Wilkes-Barre – Hundreds of area residents made their way to Kirby Park on Saturday with a message – legalize marijuana – at the third annual Wilkes-Barre Cannabis Freedom Rally.
Bob McDonald, a Democratic nominee for the Pennsylvania House of Representative, 120th district, said too many state and national citizens have their productivity reduced in the long term because they are charged with possession of marijuana, sometimes even going to jail.
McDonald said he believes he is the only major-party candidate willing to support legalization of recreational use of cannabis.
People are paying for a youthful indiscretion for the rest of their lives, he said. It unfairly targets the poor and minorities.
Les Stark, of Reading, said the event provided the opportunity to celebrate two bills already passed in the state legislature: one making medical use of marijuana legal and one allowing the cultivation of hemp for commercial purposes.
Were happy with the progress, but we want the state to go further, he said.
Stark is also calling on the City of Wilkes-Barre to either pass an ordinance legalizing marijuana within city limits or to pass a resolution supporting decriminalization of the substance.
Each municipality needs to consult with their solicitor to find out what they can legally do, he said. Wilkes-Barre already passed an ordinance decriminalizing paraphernalia. I think they can also decriminalize possession.
For much of the history of the country, Stark said, marijuana has been legal.
It was only in the 1930s that it became a crime, he said. Criminalizing it was the experiment, and it failed.
Carl Romanelli, a member of the Green Party, said marijuana is a benign and natural substance.
Marijuana never killed anybody, he said.
Romanelli said that although marijuana has been approved for medical purposes, the state is still in the process of setting up dispensaries for distributing the substance.
He also takes issue with the depiction of marijuana users as unmotivated and lazy.
Sure, some people get high and lay on their couch and watch The Honeymooners, he said. But most are productive citizens.
Jeff Zick, event organizer, said he believed marijuana should be legalized because it is a right of the people.
I demand my freedom, he said. I want to grow it on my own land, without government intervention.
A veteran, who asked not to be identified, said many vets who use medical marijuana for post traumatic stress disorder have not yet been able to legally obtain it through the Veterans Administration.
Zick said the event has continued to expand this year offering eight speakers, music and information.
Attendees said they are committed to continuing to support the effort to make marijuana legal for medical and recreational purposes in all 50 states.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Supporters Of Legalized Marijuana Gather In Kirby Park
Author: Geri Gibbons
Contact: 570-829-7100
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Times Leader
