Aaron Houston Testifies Before Congress

Comments (45)
April 3, 2009

MPP Director of Government Relations Aaron Houston breaks down his testimony to Congress on April 2, 2009.

The opinions expressed below by our viewers and posters do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Marijuana Policy Project. These views are those of the individual authors alone. MPP does not condone or support the illegal use of marijuana. We do encourage open and frank discussion, but if a comment has been posted that is in some way significantly inappropriate, please e-mail us at socialnetwork@mpp.org to report it. Thank you, and we're looking forward to what you think!

45 Comments, Comment or Ping

BuelahMan

Aaron,

You are doing a great job. In this video, you are warm and friendly, but I have seen you being interviewed with a scowl.

This is a much better presentation. Keep smiling.

No offense, just constructive criticism.

Thank you and all of MPP for what you do.

B’Man

Apr 3rd, 2009
Mark

Good job. Was this hearing broadcast anywhere? Will it be on YouTube?

Thanks.

Mark

Apr 3rd, 2009
Faye Clarke

Thank you for doing so much hard work and with so many people working with you the job should get done. I have written my congress people and they are
also working on a bill and talking with DEA.

Thanks again,

Faye

Apr 3rd, 2009
Faye Clarke

You did a terrific job testifying before congress

Thank you,

Faye

Apr 3rd, 2009
Elaine

Great presentation..I couldn’t agree more. The state law should be the only law that counts!! Im all for medical use, and know many people who would like to use it for medical reasons but are affraid if having possesion if it, due to the grey area in the laws. Keep up the good fight!!

Apr 3rd, 2009
Fidelity

@ BuelahMan, what is there to smile at, I don’t consider this a PSA. I like the authoritative dictator, it’s more convincing and serious than the friendly smiling sales person. I believe if more people argued about marijuana in the same manner, we would probably be taken a lot more seriously: remember the interview on Glen Beck’s show about a month ago, where Beck laughed away Mr. Kampia’s ideas (and then a few weeks later somewhat endorsed them)? Imagine Aaron Houston instead, do you think people are going to accuse Mr. Houston of being a “pot head”? Of course not, Mr. Houston is a serious man, and no one will ever doubt as long as he looks and acts serious.

Keep it up Mr. Houston, I struggle to look half as sharp as you.

Apr 3rd, 2009
Kimberly Clarady

Fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves makes you a hero.
Thank you, MPP!

Apr 3rd, 2009
tintala

Great Job Aaron! Too bad we farmers are able to FARM INDUSTRIAL HEMP either. I wouldnt be bankrupt if I could farm hemp on my huge farm. Looks like marijuana will be legal before industrial hemp.

Apr 3rd, 2009
michele smith

excellent and rational presentation
This is not asking anything untoward or radical – merely lawful behavior.
The drug laws are profitable for the ones who make the laws and the mafia drug lords who sell the drugs. If they were all legal there would be more money for treatment, a lot less people would be incarcerated for non-violent crimes, and most drug related violence would cease.
Thank you for your efforts.

Apr 3rd, 2009
Jimmy Drew

Great Job I’ll Be Giving A Donation And I Urge Everyone To Do The Same ,We Need Strong Lobbyist Like Aaron To Get The Job Done.

Apr 3rd, 2009
Sarah

Aaron, great job! You are so articulate. Thanks for making this issue so easy to understand and for advocating to end the insanity of our current marijuana laws.

BTW — why is the DEA at all concerned about enforcing state law? Wouldn’t that be comparable to the ATF conducting swat-style raids against liquor stores caught selling to minors or not paying their taxes? Strikes me as a waste of my federal tax dollars and, well, absurd.

Apr 3rd, 2009
Joyce

Good presentation. Thanks for your hard work. I keep writing to my senators and congress who serve my community and districts.

We need more people like you who will be taken seriously with sensible and concise speech. You present yourself in a way that best serves the patients out here. Our dispensery-pharmacies need to be as business like and professional as you are. Thanks again for a job well done.

Apr 3rd, 2009
Emmet Cooney

@ tintala –

Here’s some hopeful news for you – a bill has been introduced to make hemp legal to grow. It’s about time! After all, Washington (George) and Jefferson (Tom) were both hemp farmers.

link to article on DRCNet

Apr 3rd, 2009
fireweed

IN all this, nobody is talking about the absence of harm iwth marijuana,the reasons WHY we should let people smoke. That we DON’T neglect or abuse our children, that we do have values and structure, that our lives WON’T fall apart if we continue to smoke marijuana, that we WON’T be a burden on the taxpayer. That most of us aren’t the derelicts that you see on Cops on Friday nights, but upstanding productive citizens just like anyone else. And say this against the backdrop of the costs to society in prisons, courts and eradication programs.

Apr 3rd, 2009
Gene Courter Lcsw/Dcsw/Bcd

Is this just fluff or will the White listen?

Apr 3rd, 2009
PapaRon420

Hello Aaron, Beautifully written. Is there anyone who taped the actual session? Any links or video clips coming soon?
Thank you and keep up any good work you do in this area. Was Rob there to support you? Also, I heard of this today and I didn’t see any plans for such a special event on the MPP.org agenda. Was any Press alerted? Did you guys try to avoid making it a HUGE event for some purpose? Just curious. I think it was a big one and maybe we should have been informed of it.. Just for in the future, A lot of us are just learning what to do, how to approach the entire situation. Maybe I’m wrong but I think it would have been prudent to record the event for the world to see. Thank you.

Apr 3rd, 2009
John Kramer

Congress should kill the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. It was a stupid law to begin with. Marijuana should be legal for all medical uses. Hemp should be legal to make all kinds of industrial products. All colleges and universities
should be allowed to do marijuana research with out any strings attached.
President Obama better keep his promise to make medical marijuana legal.

Apr 3rd, 2009
Medical Marijuana Society

WTF is MPP thinking…I’m a Boomer, and old Hippie, have a dog in this fight from a couple of perspectives…my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, has fibromyalgia and endometriosis.

Never have I see a more ill fit for a cause than Aaron Houston is to this one. Seriously, the man comes across as a Mark Foley wannabe, comes across as uncomfortable, and slimy…a man that would have sweaty palms when you get a handshake.

Further, LOOK AT HIS OFFICE in this video…Grassroots is NOT going to trust him, NOR GIVE HIM MONEY.

Apr 4th, 2009
Rev. Scott Imler

Rob, Aaron and MPP friends:
Rob you hired a real winner this time. Great job Aaron. What a blessing to have you working on behalf of patients and providers. Your a class act. My concern however continues to be a lack of real regulation in California. A locally issued business license does not oversight make. The vast majority of clubs are still essentially black-market resale operations. the price is as high as ever, and indigent patients are still out in the cold. these problems can only be resolved by following California law which requires that cultivation and proscribes for-profit sales. California’s lack of interest in truly regulating the clubs, centers and CoOps is largely a matter of “my enemy’s enemy is my friend”. Given federal intransigence since ‘96, it’s easy to see why California took stay the helll out of here position, but until the state steps up to the plate, which they seriously need to do, the feds will continue to have cause in their minds to act unilaterally. While there is much good work going on in the medical cannabis field, there are still alot of problems that deserve a more nuanced examination. I hope and pray you will find a way to use your considerable talents to help perfect a system that allows for licensed quality controlled production and well regulated cost controlled prescriptive distribution.. The goal of Prop 215 was to liberate patients form the costs, risks, and indignities of the black-market not tho institutionalize it. Ah, the best laid plans.
Keep up the good work.
grace and peace,
scott imler

Apr 4th, 2009
One Love

Irony…

The original Constitution of all free men and the original Bill of Rights were written on Hemp Paper.

…And that dear American Flag, I believe that was hemp also!

Apr 4th, 2009
Chuck Graham

Thank God we have a voice out there. I’m 54 years old and can’t believe we are still going through all of this nonsense over a little pot.
Keep the fire burning MPP.

Apr 4th, 2009
Vivianne Mosca-Clark

I would like to thank-you for all of your efforts on changing the governments stance on this issue.
I have been for legalizing this herb for over 30 years now.
I have a problem. This problem is, the lack of total legalizing Marijuana.
I understand most of the arguments for just going for medical use. As you can see,the government is unwilling to co-operate. They want over the top taxing on it. They do not get taxes on the medical marijuana. The taxing of it would make it vary hard to get for the people.
We are still under the oil companies wanting to stop competition for some of their products. This plant can produce some products cheaper then the oil companies.
If it was completely legal, they would not be able to raid homes and take out our constitutional rights. Which they have done. The way the laws are now,they can go into any home and made sue you are being legal, which they have done here in Oregon.
The government has had several studies on this plant. They were done in the late 60’s early 70’s. Then suppressed. I know that the courts have all of the documentation about this herb, as one of the people here brought extensive documentation to a court case here. Health reports were in there also.
This game about marijuana,is about a few people not wanting any computation. It started in the 1930’s, when a machine to separate the fibers was invented to make the process of removing the fibers go faster. Yellow journalism and the ‘reefer madness’ film was made to help scare the general public to stop this plant from being grown.
‘We the people’ do not need to bow to the large corporations immoral business practices. We still are being arrested and demoralized behind this plant. It is also being used to stop political movements for other issues in our society. Inferring political dissidence is because of the pot smoking.
I personally have helped to get over 6,000 signatures, to vote in the process of getting signatures to legalize this herb. Conducted one of the first ’smoke-ins’ on the capital steps in Salem Oregon. Helped other organizations collect signature also. Also talked to the officers of the law, and our local government officials about this law.
Because I vote for the legalization of this plant for people over 18 years of age. I have been considered to radical. But the reasons for wanting it to be legal, has shown to be true.
ie…..the government will still go into private homes, and scare people. The very thing we are trying to stop.
Again..thank-you for your efforts. And please consider making this plant legal for all its uses.

Thank-you for your time on this matter.

Vivianne Mosca-Clark

Apr 4th, 2009
Pat Dixon

Aaron,

Your organization continues to do great work. Keep it going.

Yours in Liberty,

Patrick Dixon
Chair, Libertarian Party of Texas

Apr 4th, 2009
LYNDA STRECKER

Aaron,
Thanks for your articulate presentation before congress. Thankfully there is a voice for us on this important issue.Not surprisingly, I did not hear ANY COVERAGE ON THE EVENT. What was their response to your testimony? Were they responsive? I will communicate w/my legislators also. I understand N.Y. did vote in the state legislature last yr. to legalize m.m but that it failed in the senate. Hopefully this yr. it will pass. There are more DEMS now and they seem to be supportive. I have MS and am new to the cause.
Keep up the great work! I am most appreciative of this organization.
L.S

Apr 4th, 2009
Heather Masterson

Thank you Aaron and everyone over at MPP for your outstanding work!

Heather Masterson
A friend in Montana

Apr 4th, 2009
DancesWithFascists

Every comment so far appears wildly positive except for one by “Medical Marijuana Society” apparently so unhappy with Aaron’s physical appearance and demeanor as to call him “slimy”.

Checking out his website, he has his own article stating “Rob Kampia, do us a favor…you want us to support your work on Capital Hill, get us a better LOBBYIST! This guy has DORK written all over, and from this old hippies perspective is doing MORE HARM than good in the fight to Legalize Medical Marijuana. Look at his office in the video…that is not the office of someone that gets, or has gotten high…if he has not gotten high, how can he really speak for us on Capital Hill?”.

I couldn’t identify the author of this extremely unprofessional screed on his website but it does appear that he is trying to build a little marijuana-crusader dynasty of his own. Maybe he is jealous of Aaron’s success and exposure, I don’t know what his motives are. But I submit that he is the slimy one as revealed by the character of his attack. Here is Aaron working his ass off to make us all free in another way Americans were always meant to be but many freedoms have been taken from us. I can’t even begin to say how much I respect that and encourage him to continue and I think I’ll donate again too, it’s the least I can do. And Aaron you represent us well. I don’t know what Mister Marijuana Dynasty has ever done besides make his website and try to slime you, but I definitely do not respect his efforts to hinder your work. I hope everyone else feels the same and tells that slimeball so.

Apr 5th, 2009
Tennessee Activist

There’s to much ASKING, we’ve been asking for reform for years upon years.

Apr 6th, 2009
Christian

Aaron; what an awesome job! Please, continue fighting for this very important cause…you’re a voice for millions of American when it comes time to stand before congress and you’ve done a great job so far in reflecting our voices!

Apr 6th, 2009
Rob

Please keep fighting Aaron you’re doing great!! don’t give up!!

Apr 6th, 2009
dave

I applaud you Aaron. I think what alot of people fail to realize is that you cannot just go before congress and say WE WANT OUR POT. People must understand that even getting congress to address this subject is near impossible because of politicians fear of being seen as SOFT ON DRUGS. This subject needs to be addressed in a rational manner,pointing out the facts and producing the evidence.Politicians will respond better to that.I believe they are getting the message and more people who want legalization need to let their elected officials know,instead of the staying in the CLOSET.You cant erase70 plus years of ignorance and misinformation overnight. I think you, Aaron represent our cause better than most as you look more like the face of people that actually smoke cannabis.When the Congress finally sees the real faces of cannabis users,doctors, lawyers, teachers,auto workers,and the like,then they will realize that its not just the guy who lays around on his couch all day playing Halo, but Americans from all walks of life..

Apr 6th, 2009
Steve

We need to stop using the word “marajuana” and start using “cannabis” or “medical cannabis”
We need to refer to the movement as “Hemp Reform” or ending “Hemp prohibition”

Apr 6th, 2009
Eric L. Carter

Aaron Houston has the right stuff. Get him out there.

Apr 7th, 2009
fred

I hope each of you are writing at LEAST one email to a politician in your state. We all know what we want. They need to know how we feel !
They won’t know if we don’t tell ‘em !
Thanks !!!!!!

Apr 7th, 2009
Jonathan

Steve, you’re absolutely right. This is no longer about that dirty drug marijuana anymore, its about a nation waking up to the fact that just a single plant called cannabis holds huge potential for all of mankind. From increased government revenue to the creation of a booming, green industry (which already exists) that would carry us into the next millennia, the benefits of cannabis deserve immediate attention from the federal government.

Apr 7th, 2009
kent keith

i wish pepole would stop using the idea of MJJ. kick into high gear and leaglize no insurance company, medicade, or medacair are going to pay for pot if you spent as much time on leaglizing as you do trying to make MJJ work it would have been done by now. just a thought

Apr 7th, 2009
Samuel Taylor

Lets discuss the impact of a Voluntary MJ tax… what if we all just started paying it. MPP could hold it in escrow or something. All these bastards hear or see is money. Let’s all start kicking in $4.20 state and $4.20 federal into two paypal accounts or something on that order.

How many billion would it take to wipe the smirk of Mr. Obama’s face the next time someone asks him if he thinks it could effect the economy?

Apr 7th, 2009
Emory

U.S. Government holds a patent on Cannibinoids as of 2001 and clearley states the medical benefits of the cannibinoids through their funded research.

Patent # 6630507 can be displayed by clicking on my name or going to The United States Patent and Trademark office @ http://patft.uspto.gov/.
- On the left side where it says patent # search, click here and enter the patent # 6630507

Can someone tell me what is wrong with this!?

Are they not the ones claiming no medical value!? Yet, thay have patented their research on cannibinoids proving elsewise?

I smell Hypocrisy and something that goes much deeper than meets the eye.

Please comment with your opinions…. I want to know what others think of this as well.

Apr 9th, 2009
Nick M.

To Emory: It all plays into big business and how much pull that business has in congress. I’m sure your well aware of all the corruption around cannabis prohibition and to make a long story short, far too many people profit from the prohibition of cannabis for it to become legal. And most of these people profiting hold vast majorities of power in congress. So in the end its still big business growing bigger at the expense of the citizens of this country. Something must be done to stop this injustice. It all counts on the people who know the truth, to spread that truth to those that have been raised to believe “marijuana” is harmful to our country, when it is the laws that prohibit marijuana that actually hurt us the most. Did I get it right?

Apr 9th, 2009
Robbie A.

Aaron,

Great job! Thanks for everything!!!

Apr 10th, 2009
james

i guess we have to have a black market on pot to keep money flowing for the DEA other wise these cops would have to do something about the sex affenders in that calf.town where there are 79 sex affenders in the girls neighborhood . lock up pot heads . free the sex affernders . that is the america that i no. Aaron houston i dont think congress hears any thing unless there is a dollar sighn attached. but keep up the good work . oh buy the way give them this thought it has not STOPPED POT USE YET.

Apr 10th, 2009
JasonD

It is a trick of words…

“Marijuana” has no medical value… only “Cannaboids”…

Is what they say. That is like saying, “Oranges have no medical value”, but “Vitamin C”, does. (Pure political play on words.)

The only true fact is…
They (for undisclosed reasons, and the reasons disclosed are political mumbo-jumbo.), want marijuana illegal, “The plant”.

In the end, the only thing they can agree with, is that these laws are strictly for, “Kid perception and public image”. There is no other proof or unanimous agreement, as they demand in the law, which signifies that, “Beyond all reasonable doubt”, that marijuana is actually harmful enough to warrant it being illegal, controlled with death and imprisonment.

Again, this is one of those clear abuses of power, for political gain. Funded by the corporate dollar, hiding behind kids, and using the kids and consumers as the victims. It is the drug cartels and tobacco/alcohol industry which funds the law. Obviously, as they are the only ones who gain from it. We are obviously hurting from it, and not gaining anything except more corrupt politicians.

How do you tell which politicians are corrupt… They continue to fight for the laws which aide organized crime.

Look at the “Salvia”, situation, and you see a clear runner, paid by the tobacco and alcohol companies. (Apparently they have also written the actual law. With such stupid wording as, “All contents therein.”, which includes water, air, chlorophyll, and sugar. Thus, making almost every product illegal, by law.)

Google it…

They are going after “Electronic cigarettes”, which are a smokeless device used to deliver levels of nicotine that are lower than OTC patches and gum also. (I can understand wanting FDA approval, but FDA has already approved those levels. Just not the delivery device.)

NOTE: Electronic cigarettes are great for THC/Hash-oil delivery. (They are mini-vaporizers. An ideal medical delivery device, similar to an inhaler.)

Apr 14th, 2009
Emory

JasonD and Nick M,

Thank you for your responses. I hope to see more responses and people that see what is underlining things such a prohibition. I do also believe that just as Big Business drove Hemp into the dreaded marijuana in the past, it is still true to and occurring to this day. We have this problem with many things that go beyond prohibition and we need more people to wake up to the world beyond the diameter of their own heads and start to research and inform themselves.

We do not have enough people that actually know their Constitutional rights or the freedoms secured through our Bill of Rights. The government and big business control of today, driven soley by profit margins and the next dollar is not the America our ancestors drenched this great countries soil in blood for. There are things wrong here and we need to take back our freedoms.

As far as I am concerned, we lost our rights with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act and big business and the ‘Privately’ owned Central banks gained power in our loss. Thomas Jefferson, & George Washington especially, amoung our other founding fathers lay in their graves in vien for their efforts to free us have been abolished. I guess freedom only last until the blood is leached from our countries soil.

Before the great depression, the American people owned the government and the federal government was at our will. We were the ‘Franchise owners’. Then, in the midst of chaos, a private bank sought control, not just in shares of our government, they bought the whole franchise. They printed money to put in circulation to build out of the great depression. Our govt. should be printing and controlling the flow of currency, not a private company of any sort!

Prohibition is only skin deep, I want to go straight to the bone! Boycott when and where you can, go ‘without’ unless needed, and plant the seed in others to know. Those who seek the truth and look into our history will find themselves re-reading the Constitution of America and our Bill of Rights effortlessly because they start to realize how dear they hold this work of art and how quickly it is diminishing and slowly being replaced.

I will not leave this country in its current form to my offspring to fix as that is what got us here. People, we need revolution and it does not begin with an O.

It begins with YOU! Repeal the Federal Reserve act and flood gates to freedom will once again open and flow! We need to buy back our govt. not borrow more money from the Fed!

Apr 14th, 2009
Matt

I think you are to young to be our face in DC. While I do not doubt your talents or passion for the cause. I feel statements coming from an older person would have more wieght. Especially during testimony, I am a cspan junkie, and while you may know all the facts you will def rub congressmen the wrong way.

Apr 15th, 2009
Andrew

I saw Aaron in a documentary about cannabis, good job man keep fighting the fight!

May 26th, 2009
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Jan 25th, 2010

Aaron Houston Testifies Before Congress

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