WASHINGTON — Pot smokers will enjoy thousands of free joints on Inauguration Day if The DC Cannabis Coalition has its way. This is a move aimed at pushing for federal legalization of marijuana.
The DC Cannabis Coalition has announced that it will be giving away free joints at 8 a.m. Jan. 20 on the west side of Dupont Circle in the nation’s capital, where recreational pot has been legalized. The group will then lead a protest from the National Mall.
Under the recently passed Initiative 71, it is legal to give away, grow and possess 2 ounces or less of pot in the District. However, selling it is illegal.
According to Adam Eidinger, the founder of DCMJ, a group of D.C. residents who contributed a lot to the passing of Initiative 71, they are aiming at passing a signal that it’s time to legalize pot at the federal level.
On the flipside, Eidinger is concerned that President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Jeff Sessions may drive the marijuana industry back to the dark days.
“We are looking at a guy who as recently as April said that they are going to enforce federal law on marijuana all over the country. He said marijuana is dangerous,” Eidinger said.
Eidinger was quick to add that the free joints are really a gift for people who come to Washington, D.C. and therefore they do not want any money exchanged at all.
The joints are expected to be 4,200. Protesters are encouraged to light up their blunts 4 minutes and 20 seconds into Trump’s speech. Yes, it’s very legal. In case you didn’t know, 420 is the international code for weed.
Eidinger also said that they will inform the protesters that they would be engaging in civil disobedience by smoking on federal property and hence they will be risking arrest.
He also clarified that this is not an attempt at disrupting the ceremony and definitely not an anti-Trump event, maintaining that everybody is welcome.
“If there are people from Texas, some Cowboys fan, who is walking down the street in a cowboy hat and a big fur coat and he walks up to our demonstration, I want him to feel welcome coming to D.C.,” he said.
Eidinger said the DC Cannabis Coalition is praying for the best but preparing for the worst as the new government takes office.
