HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

In last issue's editorial I complained about the tribulations of producing
this magazine, and the lack of support we receive from some hemp stores and
other businesses. I received a great deal of positive feedback to that
editorial from readers and my peers within this movement. Some readers sent
us sympathetic letters and cheques (bless you all), while many more said "I
am low on cash but want to help. What can I do?" So for this editorial I
have compiled a list of things you can do to help liberate cannabis, but
which don't cost very much money.

- - Educate yourself and others. The most important thing you can do is to
learn about the issues and to teach those around you. Get a copy of The
Emperor Wears no Clothes and Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts, and read
them both thoroughly. Learn more about drug policy, and make an effort to
find out about developments in other countries. Discuss marijuana and drug
policy with your family, your teachers and students, your clergy, and
anyone else around you. Don't let ignorant prohibitionist comments pass by
unchallenged.

- - Write letters to the media. Writing to the media is a more effective way
to shape public opinion than writing to politicians. A short, timely letter
to the editor should take less than an hour to write, and if published it
can reach many thousands of people, sometimes millions. Even if your letter
is not printed, by sending it you increase the chances of a similar letter
being printed instead. If you write a letter or two each week, you will
almost certainly see your work in print on a regular basis, which can be
very satisfying.

The Media Awareness Project (MAP), maintains a cannabis and drug policy
news-feed, accessible via email and the web at http://www.mapinc.org/ .
Their excellent service makes it easy to stay on top of world news, and to
immediately respond to news articles from around the globe.

- - Get involved in local politics. Most cannabis political campaigns are
focused on the federal government, but municipal and other local
governments usually control how federal laws are enforced. It is far easier
to have a positive impact on the local political landscape. Attend City
Council and Community Policing meetings, and explain how prohibition is
counter-productive and leads to crime and violence. Get your friends to
come with you. Ask civic leaders tough questions, and educate them about
how they can enact a rational drug policy.

You can even take this idea to the next level and run for municipal office.
An effective mayoral election campaign can be run on a very low budget. An
articulate candidate with a few friends and a photocopier can have a
profound impact on the political debate. Mayor Brian Taylor of Grand Forks,
BC, is an excellent example of what can be accomplished by an outspoken
hempster on a small budget.

- - Grow more pot. The war on marijuana is a very real attempt to eradicate
the species Cannabis from the face of the earth. By growing marijuana you
are keeping the cannabis gene pool alive and contributing to cannabis
culture in a very real way. Although getting started on your grow room will
require some investment, the rewards will pay you back many times over.
Once you are growing the fine buds, be sure to set some aside for donation
to your local medical marijuana buyer's club.

- - Invest in cannabis culture. When you spend your dollars on a new bong or
a hemp shirt, buy from retailers who put back their earnings into the
movement. Ask hemp store owners and bong merchants how they contribute to
legalization, and encourage them to do more. Volunteer some time helping
them in their activist pursuits.

- - Get a job. There's plenty of ways to make a decent living while being
active in the cannabis freedom movement. From growing and selling kind buds
to working in a hemp store, from making hemp twine jewelry to developing
anew hemp technology, from writing articles for pot-mags to carving pipes
and bongs. The ads that fill our pages are a testament to the incredible
entrepreneurial opportunities offered by the worldwide resurgence of
cannabis culture. Take advantage of them.

This list is just the beginning, limited only by your imagination and
dedication. What you do can make a real difference. Never underestimate you
power.

Dana Larsen
Editor, Cannabis Culture