Chris Pender

Oregon

"I have smoked marijuana for 26 years. Once I got into my 40s, my main thought was - most of my ancestors were dead by now. I have lived a full life and marijuana has been a part of it. My health is good, I take care of myself and I do not see why I cannot live another 40 years. With this in mind, I became active in the legalization of marijuana movement because: How can a government make a decision about my life and my body? Especially, since my own 26 year study refutes any claim that marijuana is harmful to me."

• Actor/Dancer/Acrobat, Fisherman, Group Home Manager, Crafts Vendor (manufactures a boardgame and sells it at crafts fairs)
  

• Enjoys reading history, working 60 hours a week, and watching football
  

• Played Mordred in the National Tour of Camelot with Richard Harris
  

"I come from a family with a strong work ethic. I feel this work ethic leads me to one dimensional thinking and stress. So getting stoned seems to open up different avenues and makes me more in tune to how I actually feel. The one dimensional work leads me down the path of not listening to my body . With marijuana, I can hear my body."