Pot Couture Gives Mary Jane a Makeover

By Margot, Co-creator potcouture.com

Have you ever had a friend so dear and true that you knew your forces combined could accomplish anything? When Pepper and I became friends, we felt that way almost immediately. We looked out on the future and thought, “This is going to be a blast!” We promptly determined that we would grow old in the same nursing home, live to at least 92, and flirt obscenely with younger men in their 70s. But before that we would be unstoppable, powerful women, taking over the world one brilliant project at a time. Pepper and I carefully reviewed our joint passions and settled on the thing that we loved most in the world after each other and our dear sweet Misters—pot.

PotCouture.com is a labor of love.  Marijuana has brought such wonderful things into both of our lives that we felt compelled to share our stories so that other people could read and share their own. What was initially conceived as a little blog about our pot adventures in New York City evolved into a much bigger venture: the first online magazine developed for stylish, professional women who use marijuana.  While we were researching our project we were both inspired and surprised to realize there were hardly any sites catering to the interests of what we would call “lady stoners.” However, there was one pinpoint of light in the darkness: an excellent article in Marie Claire in 2009 entitled “Stiletto Stoners.” The public response to that article was so positive that we knew we were onto something. So we forged ahead, and in July 2010 we quietly launched Potcouture.com.

Well, it wasn’t quiet on purpose. No one knew we were there. But we believed that in holding up our own little pinpoints in the darkness we were beckoning our fellow lady stoners to “come out of the smoky closet,” as Sabrina Fendrick of the NORML Women’s Alliance would say. We had faith that as other women like us held up their lights in reply, the truth would become profoundly apparent: everybody’s doing it!

I would respectfully assert that one of the larger problems the marijuana legalization movement faces is one of perception. Frankly, Mary Jane needs a makeover. Television and movies consistently portray the marijuana user as a burden on society. You’ve seen variations on the theme: the stereotypical stoner is wrapped in a tie-dye security blanket and passed out on a threadbare couch, one hand in a bag of Doritos and the other clutching the mightiest bong in all the land. In fact, one of the more prevalent and ridiculous arguments against the legalization of marijuana goes something like this:

“We’re in a recession, people! If California legalizes marijuana, the whole left side of the country will pass out at the wheel, leaving the rest of us to shoulder this economy one sober step at a time! Fear! Anger! Gnashing of teeth! Arrrrrrggh!”

But that unconscious dude on the couch isn’t representative of us. In fact, I know a lot of stoners, and that doesn’t resemble any of them. As a professional woman living and working in New York City, I meet people every day who smoke pot for health and relaxation. The image of the unmotivated lump doesn’t begin to portray the ingenuity, persistence, intelligence, and passion embodied in my fellow “lady stoners.”

PotCouture.com is our effort to illuminate the darkness. We are holding it up over our heads as high as we can, answering the other pinpricks we see in the distance, lights like the NORML Women’s Alliance. When we first talked with Sabrina we knew we were meeting a true friend. The activism undertaken by the NORML Women’s Alliance shows integrity, clarity, and reason, and we share their goals to provide a voice and face for female marijuana users who are not accurately represented by mainstream media, or by what has become traditional pot culture.

It is with great happiness and pride that we don our highest heels in solidarity with the NORML Women’s Alliance, holding up our flickering candles with theirs in faith that if others see our collective glow they will join our cause. Opponents to Proposition 19 and other marijuana ballot measures know better than anyone that the stereotypical pothead is a myth, and yet they manipulate that problematic image as much as possible, stretching it as far as it will go. Because the truth we know—and the truth they fear—is that stoners aren’t losers. We’re innovators, entrepreneurs, visionaries, activists and voters. And our forces combined can bring logical, healthy change to the marijuana policies in this country, ending prohibition at long last and implementing safe, reasonable laws for the medical and recreational use of pot.

Join us. Let’s make some light.

100 Women Of Weed

A Mary Jane Mother’s Day

By: Serra J. Frank – Moms for Marijuana

I am the founder of Moms for Marijuana and I support the NORML Women’s Alliance (NWA) in their fight for the educated regulation of Marijuana. Along with the NWA, Moms for Marijuana proudly represents like-minded mothers from all walks of life. On Mother’s Day, the NORML Women’s Alliance will introduce you to a couple of Moms for Marijuana by highlighting several stories of mothers and grandmothers who hold their heads up high and proudly say “I am a mom for Marijuana.”

A lesson of history is that people enjoy altering their state of mind. History has also shown us that the prohibition of any substance is not beneficial to society and creates a violent and dangerous black market; which opens a gateway that allows our children to easily obtain these substances.

Society tolerates drug use such as alcohol and tobacco. The taxes from these substances help our schools and our communities. Open access gives adults a safe source for obtaining their drug of choice, despite the health and social ramifications that come from the decision to consume these drugs. Alcohol and tobacco consumption creates an industry that generates hundreds of billions of dollars and employs millions of people each year. Regulation and restrictions make these substances more difficult for our children to obtain.

Research has shown that Cannabis (Marijuana) is a safer alternative to drinking alcohol or using tobacco. Yet we continue to drive sensible adults to choose a more harmful substance because of Marijuana’s legal standing; and make criminals out of those who only wish to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Our country’s policies regarding the Cannabis plant are clearly misguided, uneducated and futile. Continuing to allow the enforcement of hypocritical and detrimental laws as well as tolerating failed policies is destructive to our society and the wrong message to send to our children. By avoiding discussion and change, we condemn them to repeat the mistakes of our past.

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Support the NORML Women’s Alliance on Facebook at www.facebook.com/normlwomen

In Recognition of Women’s History Month

This is part of an ongoing series featuring women who are leading the movement for the elimination of marijuana prohibition and the reform of laws governing its use in the United States. They are making history in law reform advocacy, cannabis related business and politics and in the field of medical research and patient care.

In May 1929, Pauline Sabin founded the Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform (WONPR). It was a platform for women who were demanding the repeal of the 18th amendment forbidding the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Known as the Sabin women, the leadership of the WONPR consisted primarily of the nonpartisan wives of leaders of American industry. In a little over a year, almost 1.5 million Sabin Women were publicly calling for an end to prohibition-inspired violence and political malfeasance related to the illegal production of alcohol.

“We believe that there are multitudes of women who are opposed to national prohibition who welcome an opportunity as a body to voice their opposition and work for such a change in the law.” –Pauline Sabin

In 2010, concerned female scientists, politicians, mothers and working women all over America are fighting with equal passion to end the prohibition of marijuana. They are following in the footsteps of Pauline Sabin, M. Louise Grosse (Founder of the Molly Pitcher Club), Mary T. Norton (the first female Democrat elected to serve in the house and member of the WONPR Advisory Council), and other female leaders of the 1930′s anti-prohibitionist movement. Like their predecessors, these women are the true change makers who are working to normalize, legalize, tax and regulate the use of a substance currently used by tens of millions of Americans. They are inspiring women from all social circles and political spheres to speak up and publicly support sensible, responsible cannabis policies based on science, reason and compassion.

While any attempt to identify the most impressive female leaders of the marijuana legalization movement is guaranteed to miss many of those who have toiled long and hard to move this cause forward, the women listed here were selected for their outspoken activism and media outreach. They are presenting a new public face to the reform movement and serving as inspiration for like-minded women everywhere. If there is a sister in the movement you would like to see recognized by the NORML Women’s Alliance, please email Sabrina Fendrick with her name and a bio of her accomplishments at sabrina@norml.org.

The NORML Women’s Alliance would like to honor all of the female NORML Directors who are paving the way toward rational cannabis policies and are setting a wonderful example as women who have actively taken on leadership roles (this year and last) within the NORML family. Thank-you ladies, you are making history:

NORML Women Chapter Leaders

• Dawn Dunlap Central Ohio NORML – (OH)
• Terri Zeman Greater St. Louis NORML – (MO)
• Trena Moss Hillsdale County NORML – (MI)
• Elizabeth Brandt Iona County NORML – (MI)
• Apryl Coleman Kent County NORML – (MI)
• Carol Reed Macomb County NORML – (MI)
• Kim Schmidt Ohio NORML – (OH)
• Norma Sapp Oklahoma NORML – (OK)
• Kandice Hawes Orange County NORML – (CA)
• Madeline Martinez Oregon NORML – (OR)
• Lori Duckworth Southern Oregon NORML – (OR)
• Melissa Posecznick Tennessee NORML – (TN)
• Lacey Viviano Upstate NY NORML – (NY)
• Linda Adler US Virgin Islands NORML – (USVI)
• Melody Karr Wexford County NORML – (MI)
• Dee Duffy Virginia NORML – (VA)
• Cheryl Shuman Beverly Hills NORML – (CA)
• Emily Busalacchi Mile High NORML – (CO)
• Christeen Landino Michigan NORML – (MI)
• Sarah Zenk-Blossom Minnesota State University NORML – (MN)
• Anne Davis New Jersey NORML – (NJ)
• Ruth Liebesman Martiniuk Empire State NORML – (NY)
• Crystal Caudebec Hudson Valley NORML – (NY)

Madeline Martinez is the Sole Proprietress of the United States’ first Cannabis Cafe which opened in late 2009. She is the Executive Director of Oregon NORML, NORML’s largest and most successful chapter affiliate, boasting more than 2,000 dues paying members. She is currently working on legislation to remove all civil and criminal penalties surrounding cannabis use for adults with Sensible Oregon. Her goal is to inspire all states to push for similar legislation and create Sensible America.  Madeline is a retired peace officer and grandmother of six. Martinez is also a member of NORML’s Board of Directors as well as NORML’s Pauline Sabin Winner in 2007.

Mieko Hester-Perez is a brave mother and newcomer to the marijuana reform movement. Hester-Perez received national attention after being featured on ABC News, CBS News, Good Morning America and Fox News as a parent who uses medical cannabis as treatment for her autistic son. “At first I did some research, and I found a doctor who actually had a protocol for medical marijuana in children diagnosed with autism,” Hester-Perez told “Good Morning America.” Her 10-year-old son was dangerously underweight, “you could see the bones in his chest. He was going to die,” she said on the nationally syndicated television morning show. “My son had self-injurious behaviors. He was extremely aggressive, he would run out of our house… he was a danger to himself and others.” A few hours after giving her son a cannabis-infused brownie she saw a major change in her son’s eating habits and behavior. “Marijuana balanced my son,” says Hester-Perez. She is a wonderful mother and a proud parent who understands the importance of marijuana law reform and is fighting to normalize the movement with her public advocacy and activism. She was also a featured speaker at the hugely successful Los Angeles Hemp Conference and Medical Marijuana Expose.

Cheryl Shuman is the founder and Executive Director of the new Beverly Hills NORML chapter, one of NORML’s most high-profile affiliates. For many years, Shuman ran a thriving celebrity serving business and was known as the “Optician to the Stars.” She recently organized one of the most successful and widely attended gatherings of the medical marijuana community, the 2010 Los Angeles Hemp Con Medical Marijuana Show. She was presented as the key note speaker and partnered with HempCon funder Mega Productions to serve as a co-producer. As an ode to women in the marijuana reform movement, Shuman planned a full day dedicated to women speakers that included several high profile female activists. Her press conference, prior to the convention, featured cultural icon Cheech Marin of the comedy duo Cheech and Chong. The news event received significant local coverage and was picked up by major national outlets, including USA Today. She has brought considerable attention to the cannabis crusade in California, and is working to normalize the image of the movement into that of a modern, mainstream fight for social justice.  Several major media outlets have done feature stories on Shuman’s activism, including Reason TV, who captured the well known standing ovation Shuman received after giving testimony to the LA City Council. She has also been featured on KTLA and in The Sacramento Bee.

Dr. Ester Fride (1953-2010) Israeli Scientist who showed that a newborn mammal can not suckle when lacking one of the two cannabinoid receptors. Upon receiving her doctorate in psychoneurobiology, she conducted her research in the U.S. at Johns Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health, focusing on how prenatal stress and neonatal development in the brain. In 1990 in Israel, she began work in the lab of Raphael Mechoulam, who concentrated his research on the clinical application of cannabinoids. Fride was also involved in the identification of an endocannabinoid, 2-Arachidonyl Glyceryl ether, and was co-author of a breakthrough paper describing how the newly found compound responds to the cannabinoid receptor. She is best known for her work at the College of Judea and Samaria in Ariel, where she first hypothesized that endocannabinoids played a role in the nursing process and found evidence of a third cannabinoid receptor. Fride wrote in the European Journal of Pharmacology in 2004 that, “The medical implications [that newborn mice lacking the cannabinoid receptor CB1 are unable to suckle at birth] are far-reaching…and suggest a promising future for cannabinoids [CB1 deprived puppies injected with THC promptly after birth, were able to suckle and developed normally] in pediatric medicine for conditions including ‘non-organic failure-to-thrive’ and cystic fibrosis.”

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Welcome To The NORML Women’s Alliance

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the nation’s oldest and most well respected grassroots marijuana law reform organization, is pleased to announce the launch of the NORML Women’s Alliance.

The NORML Women’s Alliance is a nonpartisan coalition of prominent, educated, successful, and geographically diverse professional women who believe that cannabis prohibition is a self-destructive and hypocritical policy that undermines the American family, sends a mixed and false message to our young people, and destroys the cherished principles of personal liberty and local self-government.

Says NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre: “The prominent role of women in the effort to end marijuana prohibition is pivotal, necessary, and long overdue. According to recent national opinion polls by Gallup and others, the dramatic rise in the public’s support of marijuana law reform is being driven primarily by an increase in support among America’s women. The NORML Women’s Alliance will bring a contemporary approach to the public policy debate, and will proudly represent the interests of modern, mainstream women who believe that the negative consequences of marijuana prohibition far outweigh any repercussions from marijuana consumption itself.”

Charter members of the NORML Women’s Alliance include: NORML Foundation chair and film producer Ann Druyan, attorney and political activist Jessica Corry, editor Shelby Sadler, best-selling author Barbara Ehrenreich, Beverly Hills NORML director Cheryl Shuman, NORML Foundation board member Jeralyn Merritt, Esq., cannabis activist and author Mikki Norris, Cannabis Action Network and Berkeley Patients Group founder Debby Goldsberry, NORML board member and director of Oregon NORML Madeline Martinez, law professor Marjorie Russell, and former ACLU president Nadine Strossen. This founding group of women also includes medical physicians, researchers, business leaders, editors, publishers, mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers.

The NORML Women’s Alliance holds the following positions:

1. The NORML Women’s Alliance believes that the fiscal priorities of marijuana prohibition are wasting billions of dollars on a failed policy.

2. The NORML Women’s Alliance believes that marijuana prohibition violates states’ rights, and improperly expands the reach of government into the families and personal lives of otherwise law-abiding citizens.

3. The NORML Women’s Alliance advocates for an open, honest conversation about marijuana with America’s youth that is void of all propaganda and misleading information.

4. The NORML Women’s Alliance endorses the science-based evidence regarding the therapeutic applications of medical marijuana as well as the continuation of research into the subject.

5. The NORML Women’s Alliance strongly opposes the sexual exploitation and objectification of women in pot-culture and business marketing.

“A marijuana policy that fosters children selling marijuana en mass must immediately change and be replaced by one that effectively stops children from trafficking in marijuana,” says Sabrina Fendrick, coordinator of the NORML Women’s Alliance. “The NORML Women’s Alliance seeks to replace a failed, tax coffer-draining and child endangering 73-year old cannabis prohibition with functional, tax-producing and youth-friendly cannabis policies consisting of legal and social controls that are not at all dissimilar to our existing and ever-evolving alcohol policies.”

Further information about the NORML Women’s Alliance is available online here.