Thc Ministry

[Ferre]

March 24, 2004

 

 

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

 

 

 

ASHCROFT AND D.E.A. SUED TO PREVENT RELIGIOUS AND THERAPEUTIC CANNABIS ARRESTS

 

 

 

 

 

A Complaint for injunctive relief was filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii against U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, D.E.A. Administrator Karen Tandy, and local U.S. District Attorney Ed Kubo by religious and medicinal consumers of cannabis.

 

 

 

The suit seeks to enjoin the Federal government from arresting and prosecuting those residents of Hawaii whose religions and religious beliefs require the consumption of cannabis (the herb governments derogatorily label as "marijuana").

 

 

 

The lawsuit also seeks protection from federal prosecution for those citizens of Hawaii who cultivate, consume and/or distribute cannabis legally pursuant to legislatively enacted Department of Public Safety Narcotics Enforcement Division guidelines and valid patient/caregiver registration certificates.

 

 

 

The suit was sparked by the recent arrest of a local Hilo THC Ministry Reverend, and the ensuing prosecution for cannabis cultivation by the U.S. Department of Justice.

 

 

 

The case has a strong probability of success based upon the recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (whose decisions serve as precedent in Hawaii) in Raich v. Ashcroft. Angel Raich and other Californians and caregivers can now consume and cultivate therapeutic cannabis absent the often realized fear of federal prosecution for their use of a non-toxic and natural herbal medicine.

 

 

 

The Plaintiffs also rely upon the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act to secure their definitive right to free exercise of religion.

 

That Act was recently used to prevent the federal government from prosecuting a New Mexico based, Brazilian Uniao Do Vegetal themed religion for their importation and distribution of Ayahoasca, a hallucinogenic-laced tea from the Brazilian rainforest.

 

 

 

According to Michael A. Glenn, Esq., the Hawaii attorney for the churches and patients suing Ashcroft, "The Federal Government has zero compelling interest in preventing either the religious or therapeutic consumption of cannabis by Hawaii's citizens. More people died last month from eating peanuts, jaywalking or taking aspirin than have ever been harmed by cannabis in the entire history of its use. And, even if you take the federal government at face value and accept that they have the power and duty to protect one from one's own folly, the mandatory terms of imprisonment faced by cannabis users have zero relationship to the goal of harm reduction and indeed smack of Draconian punishment for freethinking, non-violent Reverends and patients leading law abiding lives."

 

 

 

Local cannabis activist and founder of the THC Ministry Reverend Roger Christie is ready to change the government's views on cannabis. "The conspiracy against marijuana will be replaced with the truth of cannabis."

 

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Attorney for Plaintiffs

RELIGION OF JESUS CHURCH, THC MINISTRY, Et Al.

 

 

MICHAEL A. GLENN

Attorney at Law #6480

1088 Bishop Street Suite 703

Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

(808) 523-3079

 

 

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http://www.thc-ministry.net/PressRelease.html

 

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http://www.thc-ministry.org/

http://www.thc-ministry.net/

Edited March 29, 2004 by tboat

[Guest]

I like.

 

Those guys rock. Can we do this in Australia? That's exactly how the problem should be tackled. Face on. Offensively. Attack is the best form of defence and we've been running and hiding for too long. Time to beat them at their own game. Good onya THC Ministry. Kick their arses!

[Ferre]

Last year at the Cannabis cup Eddy Lepp (fellow THC Minister) and I were talking and he mentioned the fact that there is no THC Ministry in Australia and wondered why. I didn't know either, we do have a few Australian members at our boards but I don't know any who are also registered as minister. Well, I guess it won't take that long before the THC Ministry will be established in Australia as well, Europe and Canada have several already and new ones are founded rapidly. The more members we will have, the more governments will HAVE to deal with us and our religious freedom that comes with it. Edited March 30, 2004 by tboat

[bongenon420]

i want to join.

mj is already a religous activity i have thought for many hours before about how you get it recognised as that.

Too bad i cant claim to be rastafari.

[everest]

wow , thats great news . i checked into the thc ministry but to tell you the truth i was too stoned at the time , alas there is a way to fight back ............. got me thinking