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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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US: 21st Annual Boston Freedom Rally Pat Burt Suffolk Voice Saturday 25 Sep 2010 This year the rally drew more than 50,000 visitors, many of them openly smoking, while Boston police and park rangers (some of them undercover) patrolled the festival. Two arrests were made for possession with intent to distribute, and 34 civil citations were issued for possession of marijuana, according to The Globe. The officers were instructed not to comment, and all questions were directed toward the BPD's media relations department. Speakers at the rally included: Michael Crawford, MassCann President Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director R. Keith Stroup, NORML Founder &' Counsel Dr. Keith Saunders, MassCann Board/NORML Board Rick Cusick, Associate Publisher, HIGH TIMES Danny Danko, Cultivation Editor, HIGH TIMES Steve Bloom, celebstoner.com Chris Goldstein, NJNORML &' Philly NORML John Amabile, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Shaleen Title, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Bill Trogdon, Far Out Magazine Jim Fowler, Far Out Magazine Marcy Duda, Mass. Medicinal Marijuana Patient Daddio Malta, Medicinal Marijuana Advocate Terrry Franklin, Mass. Cannabis Reform Activist Jeff Morris, SUNORML Cara Crabb-Burnham, Emerson SSDP Jimi Devine, Berkeley CA Medicinal Dispensary Manager The topic of many speeches concerned marijuana's medicinal applications (this year's theme), some condemning police action against it while others reminded the crowd that they were just doing their job. Morris encouraged students interested in marijuana advocacy to create groups/clubs at their own schools, saying, "how easy it is." Green-Rainbow gubernatorial candidate, Harvard Medical School graduate and physician Jill Stein is in favor of legalizing marijuana, suggesting that the move would have positive economic benefits and would save money currently spent on "ineffective enforcement and prosecution." "We have a terrible problem with violence resulting from the black market of marijuana," Stein told the Globe. "We are allowing millions to flow into the criminal economy. By bringing it into a legal framework, we can stop that money and use it in our communities." In a press release after the rally, she suggested the creation of a commission to look at the issue. She is the only candidate who supports legalization. MassCann volunteers with donation-buckets were walking through the crowds to raise funds to support legalization. The rally wasn't just about hard-hitting politics, as a variety of local bands also played throughout the day on two stages, including ONYX, Prospect Hill, The Force, Amber Ladd, Termanology and Rob Potylo Tracy Bonham, Planetoid Age Against the Machine, Myster DL, DJ Slim, Casey Desmond, SuperPower, Bigg Nez, Mataln, ill e. gal, and Big Ol' Dirty Bucket. Vendors at the rally were selling food (one with a banner advertising "munchies"), art and hemp-themed accessories. http://www.thesuffolkvoice.net/news/21st-annual-boston-freedom-rally-1.1647453
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