This music was written by Vivian McPeak and Johnnie Johnson and performed and recorded by the band Stickerbush circa 1992, off of the album "Seedless" on Purple Dirt Records. Recorded at Audiologic Recording Studios, Lake City, Washington.

Stickerbush:

Vivian McPeak - Vocals, Lyrics, Music
Johnnie Johnson - Guitar, Music
Trace Tedrick - Bass
Dan Snyder - Drums, (Backing Vocals - "Republican/Blue")

It's Time the Cannabis Culture Grow… UP.

I am the executive director of the largest cannabis policy reform event in the world, and because of that I feel that I have a unique perspective on marijuana law reform. I feel very strongly that it is past time for the cannabis community to fully mature, to grow up and out of some of the cultural pitfalls we've been taking as we fight our legitimate struggle against the tyranny and injustice of America's
archaic pot laws.

In fact I think that many of us in the reform movement are really missing the boat when it comes to some issues directly associated with getting high, and I hope to be a cog in the wheel of change in that regard. The stereotype of the lazy, apathetic and indifferent stoner has to be replaced by a new meme and that meme has to be based upon real examples of responsible, informed and participatory cannabis enthusiasts.  

Let me give you an example of what I mean, and I warn you that many "stoners" are not going like some of what I have to say. If we want more freedom we had better be prepared to pony up an equal share of personal responsibility. We have to have the green gonads to face up to the few legitimate issues that our opposition has. Then we need to be prepared to proactively deal with them.

We have a catastrophic image problem going on here, and in my educated opinion it will require herculean effort to turn that image around. That's OK, I think we can win anyway, it will just take a little longer. The reason I want us to implement these changes - this new awareness - is because it is in our best interest and is the right thing to do.  

"Give me that example," you say. Well, my biggest pet peeve is probably the extreme lack of germ consciousness that my fellow stoners often display. I was doing some emcee work for a neighboring Hempfest not to long and while hanging out backstage at the smoking tent I witnessed the funniest scenario. There were bongs, vaporizers, pipes and joints being passed from person to person in a rabid stoner bake fest that would have given Jack Herer at the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam a run for his money.  
It was a hot day, and while we were all sucking on the same wet joint paper as each other with wanton abandon we were all taking great pains to make sure that we wrote our names on our water bottles, lest we should catch any germs from each other!

Would you share everyone in the room's fork or spoon, or drink off of everyone's straw? Many of us don't think twice before sharing a joint or pipe with a room full of people we barely know. Most medical marijuana patients do though, because they have a heightened sense of germ awareness.  Germs spread colds and viruses, and we should remember that when we are getting baked.

Some folks let their bong water get all swamped out and grungy, and then they pull that bacteria laden swamp mist deep into their hungry lungs, just begging for a pesky lung infection (that I call Bongchitis or Hemphezema).  

The truth is smoke is not god for your lungs, even though pot smoke apparently is not carcinogenic. What we call expando weed is actually our sensitive lung tissues rejecting the very irritant nature of burnt stuff.  What we call a head rush is often a lack of oxygen. Health consciousness has never been a large part of the illicit substance community and I think that has to change.

Vaporizers, which do not burn your gooey green vegetable matter, heating  it up instead so the THC crystals release from the bud in a vaporous form, give a much cleaner high because you are not inhaling all of that funky carbon exhaust from the fibrous rope stuff that a vaporizer doesn't burn (but a pipe or joint does).

I also champion marijuana abuse prevention education, from elementary school on up. Pot is relatively benign and in some cases downright therapeutic. However, pot can and is abused by people looking for a convenient escape from their reality, people unconsciously self medicating physical, emotional or psychological pain.  

I think everybody should have the right to smoke, eat or vaporize pot without fear of jail or prison. I don't see any circumstance with pot that someone should go to prison just because of the pot. I also feel, however, that everyone should have access to truthful, accurate, science based information on how to identify and understand the mechanisms of abuse and addiction and how to mitigate the legitimate health concerns that come along with getting baked.

Yes, even with pot. Not the lies, disinformation and gross exaggerations of the pathetic D.A.R.E. campaign.
That stuff just backfires miserably. If you wish to check out some truth based information I recommend you click on http://www.mamas.org

There are 54 million students in American schools, and every one of them should learn truthful and factual information about drugs and alcohol. They should also learn the truth about the herb. They should learn that we arrest over 700,000 otherwise decent, contributing Americans each year to the cost of 7 billion dollars. No nation in the history of the world has had as large a percentage of its population incarcerated. We're number one!

We need to change these terrible laws that are breaking apart families, denying the sick and dying relief, and wasting taxpayer's dollars in a misguided and illogical war on our culture. But we have to be prepared to take it to a higher level of personal awareness and responsibility if we deserve to win in this human rights and civil rights struggle. We will win, so it is time to roll up our sleeves as we roll up our herb, there is always room for growth in this community.

Great evil is often perpetrated by very good, decent people who are acting out of ignorance, fear and superstition. The whites in Mississippi and Alabama of the 1800's and early 1900's did not understand black people, their culture and beliefs were foreign to them, and unspeakable injustice and persecution was the result. The settlers and immigrants that came to America before them did not understand the indigenous cultures that were here first and the result was some of the worst genocide this planet has ever seen. Well, the politicians, law enforcement and mainstream Americans who support treating us pot smokers as if we were dangerous and violent criminals do not understand us and fear us from the row ignorance, fear and disinformation.

To hate them is to defeat ourselves.  We must reveal ourselves t them. That is the worst thing about being branded as criminals; we cannot come out into the open to be understood. Well I have, I am open and honest about who and what I am. My kids are grown, I have no corporate job, and I am willing to face the music in defense of all of the kind, sweet brothers and sisters out there who rely on some form of leadership from those who purport to represent them.

However, if we are not willing to be smart, responsible and aware we should remain in the shadows, lest we reinforce those pesky stereotypes and the cultural baggage that we carry around our necks each day as we trudge through a society that has branded us as dangerous criminals.

Hang tough, Stoney Growers, our day is coming too. Just as every other civil rights and human rights movement has struggled for equality and liberty we need to keep paying our dues because I feel we are close to Valhalla!

Now excuse me, but I have to fire up my Volcano, I think I feel a vapor hit a comin' on!

In Solidarity, Vivian McPeak, American Stoner.