I went up to The Treehouse Collective to take photos of a bunch of strains that had come in the day before. I was expecting 8 strains, but there were 12 different ones to photograph when I arrived. Lucky me!

It’s been a little while since I’ve visited my collective to do the photographing work I love so much, and it felt great to be participating once again in the collective process.

I was up till 3:00 or so in the morning processing the photos, and here’s the results. Read more on The MMJ Lists…

OG Kush - June 10, 2008 - CCLB

What An Unusual Adventure…

Today, June 10th, marks one year of taking photos of medical marijuana strains here in Long Beach for collectives and for my art work, this piece called The MMJ Project.

I’ve taken hundreds of photos, and now have over 115 different strains documented, some of them with multiple shots from different batches and growers.

If you haven’t already, you can view those photos here, on The MMJ Lists, where I’ve been creating a new home for them…

It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I’ve learned a lot about different strains and their effects, but I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to digging into this amazing plant and the medical marijuana community that uses this plant effectively for so many different ailments.

This part of The MMJ Project (taking photos) began when I started posting menus on WeedTracker.com for CCLB, which is where I met Josh, the head “budtender”, who is now a good friend, and manages AAC – Apothecary’s Assistants Collective.

Getting My Medical Marijuana From A Christian…

Both Josh and I are PKs – Preachers Kids, and come from a Christian background, much of which has played into the birth and beginnings of AAC.

We both believe strongly that helping the least able, the poor, the neglected, and the ones with greatest needs is part of the AAC mission.

From the beginning, prayer is what we used to build the collective, and we continue to pray everyday for this awesome collective we get to be a part of creating.

My experience has shown me, both before this project began, and now, with more conviction than ever, the truth that marijuana is a gift from God to humanity for both healing and wellness.

So, today, for my anniversary, I’m gonna go see Josh and take some more photos at AAC - some Lemon Wreck (a new strain) and Grape Ape (new batch, repeat strain)  that came in yesterday, and I need to add these to the collection as well…

Until later, best of health,

Jon, onehumanbeing

Note: the project known as The Medical Marijuana Lists is now using a shortened version of the name – The MMJ Lists

From The MMJ Lists…

Catching Up…

I’ve been dusting off the files, photos and various materials of The MMJ Lists to move it closer to how I envision it…

Since January I’ve been taking photos at A Soothing Remedy Collective and more recently, AAC – Apothecary’s Assistants Collective, where I also volunteer as a bud-tender, front desk clerk, joint roller, or whatever else is needed while I’m there for my shift.

Monday (April 27th) I was there for the afternoon and evening shifts… and spent most of the evening rolling joints of White Widow to give away to the members.

AAC gives you a free joint every time you stop by to get your herb… it’s part of the “member-focused” approach to the Medical Marijuana dispensary movement and an effort to slow down the collective-hopping (see below) that goes on.

(read more here…)

Also… I’ve added to the “About” page…

About The MMJ Lists

In June of 2008 I started taking photos and posting menus on WeedTracker.com for a local, Long Beach collective called CCLB, Canna Collective Long Beach.

The whole thing started as a fluke – I just wanted CCLB to keep up with their menu posting because gas prices were soaring and online people wanted to know what was available before they made the long drive – sometimes coming all they way from San Diego – a nearly 300 mile round trip.

My round trip to CCLB was only 10 miles, so during June I started my volunteer gig as the Menu Guy for CCLB. Over the July 4th weekend, through a series of events I’ve written about elsewhere, I officially became an unpaid, community volunteer at CCLB and through October of that year I photographed nearly 80 different strains, some of them several times.

It was almost an overwhelming situation, and it started to seem like I spent all of my time photographing, preparing the photos, posting them and then posting the menu… and by the beginning of November I had to halt the project as it was going, and think about how to present the photographs. (The price of gas had fallen too, so my original reason for posting menus had ended.)

(read more here…)

The link to The MMJ Project is: http://mmj.onehumanbeing.com/

It’s National Marijuana Day (or National Pot Smokers Day)

I’ll be celebrating the day at AAC – Apothecary’s Assistants Collective in Long Beach, where we’re handing out FREE XXX (triple back-crossed) Master Kush joints (very nice herb – body comfort), Special 420 buttons (like the image to the left), and AAC stickers…

Stop by and visit if you’re a MMJ patient.

Curious about the story behind 420? Here’s some links:

What 420 Means: The True Story Behind Stoners’ Favorite Number

4/20: National Pot Smokers Day

Just wanted to let people know about a new MMJ collective here in Long Beach, California called Apothecary’s Assistants Collective (AAC)…

I’ll be taking photos and helping with the web site as a community volunteer. Here is their website – aacollective.com – I’ve been working on it for the last few week or so…

AAC is dedicated to providing quality service to the MMJ community here in Long Beach, with a special interest in helping chronic, long term patients and termanly ill patients with high quality medicine at lower prices…

The head budtender is a very cool guy named Josh who I met last summer when he was the head budtender at CCLB. Josh is a natural-born Maître d’ and has a drive to create a place of health, community and wellbeing for his fellow MMJ patients.

This month – April 2009 – they’ll be celebrating their Grand Opening with various specials all month… stop by a visit if you’re in the LBC.

Here’s some basic information:

Apothecary’s Assistants Collective
2805 E. Pacific Coast Highway
Long Beach, California 90755

click here for a map

Phone: (562) 597-9780
Note: due to a unforeseen delay, our phone service will not be available until 4/1/2009.

Hours: Daily – 10:00 am to 7:30 pm

You can visit their website for more information…

Until later, best of health,
Jon, onehumanbeing

Slowly but surely it seems, the Drug War is being eroded by the new winds blowing, and the ship of state is slowly being turned around…

If you didn’t see the news on Wednesday evening or on Thursday, then you might not have heard Attorney General Holder announced the Feds will not be going after medical marijuana patients and providers unless the are violating BOTH Federal law and State law – translation (as I understand it) – States law on medical marijuana trumps Federal law.

Finally, some relief, and a chance for the medical marijuana states to clarify what “is” and what “is not” medical marijuana use.

But I want REAL change. We could start with:

• Eliminating the political-science-based Schedule I classification for marijuana.
• The release of all Drug War P.O.W.s.
• The end of drug testing for employment.
• A new paradigm concerning Cannabis Sativa (medical plant) and Cannabis Hemp (industrial plant) recognizing it’s value and repudiating the racist-base lies of the last 72 years.

We need REAL Change, not SPARE change or CHUMP Change…

Even though it seems were headed in the right direction I get frustrated at the pace.

We need unjust laws changed NOW because they are affecting people today, right this moment.

Charles C. Lynch will be Federal Court on Monday the 23rd facing 5 years to life for providing legal, compassionate care under California State law. Charles can’t wait for change next month – he needs it NOW.

If we end up without the unjust laws being changed on the Federal level, then after the Obama administration is gone we’ll have nothing but empty words from Ex-Attorney General Holder and Ex-President Obama.

Will those words hold up in court as we try to exercise our rights as medical marijuana patients, or will we end up with chump change?

A sad observation: in the light of the recent financial crisis, it seems like our government is providing billions for greed and jail for compassion. I didn’t cast my vote for that…

Ignorant Politicians, and The Same Old Lies…

In a related story:

Sen. Grassley from Iowa (sorry Iowa) trotted out the same old, discredited “Gateway Theory” that seemed so 1986 (remember, back when we were told Greed is Good) as to be laughable… Here’s an article from AP about the Senator’s outrage – I would title the article “Retro 80′s Drug War Rhetoric Staying Alive in Iowa”, AP calls it “GOP senator blasts new medical marijuana policy”

WASHINGTON – Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley criticized the Obama administration Thursday for moving to loosen restrictions on medical marijuana.

At a gathering to discuss health care reform, the Iowa lawmaker criticized the Justice Department’s new policy of targeting California‘s medical marijuana distributors only if they violate both federal and state law.

That’s a break from the Bush administration, which targeted dispensaries under federal law even if they complied with the state’s law allowing sales of medical marijuana.

The shift was outlined by Attorney General Eric Holder a day earlier.

“The first rule of medicine, first do no harm, is being violated by the attorney general by his decision,” said Grassley.

The senator said the new policy is counterproductive because marijuana leads to use of harder drugs. [my note: this is commonly called the "Gateway Theory"]

Advocates for medical marijuana defended the president.

“The Obama administration deserves credit for basing policy on facts and science, not the myths perpetuated by Sen. Grassley,” said Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project.

I wish ignorant politicians would keep their mouths shut sometimes… Don’t they realize spouting that old ignorant Drug War rhetoric is going to create some very embarrassing YouTube  moments.

The time has come to end the Spell of Ignorance and Anti-Science Stonewalling of the last 72 years concerning Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Hemp.

I’m so tired of politicians (fortunately Mr. Grassley doesn’t represent me)  that keep lying, when the truth is easy to find if you just open your eyes and ears and shut your mouth.

So I had to send the Senator a message (I was a little upset at the time I sent it off – I hope it was respectful enough…)

Dear Sen. Grassley

Your ignorance is amazing – do you know anything about the science of medical marijuana? If not, then do no harm – and keep your biased, harmful lies to yourself.

You insult over 72 million Americans with your ignorance.

The era of stupidity is over, try and get up to speed…

Respectfully,

Jon, onehumanbeing

www.onehumanbeing.com

You can send Sen. Grassley your own note at his website… and let him know how you feel about his regurgitated ignorance – and that’s said with all the respect it deserves.

OK (deep breath) – I’m over that now.

An Eighth of Medical Marijuana from Canna Collective Long Beach

This is an eighth of an ounce (3.5 grams) of Granddaddy Purple (GDP) that I picked up at CCLB on Sunday, March 1, 2009. CCLB has a “$50 cap” on eighths (that mean – nothing over $50 an eighth).

Photos: The baggie your herb comes in with a MMJ label on it (I designed that label – just bragging a bit), an overall shot with a quarter in the middle for size comparison and then some close-up shots…

Also – they sell GDP shake (shake is the trimmed leaves, smaller buds and leftover bits that fall off of buds which falls to the bottom of the jar or bag – what “shakes” down to the bottom) for $10 a gram (1 ounce is approx. 28 grams), and they have a special right now where you get a free gram of shake with every eighth purchased. I got my free gram and paid $10 for another – so I included photos of that too…

The Photos

The Photos

[Show as slideshow]

I could be overstating that, but please forgive me – I’ve been waiting, and praying, for a very long time to see what is happening right now in front of us: AG Holder says: No More D.E.A. Raids in states with medical marijuana laws.

It’s like watching the Berlin Wall fall… and (I believe) the beginning of the end of the insane drug war!

If you have no idea what I’m going on about, check out these news articles, because they can tell you better than I can what the general storyline is…

NORML: U.S. Attorney General Says Justice Department Will No Longer Interfere With States’ Medical Pot Policies

MSNBC: DEA to halt medical marijuana raids

US News & World Report: Under Obama, Drug War Tactics Poised to Shift

Those are just a few articles to give you a sampling – a quick check of your own on Google will quickly give you a very good idea of the amazing shift in policy that is being undertaken with delicacy, but at this now-typical Obama-pace…

Many interesting pieces are coming together in an amazing fashion – providing a stage for a very quick change in direction, and very soon – the re-legalization of marijuana:

[note: Marijuana was legal up until 72 years ago - so the proper term should be "re-legalize", not "legalize" - but who really cares, let's just get this done.]

The Mexican Cartel Border Situation: Watch for this to become a very big story in the next few weeks – and become a major reason – even more than tax money – for ending marijuana prohibition.

AB 390: A Stress Test for Marijuana Re-Legalization, Regulation and Taxation – and the crowd breaks into applause!!! On Tuesday I read a LA Times news story with an informal poll, and when I added my “Yes” vote for legalization, it was just one small voice in the 94% “Yes” column after 5,500 or something votes…

Only 5.6% had just said “No”… The Reagan era is over indeed.

Word on the street: Everyone, and I mean everyone I talk to is in favor of putting this prohibition behind us, and put the tax dollars to work for us… medical marijuana patients are ready to do their part.

This is not like before – this is across the board. I know what it’s like to hear the choir sing this song, but now I’m hearing a lot of new voices joining the choir…

T-Shirts now available at CafePress.com

So what do you do while you wait? (besides call the White House and your elected officials to voice your support for sensible drug policy) – Go get your medical marijuana T-Shirts NOW ($20 at my CafePress shop) or you wouldn’t get to brag at parties months from now about how you “got this t-shirt back when marijuana was illegal…”

“I Stand For Change” is the slogan I used on the button I gave away at the Charles Lynch rally on Monday (another thing that happened this last week) – You can read my story about the rally here if you haven’t already… there are also some really nice photos that my wife, Tania, took at the rally.

I’ve been selling Medical Marijuana T-shirts and stickers on CafePress since 2003 – and this is my latest. It’s available in many different colors of T-shirts and styles for both men and women.

You can also get the image on tile coasters, a clock, hats and a bunch of other stuff.

Here is the link to my CafePress shop: http://www.cafepress.com/onehumanbeing

I add stuff to my shop when the mood strikes me, so check back every so often…

Other than that – it’s time for some proper medicating…

Until later, best of health,

Jon, onehumanbeing

It’s the 7th Annual Medical Marijuana Week and I hope you get a chance to get over to the Americans For Safe Access website and find out more about it…

Billboards We’d Like To See Dept.

Here’s a Billboard I’d like to see in my neighborhood, and everywhere…

This is a composite image, not a real photo of an actual billboard, but a photo I put together to see what my pieces I did a few years ago would look like large-scale…

I called the company that owns this particular billboard space, and for only $3,000 I could have this up for 4 weeks. A project for 4/20? I don’t know. I have about as much money as a church mouse, but I got ideas… donations anyone?

Here’s a larger view:

This liquor store (Jones Liquor) is on E. Broadway, in our neighborhood… I took this photo in November of 2007, and since then the old liquor sign has been replaced with a ugly new sign I’ve done numerous pieces over the years involving this Liquor Store and it’s sign.)

Medical Marijuana Sign on E. Broadway, Long Beach in 2007

I was originally inspired to try my piece large scale, in billboard format after this little billboard spent several months in late 2007 reigning over E. Broadway in our hood.

You would not believe how many people I would see stop and point with big smiles, or take out there cell phones and snap a photo. Marijuana just puts a smile on peoples face…

Sometimes that’s just what a person needs. Endless struggle with no rest is not healthy, and in my opinion, there is no condemnation in using God’s gift of the herb to find that rest.

“For the person who needs water, give them water,
for the one that needs food, give food,
for the one who needs rest, give rest,
but don’t give anyone the bitter taste of your petty judgments – there is no one who needs those…”

Buttons

My button machine has been repaired and I am back in button making action!

Yesterday I dropped off 40 MMJ Week buttons at A Soothing Remedy, so stop by and pick one up today…

I have the rally in Los Angeles on my calendar for Monday, February 23rd. Our friend Charles C. Lynch will be in Federal Court that day for sentencing in the horrible miscarriage of justice that is has come from Charles just trying to do everything legal and by the book… follow the law, go to jail – oh yeah, that’s the kind of message we like to send to our kids and adds to peoples respect for the rule of law.

I’ll be bringing lots of buttons to the rally (other MMJ buttons – not the ASR one shown…)

Have a great week, and best of health,
Jon, onehumanbeing

From Greenkind Magazine: Under Obama, DEA Raids Again, This Time in Force

and from The Marijuana Policy Project: Armed robbery or public safety?

Meanwhile…

While the DEA continues it’s apparent desire to prove it’s pointlessness and uselessness, I have other, better things to work on, like preparing for the future…

The Medical Marijuana Lists is still in build mode and will be moving to beta mode very soon… Even though I have much to bring to this project I’m going to need other’s input to make this work. After all, I only know about being a person who experiences bi-polar disorder and uses medical marijuana to manage the symptoms, but I have no knowledge of what a cancer patient or MS patient needs.

I’m betting that the people who’ve been through the process are happy to share their wisdom with those new to the process. We are all a part of history, and the things we do now will help those that come after us, and that includes any wisdom we have to share. This is the year to build long lasting things…

After spending the last week in a most severe depression, I have a renewed appreciation of God’s gift of marijuana to be a lifeline during times of sickness.

My prayers, my energies and my aim is towards doing whatever I can to end this insane and disastrous chapter in our nation history called marijuana prohibition.

Please pray for justice.

Jon, onehumanbeing