LEAP Blog: HEMPFEST 2008

[Alison Myrden]

Hey everybody!

 

Whhooa whoo! Arrived home late last week from an absolutely incredible week at HEMPFEST 2008 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. It was phenomenal. I am so tired I could barely walk and barely had a voice when I got home, but it was well worth it.

 

So, caregiver and driver Gary Lynch, federally licensed patient Derek Pedro and I got up to HEMPFEST in Sault Ste. Marie on Wednesday, August 20th mid afternoon to a surprise spot check with approximately 30 Police Officers walking around. We saw a huge command post set up with a trailer which a few undercovers took off to when we pulled up.

 

Immediately Constable Kelly came up to the passenger window and introduced himself as I was sitting in our 34 foot rented RV, and then asked us for our insurance and ownership for the RV, and personal identification from all three of us. That was weird. We were told it was an alcohol spot check and we told them none of us were drinking.... why in the world would they stop us?

 

Next, we were a little surprised when Constable Kelly came back to my window and asked us if we would please bring our cannabis out to their portable table? We were very surprised and apprehensively stepped out, bags in hand. I went first. I stepped up to the table where a few officers were standing and noticed an electronic weigh scale. The first thing I asked was, what is THAT for? Immediately Constable Kelly told me it was a scale. I knew that! I told him, I meant what did they THINK they were doing? I told him this was a peaceful gathering and no one was out to cause trouble. A precaution, he said. I guessed my weed at four ounces, as that was all I could scrounge up to take with me. It weighed in at 3.9 ounces. Good guess I said. They all laughed and agreed then went immediately back to being stone faced and unemotional. Gary, Derek and I were angry. How dare they detain us for almost 45 minutes for this? I handed them some brochures and business cards from LEAP and gave them a little lecture on the taxpayers’ money they were wasting and the resources and the misappropriated spending this all involved, Disgusting, I said to them as we drove away.

 

I hadn't been at HEMPFEST for even a hour when another licensed patient, a young guy in his late twenties named Richard, whose parent's were also exempt, came up to my RV begging me to help him. Seems as he was coming through the spot check, he misplaced his card that he just got in the mail and they kept his medicine - all 30 grams.

 

We jumped into his car and booted back up the road to resolve this nasty situation and fast. We drove up the the spot check and pulled over on our own, as I was leaning out the door asking for Constable Kelly to step forward. Within moments an officer named Brian and Officer Kelly were there. Officer Brian proceeded to tell me that he followed all of my blogs and my work closely and that some day we would be in agreement. I knew it would take until he retired. Richard immediately inquired about his missing weed. They all already knew I was there. They could all see and hear me. I was MAD!

 

For the remainder of my Blog please go:

 

http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php?name=Blog...play&id=332

 

Love and stuff,

 

 

Alison

 

xx

[grace]

Hey everybody!

 

Whhooa whoo! Arrived home late last week from an absolutely incredible week at HEMPFEST 2008 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. It was phenomenal. I am so tired I could barely walk and barely had a voice when I got home, but it was well worth it.

 

So, caregiver and driver Gary Lynch, federally licensed patient Derek Pedro and I got up to HEMPFEST in Sault Ste. Marie on Wednesday, August 20th mid afternoon to a surprise spot check with approximately 30 Police Officers walking around. We saw a huge command post set up with a trailer which a few undercovers took off to when we pulled up.

 

Immediately Constable Kelly came up to the passenger window and introduced himself as I was sitting in our 34 foot rented RV, and then asked us for our insurance and ownership for the RV, and personal identification from all three of us. That was weird. We were told it was an alcohol spot check and we told them none of us were drinking.... why in the world would they stop us?

 

Next, we were a little surprised when Constable Kelly came back to my window and asked us if we would please bring our cannabis out to their portable table? We were very surprised and apprehensively stepped out, bags in hand. I went first. I stepped up to the table where a few officers were standing and noticed an electronic weigh scale. The first thing I asked was, what is THAT for? Immediately Constable Kelly told me it was a scale. I knew that! I told him, I meant what did they THINK they were doing? I told him this was a peaceful gathering and no one was out to cause trouble. A precaution, he said. I guessed my weed at four ounces, as that was all I could scrounge up to take with me. It weighed in at 3.9 ounces. Good guess I said. They all laughed and agreed then went immediately back to being stone faced and unemotional. Gary, Derek and I were angry. How dare they detain us for almost 45 minutes for this? I handed them some brochures and business cards from LEAP and gave them a little lecture on the taxpayers’ money they were wasting and the resources and the misappropriated spending this all involved, Disgusting, I said to them as we drove away.

 

I hadn't been at HEMPFEST for even a hour when another licensed patient, a young guy in his late twenties named Richard, whose parent's were also exempt, came up to my RV begging me to help him. Seems as he was coming through the spot check, he misplaced his card that he just got in the mail and they kept his medicine - all 30 grams.

 

We jumped into his car and booted back up the road to resolve this nasty situation and fast. We drove up the the spot check and pulled over on our own, as I was leaning out the door asking for Constable Kelly to step forward. Within moments an officer named Brian and Officer Kelly were there. Officer Brian proceeded to tell me that he followed all of my blogs and my work closely and that some day we would be in agreement. I knew it would take until he retired. Richard immediately inquired about his missing weed. They all already knew I was there. They could all see and hear me. I was MAD!

 

For the remainder of my Blog please go:

 

http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php?name=Blog...play&id=332

 

Love and stuff,

 

 

Alison

 

xx

 

Nice work Alison

A lot of us are following what you guys are doing

I hope to be over that way next year

Maybe for the next Hempfest with some aussie weed ... all legal of course

Best wishes

grace

[Alison Myrden]

Thanx so much Grace...

 

Nice to hear what we do is not in vain...

 

And thanx for the sweet words doll...

 

When your coming to Canada, drop me a line!

 

Love and stuff,

 

 

Alison

xx

Edited September 13, 2008 by Alison Myrden