From lawyers in landmark cases to sanctuary-friendly mayors to Dear Abby and Chelsea Handler, here are the week’s most notable cannabis quotables.
“It’s the first time a young child who needs lifesaving medicine has stood up to the government to be able to use it. It’s the first time that a group of young millennials of color has stood up to the government and said the marijuana law is wrong and has destroyed their communities.”
—Joseph A. Bondy, one of the lawyers behind Washington v. Sessions, which challenges the listing of marijuana as a Schedule I drug and names the Department of Justice, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the DEA as defendants, to the New York Times
“Among drivers younger than 21 years of age, the risk of crash involvement was 38% higher.”
—Dr. John Staples, assistant professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia, speaking about the elevated driving dangers that come on April 20, AKA the unofficial cannabis holiday 4/20, to CBS News
“Medical and recreational marijuana are legal for adults in the state of Nevada. That it is being used as an excuse to isolate you is cruel.”
—Dear Abby, aka Abigal Van Buren, in response to the medical marijuana patient in Nevada, who wrote of being shunned by her husband’s family for her “drug use”
“I believe we can balance public safety and resisting the Trump administration.”
—Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, declared Berkeley a sanctuary city for cannabis users and cementing a policy prohibiting city employees from assisting federal officials in the enforcement of federal marijuana laws
“There are so many reasons to end the prohibition on marijuana. Whether you’re concerned about the well-being of children, fairness for minority communities, redirecting money away from criminals and into state’s coffers, stemming the horrific bloodshed in Mexico, or civil liberties; it is clearly time for a new approach,”
—Rick Steves, travel writer, PBS host, and cannabis advocate, briefing Congress on Tues, Feb 13 2018
“I want people to understand that you don’t need to get blottoed. You can just get a nice buzz going to take the edge off.”
—Chelsea Handler, TV host, announcing her plan to launch her own cannabis brand, on Instagram
“I didn’t open a dispensary or start speaking out about mass incarceration & police brutality & equality thinking that one day I was going to get a Lifetime Achievement Award. That’s not why you do it. You do it because it matters to you” https://t.co/7sx8NBZOpr@BlackTwitteratipic.twitter.com/L3KrUzO0nl
— Wanda L. James (@WandaLJames) February 14, 2018
Tonight’s show is dedicated to the State Trooper who pulled me over for two violations and was cool about my weed once I showed him my Med card. He gave me a warning for both!
— Chris Cope (@ChrisCopeComedy) February 13, 2018
