CannabisClergy.com
Guide for medical cannabis ministers
and medical marijuana ministers
This is a Guide for medical cannabis ministers and medical marijuana ministers.
This Guide outlines some of the topics you may need to prepare for in order to have a successful legal defense in both federal (U.S.) and state (California) court for working as a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister in a California medical cannabis collective, dispensary, or cooperative.
Exact material will vary greatly by religion. I provide examples from my own religion, although many of the examples may not apply to your religion. You will want to prepare your own defense, probably with the help of a lawyer skilled in first amendment and criminal law.
Controlled Substance Act (CSA)
In 1970 the U.S. Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970.
Under the CSA, cannabis tetrahydrocannibinols (including marijuana, hashish, and hashish oil) is designated by Congress as a Schedule I substance, supposedly “having no medical value” and therefore illegal to “manufacture, distribute, or dispense; or possess with intent to manfacture, distribute, or dispense.”
Severe penalties include a mandatory minimum of 10 year prison sentence a maximum of life in prison for more than 1,000 kilograms or 1,000 plants. The mandatory minimum for 100 to 1,000 kilgrams or 100 to 1,000 plants is five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison.
The sentence for less than 50 kilograms (unless there are more than 50 plants) is a maximum of five years in federal prison.
For “simple possession” of “small amounts”, the first offense has a maximum sentence of one year in federal prison. On a second offense there is a minimum of 90 days in prison. On a third or subsequent offense there is a maximum of three years in prison. Distribution of “small amounts” of cannabis “for no financial renumeration” (note that means no payment of any kind) has the same penalties.
Under CSA Section 859, if a person 18 years old or older sells more than five grams of cannabis to a person under the age of 21 (even if the person purchasing is older than the person selling), the maximum sentence is doubled. On the second offense, the maximum penalty is tripled.
Under CSA Section 860, manufacturing (growing) or sale of cannabis within 1,000 feet of a school (including any university or college campus) or public housing facility or within 100 feet of a public youth center, pool, or arcade, results in the maximum sentence being doubled. On the second offense, the maximum penalty is tripled. If found guilty under this section, a person is not eligible for probation, suspension of the sentence, or early parole.
What possible reason could the U.S. government have for such Draconian penalties for cannabis? It is because Chrsitianity has always imposed Draconian penalties for Witchcraft, including torture and the death penalty. The Controlled Substances Act imposes harsher penatlies for cannabis than for rape, murder, and torture because the Christian judges and Congresspersons consider Cannabis Witchcraft to be a more serious religious offense than violent crimes.
The courts have already ruled in multiple cases that a person who starts preparing a religious defense (including gathering certificates and other paperwork) after arrest loses all chance to use the late religious defense. It is essential that you prepare your defense before you are arrested. Adequate preparation may even prevent arrest.
This website is concerned with religious matters and only obliquely discusses the law. I strongly recommend that medical marijuana ministers rely on a high quality lawyer.
I (Milo) use my own religion as an example, because this is the religion I know well. I strongly urge people to get together with their lawyer and prepare a similar discussion for their own religion. Again, my religion is only an example.
Good news: Many people over the years have successfully used Pr Ntr Kmt religious cannabis certificates. The author of this website has personally several times over more than a decade shown various police Pr Ntr Kmt documentation and the police have politely returned the religious cannabis. There are at least two Pr Ntr Kmt cannabis ministers who have been released after the police discovered several pounds of religious cannabis (although the police kept the cannabis). There are numerous real world successes.
Reality: If the government decides it wants to “get you”, then your only chance is if you can afford a really, really good lawyer.
The law is whatever the government decides the law is.
The rights you heard about in grade school only apply if you can afford a great lawyer. Public defenders are under-budgeted and only want to process paperwork for plea bargains. They simply don’t have the time or money for trials.
We don’t want to discourage anyone from worshiping with cannabis, but we do want to strongly warn everyone that you have a significant risk of long term imprisonment or worse, especially outside of major industrialized nations.
Please act responsibly. Please hire a lawyer if you can possibly afford to do so.
Get a Pr Ntr Kmt certificate as proof that your cannabis religion is real.
These web pages contain religious advice. These web pages are not professional legal or medical advice. Nothing on this website should be considered as a substitute or replacement for professional medical, health, or legal advice. All persons should seek the advice of qualified medical, health, or legal providers.
If you spot an error in fact, grammar, syntax, or spelling, or a broken link, or have additional information, commentary, or constructive criticism, please contact Milo at PO Box 1361, Tustin, Calif, 92781, USA.
