Jon Rothberg

New York

"Cannabis allows me to be an active, productive, focused, kind, creative, motivated, caring, religious, intense, helpful, calm, spiritual, honest, parental, inquisitive, childlike, responsible, playful, funny, serious, contributing member of society who wants to do his part to make our society a better place for all. I want to do this by working for cannabis reform and hemp as a commodity for our farming community with an emphasis on educating the people of this fine country that cannabis is good and that its many uses will be a benefit to our society and the answer to many of our crime, legal system, and financial woes.

"The prohibition of cannabis, along with other quality of life 'crimes,' is the CAUSE of the majority of our crime, violence, fear, financial and overburdened legal system problems. It is NOT the production, sale, distribution, and consumption of cannabis or other illegal substances, prostitution or gambling. People have always patronized prostitutes, bet on just about everything imaginable, and indulged in something to 'lift the spirits.'

"For the life of me I can't understand how these 'leaders' can miss the obvious fact that if we continue to take away from health, education, and farming, we will end up with a sick, stupid, and hungry nation. That is one scarey scenario, if I do say so myself. I must also add that it should be a 'no-brainer' that if you make something illegal that is in demand by the masses, and drive it underground, that the price for the prohibited item will skyrocket and people will use violent means to protect their profits. How did they forget the lessons of Alcohol Prohibition between 1920-1933, which was put in to play to reduce crime and corruption 'caused' by alcohol? A cold blooded-killer can get grants and funding for higher education, but an upstanding member of the community convicted of growing a few cannabis plants or in possession of a few ounces of cannabis is ineligible for any education grant or loan. The killer will most often be out of prison considerably sooner, too.

"Cannabis has no record of ever causing a death since its first documented use around 3000 BC and alcohol.... well we all know about alcohol. People can drink, but I can go to jail for cannabis.

"Cannabis is not for everyone, and I certainly don't want you to think that I ever would imply that. Cannabis works for me. I believe that the complete decriminalization of cannabis and allowing research into the many untapped miracles of this marvelous plant will bring benefits to our quality of life far beyond our wildest dreams. We need to inact a new plan which should start with the complete decriminalization of cannabis, using the State of Alaska's Initiative as a guideline.

"Yes, I am angry, but I can focus my anger in a positive way because... you guessed it... I have cannabinoids in my body."

• Custom home construction and consultant; investor
  

• Interested in cannabis and hemp reform, ending prohibition of all "quality of life" crimes, human rights issues, and all aspects of music (playing, composing, production, recording, and promotion)

Photo taken during a recent trip to Amsterdam. Jon reports that he has been able to stop using a variety of pharmaceutical drugs for the treatment of a variety of physical and psychological disorders when he access to good cannabis. It's makes him a more vital and better person.