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events because they felt disrespected by Flynn. Flynn felt the allegations were not sufficient for him to resign, and refused to step down. The board (minus Samson at the request of the members) voted on a series of questions from the bylaws which governed if they were able to forcibly remove Flynn. The board ultimately failed to remove Flynn involuntarily; however, they were successfully able to call for a vote of no-confidence in Flynn as president of the organization. Throughout the discussion surrounding Flynn, members continuously called to ban Flynn from MassCann as a whole, and the board encouraged members to request a vote calling for his removal as a board member and member of MassCann.
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decriminalization legislation. The questions, when approved, told the legislator to introduce and support medicinal cannabis or decriminalization legislation. The legislators were free to disobey these directives from their constituencies (as they are non-binding), but by doing so would demonstrate disrespect for the wishes of the voters.
181:. Steven Epstein was the first clerk and Madelyn (Maddy) Webster was the first treasurer. In 1991 Dave Getchell was elected president, but after just a few months Dave handed the job to Bill Downing who served as president until 2004. Steven Epstein, an attorney, was elected treasurer in 1991 and remained treasurer through January 2012.
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In 1999 MassCann activists formed the
Committee for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (CRML) in support of a proposed statewide ballot initiative that would decriminalize adult possession of marijuana in Massachusetts. Though the all-volunteer signature drive gathered over 20,000 signatures, it fell short
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In response to MassCann members' and the general public's reaction to
Racioppi's role in the rally, MassCann had its affiliation with the national NORML organization suspended until it shows a "clear opposition to bigotry." MassCann called an emergency board meeting on 1 July 2020 in response to the
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Eventually public policy questions were run in 41 districts. Some were run by former MassCann board members who formed the Drug Policy Forum of
Massachusetts (DPFMA). Every one of the 41 public policy questions run up until now has passed with an average of 63% of the voters in support (almost 2 to
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Members also called for the removal of Bill Flynn as board member and president due to persistent "bullying" of members, vendors, and partners. Other board members alleged that Flynn's behavior had caused the loss of 200 members in just one year, and that vendors and partners were dropping out of
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Beginning in 1996 MassCann activists targeted state senatorial and representative districts with public policy questions on local ballots. These non-binding ballot questions were run in districts where the senator or representative held sway over and stood in opposition to medicinal cannabis or
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Freedom
Fighters of the Month. March 2012 saw many long-term directors stepping down and first-time directors coming in. A women's group was formed that intends to inform the Massachusetts public of benefits for women's issues such as premenstrual stress. Co-founder attorney Steve Epstein has
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Various sub-chapters of MC have been formed over the years, the most notable of which is the
University of Massachusetts Amherst Cannabis Reform Coalition (UMassCRC). Their annual spring Extravaganja rally on Amherst Common has grown in popularity over the years.
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protests from 1994 until 1998, calling for the taxation of regulated marijuana sales, held at the last post office open in the state on Tax Day, the Boston Postal Annex. At one of those protests hundreds of ounce bags of marijuana seed were thrown to the
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MassCann was founded
October 21, 1990, by Steven S. Epstein, Linda Noel, John Hardin, Madelyn Webster, Gary Insuik, Christopher Perron, John Miqliorini, Therese Slye and Ron Massad. Linda Noel was the first president and was also active with the
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164:, is published six times annually. Membership is open to the public and leadership is democratically elected at the annual winter membership meeting, usually held in March. In June 2019, MassCann had its status as an affiliate of
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To those ends MC leaders and members have written, published, spoken, debated, marched, rallied, organized, donated, illustrated, and otherwise volunteered in numerous ways.
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and inspired their funding of a statewide decriminalization ballot initiative. That initiative passed by a comfortable 30+ point margin (34.8% opposed; 65.2% for).
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held on the third
Saturday in September on Boston Common. It is traditionally the second largest annual gathering demanding marijuana law reform in the
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suspension of their chapter status. After the board unanimously called for his removal from the board, Racioppi ultimately resigned.
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Passage of the Joe
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MC has virtually no overhead costs, with neither personnel nor offices. Every action of MassCann is done by volunteers.
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In
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Passage of the
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244:. MC has successfully sued the City of Boston for permits for the Freedom Rally three times.
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suspended due to controversy surrounding now former Board Member Samson Racioppi.
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1). The results from these public policy questions caught the attention of the
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conferences on drug policy, first on May 18, 1991 and second on May 21, 1994.
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Massachusetts Legalization, Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Initiative
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departed. Bill Downing is among long-term directors remaining on board.
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International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service
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Removal of cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act
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of the required 57,000 and the initiative effort was abandoned.
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Le Dain Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs
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in opposition to the taking of the Farmer family residence by
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The MassCann board of directors and officers were honored as
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public education organization working for the moderation of
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in August 1997. It is codified at M.G.L. c. 94C, s. 34.
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European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies
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National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
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National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
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Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
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Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
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every third Saturday in September. Their newsletter,
526:"The MassCann Emergency Board of Directors' Meeting"
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International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines
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473:"2020.7.1 MassCann Emergency BOD Meeting Minutes"
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184:MassCann seeks to raise public awareness about
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322:In the 1990s MC worked closely with the
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780:Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition
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138:Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition
28:Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition
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327:-Massachusetts Drug Policy Task Force
266:A July 11, 1992 protest and march in
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81:Georgetown, Massachusetts 01833-0366
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438:Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
284:Annual Boston participation in the
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1463:Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics
1333:Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party
506:. Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC
340:on legislative issues including:
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498:McDonald, Danny (June 26, 2020).
428:Students for Sensible Drug Policy
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1323:British Columbia Marijuana Party
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620:"Public Policy Question Results"
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984:Smart Approaches to Marijuana
318:MassCann legislative partners
214:George Floyd protests of 2020
196:2020 Board Member Controversy
152:laws. MassCann organizes the
68:of marijuana in Massachusetts
53:Public Education Organization
1428:Legalise Cannabis Queensland
1358:Saskatchewan Marijuana Party
1229:Finnish Cannabis Association
901:1971 Psychotropic Substances
551:Bloom, Steve (1 July 2020).
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578:"Official UMassCRC Website"
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454:Americans for Safe Access
268:Chelmsford, Massachusetts
255:Other MC events include:
129:Official MassCann Website
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1409:Cannabis sans frontières
1348:Marijuana Party (Canada)
1343:Legalize Marijuana Party
418:Marijuana Policy Project
370:Marijuana Policy Project
232:The group organizes the
1275:Fields of Green for All
994:Winners Don't Use Drugs
634:"Massachusetts results"
479:. MassCann. 1 July 2020
202:Super Happy Fun America
188:s use and potential in
111:Steven S. Epstein, Esq.
1353:Marijuana Reform Party
1219:Drug Equality Alliance
659:Official NORML website
449:Prohibition of alcohol
286:Global Marijuana March
259:Co-sponsorship of two
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906:1988 Drug Trafficking
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408:Legality of cannabis
403:Drug Policy Alliance
117:Keith Saunders, PhD.
1214:Cannabis Law Reform
974:Above the Influence
896:1961 Narcotic Drugs
640:. November 5, 2008.
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1173:November Coalition
923:Cannabis in the US
911:Cannabis in the UK
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606:"Joe Hutchins Act"
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16:(Redirected from
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714:The Hempest
557:CelebStoner
212:. Amid the
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532:. MassCann
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272:forfeiture
162:Mass Grass
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1372:Elsewhere
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