How many marijuana smokers needed for civil disobedience?

[Rocketman]

Ian, what do you hope to achieve by getting people to smoke marijuana in public? 

I don't necessarily oppose the idea (and wouldn't try to stop you, anyway), but I do spend a fair amount of effort trying to convince non-smokers that decrim won't affect their lives -- that smokers will continue to be discreet once the threat of arrest has been removed.

I'd just like to hear your reasoning, that's all.  Will the positives outweigh the negatives?

 

[Barterer]

I do spend a fair amount of effort trying to convince non-smokers that decrim won't affect their lives -- that smokers will continue to be discreet once the threat of arrest has been removed.

Yep. See Amsterdam.  They are very discreet.. hardly a joint in sight.  And it is no big deal at all.  When I visited, I could only stay for a couple days, so I bought the smallest bag of pot available.  After two days of being baked off my ass, about half of it was left.  So I tried to give it to some teen to early 20s kids who were hanging around the train station.  They just refused it and looked at me as if I was weird for thinking such a thing had any value at all. 

About the demonstration - It would be funny to cover a cigar with rolling papers and make a huge Bob Marley special.  With or without herbal enhancement 

[FTL_Ian]

Ian, what do you hope to achieve by getting people to smoke marijuana in public? 

Publicity, of course.  To me, the most critical aspect is having a variety of non-stereotypical pot smokers participating.  The purpose is to put a human face on marijuana smokers and show New Hampshire and the rest of the world that pot consumers are their family, friends, and coworkers - not criminals.

[Braddogg]

I love my freedom too much to participate in a CD activity that might land me in jail.  . . . does that make me a coward?  Haha, maybe, but I just think it makes me a liberty lover!

[KBCraig]

I love my freedom too much to participate in a CD activity that might land me in jail.  . . . does that make me a coward?  Haha, maybe, but I just think it makes me a liberty lover!

I'm with you, which is why I, as a non-smoker of anything except the occasional campfire cigar, voted that I would show up and light up a Bugler hand-rolled. Go to jail for smoking a tobacco cigarette? Oh, please don't throw me into that brier patch!

[CA_Libertarian]

I think all we would need is 10 people, one marijuana cigarette, and some media attention:

1. Notify local media of intent to demonstrate.
2. 10 people show up at designated law enforcement, court, or legislative building.
3. 9 tobacco cigarettes, 1 marijuana cigarette.
4. Let the cops try to figure out which one has the funny smell.
5. 9 falsely detained/arrested persons make IA complaints and/or file civil liberty suits (I doubt they would go anywhere, but it would get some extra media coverage).

By the way, is possession a misdemeanor, or infraction in NH?

[FTL_Ian]

but I do spend a fair amount of effort trying to convince non-smokers that decrim won't affect their lives -- that smokers will continue to be discreet once the threat of arrest has been removed. 

I'd be careful about that approach...  If I were to smoke a joint on my front porch, or while walking down the street, would that be being discreet?  I certainly wouldn't call it "in your face", but at the same time that's definitely not discreet.

What about when someone opens the first marijuana bar?   That will inevitably bring marijuana consumers into one specific area, and someone could very easily claim that is "affecting their life".

Perhaps you are pointing out that it won't affect their life by showing them that marijuana smokers are everywhere already.  That might be a good approach, but I don't believe that marijuana smokers will all continue being as discreet as they are today.  They should not have to continue hiding in the closet.

[Rocketman]

but I do spend a fair amount of effort trying to convince non-smokers that decrim won't affect their lives -- that smokers will continue to be discreet once the threat of arrest has been removed. 

I'd be careful about that approach...  If I were to smoke a joint on my front porch, or while walking down the street, would that be being discreet?  I certainly wouldn't call it "in your face", but at the same time that's definitely not discreet.

I say things like "Most pot smokers just want to be left alone -- they're not looking to blow it in people's faces or smoke in front of people's kids."  I also assure people that after Prohibition ends, towns can (and likely will) choose to pass ordinances regarding smoking in public.  Not something I personally intend to fight...

What about when someone opens the first marijuana bar?   That will inevitably bring marijuana consumers into one specific area, and someone could very easily claim that is "affecting their life".

I am not aware of any pending legislation that would allow a person to open a marijuana bar. 

Perhaps you are pointing out that it won't affect their life by showing them that marijuana smokers are everywhere already.  That might be a good approach, but I don't believe that marijuana smokers will all continue being as discreet as they are today.  They should not have to continue hiding in the closet.

Sorry, I'm rather focused on trying to stop people from being arrested.  If being free enough to smoke in your living room without possibility of arrest isn't a good enough step forward, then I'm afraid I don't quite follow your logic.

Like I said, I'm not automatically, reflexively against the idea.  I see both positive and negative consequences, depending on how the thing is staged.  But if it happens, and the press wants to cover it, my phone will probably ring whether I had anything to do with it or not.

Was just wondering what you'd say to the press, and I think you answered my question...

[FTL_Ian]

I am not aware of any pending legislation that would allow a person to open a marijuana bar. 

I didn't know legislation was necessary for people to open up businesses.  It seems to me that once it is decriminalized/re-legalized, such a thing as inevitable.

Sorry, I'm rather focused on trying to stop people from being arrested.  If being free enough to smoke in your living room without possibility of arrest isn't a good enough step forward, then I'm afraid I don't quite follow your logic.

That would be a great step forward, and being able to walk out to the front of my property would be even better.

I also assure people that after Prohibition ends, towns can (and likely will) choose to pass ordinances regarding smoking in public.  Not something I personally intend to fight...

Perhaps I'm misreading...you would not oppose public smoking bans?   

[Rocketman]

I also assure people that after Prohibition ends, towns can (and likely will) choose to pass ordinances regarding smoking in public.  Not something I personally intend to fight...

Perhaps I'm misreading...you would not oppose public smoking bans?   

I expect I would oppose any such ban at the state level and suggest that the towns decide such matters for themselves.  Decentralized power, eh?

[d_goddard]

public smoking bans?   

I expect I would oppose any such ban at the state level and suggest that the towns decide such matters for themselves.

Smoking bans are unconstitutional, no matter what level of government enforces them.
Now, let's just focus on maridopawanna for this thread, K?
TYVM!

[peacenic]

[quote author=FTL_Ian link=topic=9850.msg172618#msg172618 date=1186059001
What about when someone opens the first marijuana bar?

I'm so there dude, I've always wanted a place to chill and go smoke with random people, without having to travel half way around the world. 

[Fragilityh14]

and few things are as lovely as smoking a joint on a grassy field on a sunny day.