- Title: Pot smokers plan inauguration protest for legalization of marijuana
- Date: 18th January 2017
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNTIED STATES (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION ADVOCATE AND COMEDIENNE, ELIZABETH CROYDON, SAYING: "We're doing this to assert our rights and say that we won't move backward on the issue of legalizing an industry that can bring a lot of money, jobs and health to people." PILE OF ROLLED JOINTS VARIOUS CROYDON ROLLING JOINTS CROYDON SMOKING JOINT
- Embargoed: 1st February 2017 02:37
- Keywords: Trump inauguration marijuana
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0055ZLW4MD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Self-proclaimed "Washingstonians" are planning to "light up" during Donald Trump's speech on Inauguration Day on January 20th to urge him to legalize marijuana federally across the United States. Recreational usage of marijuana remains illegal under federal law in the U.S.
Organizers say they're ready to help those who want to participate to smoke up, donating 4,200 joints with no exchange of cash or goods. The D.C. Cannabis Campaign, which recently converted back to its original name DCMJ (short for DC 'Mary Jane'), is planning the joint giveaway starting at 8am on Inauguration Day starting at Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. From Dupont Cricle, DCMJ volunteers will parade down to the National Mall between 8am-10am and plan to giveaway 4,200 joints made of legally-grown marijuana along the way, organizers say.
In D.C., a law passed in February 2015 made it legal to possess small amounts of marijuana, and to grow and consume it at home. It is illegal to purchase or sell it, or consume it in public.
Volunteer and comedienne Elizabeth Croydon, who is a marijuana legalization advocate, says rolling that many joints was no easy task.
"We started rolling our cannabis last week to prepare for the guests that we have coming into our home town and a lot of people are just going over to a friend's house, six, seven at a time rolling what they want to do, spending the day together," she said.
#TRUMP420 is the name they've given to their protest, where at 4 minutes and 20 seconds into Trump's speech they'll "light up! (unless President Trump comes out now in support of full cannabis legalization in all 50 States and DC!)," organizers said on their website, DCMJ.org.
"We're doing this to assert our rights and say that we won't move backward on the issue of legalizing an industry that can bring a lot of money, jobs and health to people," said Croydon.
According to the D.C. local government, it is legal for adults 21 years of age or older to possess two ounces or less of marijuana to consume on private property.
The District says an individual arrested for consuming marijuana in public could face up to 60 days in jail, or a $500 fine.
Besides the District of Columbia, the states of Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska have made the recreational use of pot lawful. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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