Please Support Pot Pioneer Dana Beal!

PLEASE SUPPORT DANA BEAL

SUPPORT DANA BEAL NOW

SUPPORT DANA BEAL RIGHT NOW!

Click Here To Donate Directly
To The Defense Fund For
Dana Beal

As an old hippie from the 1960s, I find it difficult to comprehend why Pot Pioneer and Ibogaine Scientist/Activist Dana Beal is facing legal troubles for possessing cannabis.

It's perplexing that the industry seems to be neglecting the very person who helped pave the way for legalization. Though their lack of support in his time of need is truly disappointing, I remain confident that the multi billion dollar legal cannabis / hemp industry will come to the aid of our hero, Dana Beal, who is in danger of going back to jail for the crime of possessing a plant.

Having marched with Dana since 1973, both in person and online, I'm stunned by the indifference shown by the multi-billion dollar cannabis industry in response to his 2024 arrest. 

"Dana Beal’s journey, marked by relentless advocacy for cannabis and psychedelics legalization, takes a new turn following his recent release from Idaho’s Gooding County Jail. Arrested in January for alleged marijuana trafficking, the 77-year-old activist now faces a potential 15-year prison sentence, even as the U.S. seems to be moving toward legalization."

The legal cannabis businesses have the resources, so why does Dana even need to ask for help? In Arizona alone, legal cannabis made $1.4 billion in 2023$1.4 billion in 2023. If just 8 dispensaries contributed $5K each, it would cover his legal fees for a charge that lacks logical sense. 

It's disheartening that the industry has not stepped up to support him in promoting the benefits of hemp and ibogaine for modern issues.

With all the profits from legal weed, it’s frustrating that law enforcement would arrest a man who has dedicated his life, freedom, and health to ending the harmful war on drugs.

My initial shock has turned into determination. The truth is, Dana Beal deserves our support.

Looking beyond my emotions, I asked ChatGPT "Who Is Dana Beal?"

"Dana Beal is a prominent American activist known for his longstanding work in drug policy reform, particularly focusing on cannabis legalization and ibogaine treatment for addiction. Here are some key points about his life and activism:

1. *Early Activism and Yippies*: Beal has been active since the 1960s, beginning his work with the Youth International Party (Yippies), a countercultural group known for its radical activism against the Vietnam War and in support of various social justice causes.

2. *Cannabis Legalization*: He has been a significant figure in the cannabis legalization movement, advocating for the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana for decades. Beal is credited with initiating the Global Cannabis March in New York City during the 1970s, an event that has since spread to over 400 cities worldwide.

3. *Ibogaine Advocacy*: Beyond cannabis, Beal is also a leading advocate for the use of ibogaine, a psychoactive substance derived from the African iboga plant, which has shown promise in treating addiction, particularly opioid dependence. He has been involved in efforts to promote ibogaine therapy and has even brought this treatment to conflict zones, such as Ukraine, to aid soldiers with PTSD and addiction issues.

4. *Legal Issues*: Despite his contributions, Beal has faced numerous legal challenges due to his activism. Most recently, he was arrested in Idaho for cannabis trafficking, underscoring the ongoing legal battles faced by even the most veteran advocates in the movement.

Dana Beal’s relentless activism has made significant impacts on drug policy reform and has garnered him recognition within the movement, including awards from notable figures like the Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams. His work continues to inspire new generations of activists in the fight for drug policy reform and alternative addiction treatments."

In summary, Dana Beal has earned the support of the cannabis community. Why won’t more of the industry owners help Dana?

I also asked about the number of dispensaries in the USA in 2024.

"As of 2024, there are approximately 12,156 legal marijuana dispensaries across the United States. This number reflects a slight decrease from the 12,572 dispensaries reported in September 2023. The state with the highest number of dispensaries is Oklahoma, with 2,387, while Texas has the fewest, with just three dispensaries​ (DispenseCBD)​​ (Flowhub)​. For the most credible sources on the number of legal marijuana dispensaries, consider checking industry reports and data from established cannabis market analysts. Websites like Flowhub and Dispense provide detailed and regularly updated statistics on dispensary counts and market trends​ (DispenseCBD)​​ (Flowhub)​. These sources are highly regarded within the cannabis industry for their comprehensive data and insights into market dynamics."

Now that I'm calmer, I see that if just 8 out of those 12,156 legal marijuana dispensaries donated $5K each, it would cover Dana’s legal fees.

PLEASE SUPPORT DANA BEAL

SUPPORT DANA BEAL NOW

SUPPORT DANA BEAL RIGHT NOW!

Click Here To Donate Directly
To The Defense Fund For
Dana Beal

Cannabis Pioneer & Champion Paul Stanford

"This is a 33 minute video from June 2016 of the first office meeting

at our clinic headquarters in Portland, after the takeover. 

My wife videoed it with her phone."

“They haven’t paid me a penny,

but they’ve taken everything I’ve owned in my whole life.”

Paul Stanford

Paul Stanford is in danger of loosing his medical marijuana clinics after decades of work helping over a quarter million patients USA due to a hostile corporate takeover. One of the reasons many of us can go to the corner store to buy our pot is the almost half century of work by hemp pioneer and cannabis champion Paul Stanford. 

Paul and his wife Theresa have helped patients legally get the medical marijuana they need to heal and the information on how to best use it for their health issues. This evolutionary work in the face of insane prohibition laws has made Paul a target for the greed in weed that’s taking over, unless we stop it now.

The Stanfords and their crew have done such excellent jobs helping patients that big business came two years ago to take everything from their clinics to Paul's name. They're doing it through a series of court maneuvers. Paul explained in an email to his patients:

“…we are locked in an ongoing court legal battle for our medical clinic, Empower, from a hostile corporate takeover by an Israeli-Canadian energy company, Adira Energy, which is partially-owned by billionaire speculator, George Soros. Since June 2016, we have been in a David versus Goliath legal drama and outspent on attorneys by more than 10 to one.

The Israeli-Canadians took control of the medical marijuana clinic at a 15 minute hearing that had not been scheduled. I was told to report to the would go into court just the day before, an unscheduled or ex parte hearing. My lawyers appeared, but they advised me to not come because they did not know what the Israeli-Canadian raiders would file or do. The trial is currently scheduled for March 11, 2019 in Multnomah County Court, Portland, Oregon, case number 16CV18448. Turns out that they’ve outspent me 10 to 1 on legal fees.”

It is imperative that at least the cannabis dispensaries and recreational shops donate to Paul's legal fund so they can continue to help people heal. This corporate takeover makes patients records public, private information for sale, with not even a fraction of a penny of it going to the Stanfords or, more importantly, THEIR PATIENTS.

Another multi-decade cannabis / hemp activist, Kris Krane, who is also a journalist at Forbes Magazine, wrote a powerful article earlier this year The Cannabis Industry Needs To Support Advocacy. Here's Why

"This industry didn’t expand because of a memo issued by a deputy attorney general, or because some governments simply decided they wanted to benefit from the tax revenue that legal cannabis could bring their states. It happened because of the decades of work by marijuana reform activists and policy organizations, without whose efforts today’s businesses could not exist.

Today’s cannabis businesses, whether they realize it or not, are part of a long-standing movement to end cannabis prohibition, a movement that I am proud to have played a small role in advancing earlier in my career. With the industry under renewed attack from drug warriors in Washington, D.C., it is imperative that today’s cannabis business leaders, many who have only known the “good times” under the protection of the Cole Memo, heed the lessons taught by the early pioneers of the industry and recognize their essential role in the broader reform movement. Their very existence as businesses depends on it."

How is it that with a lifetime of doing his best and beyond to support the legalization process, Paul Stanford, founder of The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation, THCF Medical Clinic and Empower Medical Clinics is fighting for his patients privacy which can be sold for $100 each, his business and everything he has? 

Fortunately he has Theresa as his wife so we know they will make it through, yet, they sure could do with some help, especially from the industry that they helped build. Paul's email to his patients continues:

“It is an incredible, modern David and Goliath story. and below are links to 3 articles from the Huffington Post, Salem News and Ganjapreneur that detail this complex international business deal which includes decades of research and patients medical records. I was informed and have to tell my patients that the possible new owners would sell patients' private medical records for tens of millions of dollars. There is a 4th article below on how they can sell private medical records. The previous clinic location are being run by Adira Energy who has taken control in an unusual financial move called a "reverse merger."

The first appeared in the Salem News, written by Bonnie King in August 2016:

““The activist formerly known as Paul Stanford"

Paul Stanford was fired June 10th. BLINDSIDED, he would say. He received a certified letter from S.M.A.A.R.T., the corporation he owns a majority of, telling him he was out.

For reasons wrought with legalese and plenty of supposition, the S.M.A.A.R.T. board of directors opted to remove him, without ever even calling a single shareholder or board of directors meeting.

On June 9th, the lawyers representing Adira, a Canadian/Israeli petroleum and natural gas company, asked the Multnomah County Court in Portland for a TRO (temporary restraining order) against Paul Stanford to “stop imminent harm” and because they weren’t able to “take the company public in August.” That meant no access to his office, or his bank accounts.

The possible loss of future financial gain for these Canadians was apparently enough for the judge to agree, as she made her ruling in less than 20 minutes. LESS THAN 20 MINUTES.

“The Judge caused harm,”Stanford insists. “Harm against an honest business. The impact is far reaching.”’

The next one was written by Angela Bacca published by The Huffington Post

“While the Canadian cannabis business is booming, LPs have turnedtheir focus towards establishing dominant market shares in the United States aswell. Where Canada has a total population of nearly 35 million, in California alone,which legalized marijuana in 2016, there are nearly 40 million people and a massivealready-established market. A company commanding hold on both the American and Canadianmarkets could generate billions.”

I edited Bacca's article to expand and clarify a few crucial points, with hyperlinks to sources. Ganjapreneur reported:

Longtime Activist New Fighting For Livelihood In Ongoing Hostile Takeover

Ganjapreneur by TG Branfelt:

"The lawsuit stems from Stanford’s desire to do two things: raise funds for a ballot initiative to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2014 in Oregon and take his medical clinics company, Presto Quality Care — which operated dispensaries in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Michigan, and California — public. Stanford said he was approached by Canadian venture capitalists about investing in his company, and in May 2014, he agreed he would work with them to launch Presto on the U.S. over-the-counter market if they agreed to give him $400,000 for the ballot initiative."

The Guardian explains how each person's private medical records are worth over $100 each. Our privacy policy said that these records would never be sold. Now, via a million dollar preliminary court injunction, unscrupulous dishonest corporate raiders have been given your private medical data, entrusted to us by you.

"In a new report from the Century Foundation...“The patient is not really a component of this because their name and connection to the prescription have been stripped off.” But other forms of data, such as information from fitness devices and search engines, are completely unregulated and have identities and addresses attached. A third kind of data called “predictive analytics” cross-references the other two and makes predictions about behavior with what Tanner calls “a surprising degree of accuracy”."

I have difficulty conceiving why Paul has to even ask for help to raise legal fees to keep his clinics and his patients medical information private. So far, he's spent over $170,000 fighting a hostile corporate takeover. The raiders have spent over 10 times more on their extensive legal team. If you are in any position to help, please contribute to his GoFundMe campaign.

Of course, knowing Paul and Theresa, they are already rebuilding. Paul reports:

"We have set up a new clinic on Sandy Blvd. in Portland, just off of NE 28th Ave, to compete with our old business, as we fight in court to regain control of Empower Healthcare.

Please call our office if you need to renew for your OMMP card.

If you are not in Oregon, we can refer you to another physician.

Our number is 503-235-4606 and our new address is 2712 NE Sandy Blvd. Portland, OR 97232.

This is our new website:  http://paulstanfordmedicalclinics.com/ "

"If marijuana business leaders recognize their role in the reform movement, and support those organizations whose work has made this industry possible, we will be able to ensure not only the survival of this emerging industry, but we will set the conditions needed to allow it to grow and thrive into the future."

"Kris Krane is co-founder of 4Front, a leading investment and management firm in the cannabis industry. Follow 4Front on Twitter or subscribe to its newsletter."

As the cannabis / hemp industries follow the wisdom of cannabis champion Kris Krane we will succeed in implementing the hemp solution. Hemp / cannabis can solve so many of our problems. The peace pipe may even have an impact on our gun violence and suicide rates (yes, that’s why it’s called the peace pipe).

It's time for Cannabis Common Sense!

If you are in any position to help, please contribute to
Paul's GoFundMe campaign

Rise Up And Vote! 2016’s State Ballots Concerning Marijuana Legalization

Hemp by whatever name, strain or gender
(marijuana, cannabis, weed, pot, ganja, maryjane, etc.)
is on the ballot in at least nine states in the USA this November.

As of 8/23/16 Oklahoma has enough signatures
to put it on the ballot there, which makes ten if approved.

The links below are to the ballots and YouTube pieces both pro and con. 

Hemp Growing by Ed Rosenthal books 

Arizona

Arizona Marijuana Legalization Proposition 205

YouTube Arizona SearchLink

Arkansas

Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act

YouTube Arkansas Search Link 

California

California Marijuana Legalization Initiative, Prop. 64  

YouTube California Search Link 

Florida

Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization, Amendment 2

YouTube Florida Search Link 

Maine

Maine Legalize Marijuana Initiative, Question 1

YouTube Maine Search Link 

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Marijuana Legalization Question 4

YouTube Massachusetts Search Link 

Montana

Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative, I-182

[no YouTube list yet]

Nevada

Nevada Marijuana Legalization Initiative

YouTube Nevada Search Link  

North Dakota

North Dakota Medical Marijuana Initiative

YouTube North Dakota Search Link 

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, State Question 788 (2016) – not on ballot yet, signatures verified

YouTube Oklahoma Search Link 

If it's legal for you to vote, please do.
If it's not legal for you to vote, help someone who can.

Like Paul Stanford says - “RESTORE HEMP!"

How Weed Won The West(Full)

Text from the Youtube post.

"Published on Oct 28, 2013

Educational Documentary - How Weed Won The West delves deeply into the culture and commerce of cannabis featuring California's ganja growers,medicinal marijuana patients and law reform advocates. With California and the rest of the country going bankrupt, one business is booming. 'How Weed Won the West' is the story of the growing Medical Marijuana industry, focusing on Los Angeles with over 700 legal dispensaries doling out the buds. Following the story of Organica, a southland dispensary which was raided by state and federal agencies in August of 2009, the film shows that although much has changed with Obama in office, the drug war is nowhere near over. Kevin Booth, producer/director of American Drug War, picks up where the last film left off and continues his fight against the hypocrisy of the War on Drugs. Intended to inform and entertain, this fast paced and even sometimes funny film features Texas conspiracy guru Alex Jones, Ethan Nadelmann head of Drug Policy Alliance, and a host of amazing characters including a former LAPD narcotics officer who now thinks all drugs should be legal. Even to someone who has not consumed weed in decades, this film definitely opens anyone's eyes concerning the detrimental economic, social and human ramifications created by marijuana prohibition. It takes the viewer through a journey of real life stories involving the relatively new California legal marijuana industry using a refreshing angle which does not focus strictly on the medicinal value of marijuana. The widespread responsible consumption of marijuana for personal recreation and mood enhancement is addressed as well. This is a must-see film because it destined to become an icon of the marijuana anti-prohibition movement. Even to someone who has not consumed weed in decades, this film definitely opens anyone's eyes concerning the detrimental economic, social and human ramifications created by marijuana prohibition.

It takes the viewer through a journey of real life stories involving the relatively new California legal marijuana industry using a refreshing angle which does not focus strictly on the medicinal value of marijuana. The widespread responsible consumption of marijuana for personal recreation and mood enhancement is addressed as well.

While there are many light and entertaining moments which are implied by a somewhat playful title, the subject matter and the production values of this film give it a serious historical position as an iconic mainstream documentary film."