.
"The local doctor in Moscow prescribed medical marijuana, and the patients got it across the border in Washington," Trail said. "... it became apparent that medical marijuana seemed to be the only thing that would help relieve pain. So I thought somebody should move ahead and try to make it legal."
The patients had also used morphine, a legal substance often necessary for pain management, but Trail said it can ruin the kidneys over time.
"I've got case studies from all over the state of people needing medical marijuana for their pain, but they're afraid of being arrested," Trail said.
He said it would cost half a million dollars to get a ballot initiative in Idaho, so the legislative process is a better option. He has talked with numerous doctors, patients, law enforcement officers, legislators, representatives and the Dept. of Health and Welfare, as they would be the agency responsible for administering the proposal. Now he will speak at Hemp Fest and other events throughout Idaho to educate the public and gain support.
"The (Moscow) community is generally very supportive ... I've gotten e-mails from all over the state and phone calls in support," Trail said.
In a conservative state such as Idaho, proposals of this nature are often denied. But Trail said it's important to remember it is a bipartisan issue. He said states like New Jersey and Maryland had Republican leadership and the same legislation passed with large bipartisan support.
"It presents a fairly libertarian and conservative point of view," Trail said. "If we are successful, that would be a surprise to many. It is controversial, no question about it. There are folks out there who see things in black and white, good and evil."
Trail said if approved, the plans for medical marijuana legalization could take two years to be finished.
"Good legislation sometimes takes a few years to get through," he said. "This way we're getting it out in the public to debate about it and to educate."
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Argonaut
Author: Kelli Hadley
Copyright: 2010 The Argonaut
East City Park will be buzzing with excitement Saturday as the community celebrates the 14th annual Moscow Hemp Fest.
Moscow's first outdoor event of the spring season couldn't be a better choice. Hemp Fest has become a much anticipated part of Palouse culture since its emergence more than a decade ago. What started as a student-led event now continues on through Hemp Fest coordinator and owner of Tye Dye Everything, Arlene Falcon.
From 10 a.m. until dark, the day will be filled with food, live music, 30 to 40 hemp merchandise vendors, fire dancing and guest speakers. The speakers include Steve Phun, a Seattle Hemp Fest activist and emcee, and Adam Assenberg, the radio host for KRFP's "Marijuana – Fact or Fiction" program.
This year's speaker lineup also has a special addition. Rep. Tom Trail from the Idaho House of Representatives will announce his proposal to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes in the state of Idaho, making it the 15th state in the nation to do so.
Trail became interested in the proposal almost three years ago when several patients approached him and said medical marijuana was the only way to relieve their pain.
"The local doctor in Moscow prescribed medical marijuana, and the patients got it across the border in Washington," Trail said. "... it became apparent that medical marijuana seemed to be the only thing that would help relieve pain. So I thought somebody should move ahead and try to make it legal."
The patients had also used morphine, a legal substance often necessary for pain management, but Trail said it can ruin the kidneys over time.
"I've got case studies from all over the state of people needing medical marijuana for their pain, but they're afraid of being arrested," Trail said.
He said it would cost half a million dollars to get a ballot initiative in Idaho, so the legislative process is a better option. He has talked with numerous doctors, patients, law enforcement officers, legislators, representatives and the Dept. of Health and Welfare, as they would be the agency responsible for administering the proposal. Now he will speak at Hemp Fest and other events throughout Idaho to educate the public and gain support.
"The (Moscow) community is generally very supportive ... I've gotten e-mails from all over the state and phone calls in support," Trail said.
In a conservative state such as Idaho, proposals of this nature are often denied. But Trail said it's important to remember it is a bipartisan issue. He said states like New Jersey and Maryland had Republican leadership and the same legislation passed with large bipartisan support.
"It presents a fairly libertarian and conservative point of view," Trail said. "If we are successful, that would be a surprise to many. It is controversial, no question about it. There are folks out there who see things in black and white, good and evil."
Trail said if approved, the plans for medical marijuana legalization could take two years to be finished.
"Good legislation sometimes takes a few years to get through," he said. "This way we're getting it out in the public to debate about it and to educate."
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Argonaut
Author: Kelli Hadley
Copyright: 2010 The Argonaut
