4/20: NJ Weedman invites Christie to puff-puff-pass outside Statehouse
TRENTON — New Jersey's most famous pothead is inviting one of the nation's most ardent marijuana foes, Gov. Chris Christie, to light up in front of the Statehouse on Wednesday.
In a rambling, uncorrected op-ed Friday in The Trentonian, Ed Forchion (better known as NJ Weedman), calls on Christie to attend the 4/20 pro-marijuana demonstration in the state's capital.
April 20 is observed by pro-weed activists as the unofficial National Weed Day. This will be the third year that the East Coast Cannabis Coalition holds a smoke-in rally in front of the Statehouse. Last year nobody was arrested.
"I personally plan on firing one up in your honor celebrating your demise at the Presidential level," Forchion writes. "Try it i think youll like it."
Forchion probably knows Christie will not be partoking in public any time soon.
The Republican governor has been criticized for stalling the implementation of the state's medical marijuana program, which was signed into law by Gov. Jon Corzine, and has described medical-marijuana programs as "a front for legalization." And while running for president he said he'd come down hard on states that legalized weed.
Christie this week said he'd veto a legislative proposal to include menstrual cramps on the list of ailments for which doctors can prescribe marijuana. New Jersey is one of 23 states plus the District of Columbia with a medical marijuana program, but the Garden State's rules are the most restrictive.
Last week, Christie said the state's program "is a truly medical-based program for only people who have true illnesses that require medicinal marijuana" while "other states have programs that are faux medical-marijuana programs that allow for recreational use.”
Weedman writes that Christie's "refusal to legalize marijuana is no different than Alabama Gov. Wallace’s refusal to end segregation."
Some other nuggets from The Trentonian piece:
I’ve always been a big supporter of Civil Disobedience in regards to ending cannabis prohibition and have encouraged it as a useful tool. My favorite quote is: “F-the law, smoke it anyway!”
Puff, puff I think America is about to have its own Arab Spring.
Maybe even Gov. Christie will attend, I’ve invited him. I predict the legalization of marijuana will become a “cause celeb” issue this election cycle and say proudly “its 420 and its time has come.”
In New Jersey selling marijuana is a whites only business... These white ATC owners can sell marijuana legally while brown/black peoples are arrested for marijuana at three times the rate of whites in this state.
Forchion, who often runs for elective office, last year opened a restaurant with an attached temple near Trenton City Hall. But cops, citing city laws restricing after-hour businesses, shut down his cannabis church. - which has since reopened. In response, Forchion last month filed a federal lawsuit against the city.
In November, Forchion lit up in Trenton City Council chambers — and didn't get arrested.