Friday, July 10 will go down in history but not for the same reasons I would have wished. There was a state of the art social event planned that had to be cancelled, well not entirely cancelled, just the state of the art part.
Counter Culture Events AZ planned and promoted the Fire and Ice 7/10 dab party. For those who don’t know July 10 is the new 4/20. The reason is if you turn 710 upsidedown and backwards it spells OIL. Hash oil is one name for some of the popular and potent cannabis extracts in the market these days. The event features three local bands including Alter Der Ruine who is about to embark on a nationwide tour opening for Haujobb, other local acts Mother’s Lament and Intertwine, who have a Native American radio station, will also play.
The portion of the event that has been cancelled had to do with medical marijuana, big surprise. This event is not, and never was, open to the public. Everyone who attends must purchase a ticket making it a “private event.” State certified medical marijuana patients were to be allowed to purchase VIP access to a “medicated area,” where they could sample and share cannabis and cannabis-infused products with other like-minded patients. This type of activity has happened in places around Arizona, such as Phoenix and other private events and clubs here in Tucson. In and of itself, consuming cannabis at a private event is legal. Sharing amongst those with the right to consume and possess cannabis is legal. Talking about and considering the merits of different cannabis with like-minded folks is legal. But the powers that be apply pressure wherever and however they can.
In this case, the pressure came from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. An agent visited our friends at Club XS and said that smoking inside was in violation of the rules surrounding the clubs liquor license. The liquor control agent tried to scare the owner of the club saying there would be a citation and fine forthcoming if he allowed the event to include a medicated area, and it worked. My contract to rent the space has been abruptly cancelled, without return of deposits, although we were able to re-negotiate and maintain the venue for the concert.
Sponsors and vendors have had to change their weekend plans after being told there will be no medicated area. The patients that have enjoyed similar events in the past are being denied their chance to socialize and share their freedoms. I feel like I have broken my word to all those above, but letting the patients down hurts me the most.
Counter Culture Events AZ won’t go away. There are parks, concert halls, ballrooms, and many other venues that don’t have liquor licenses, where we can host entertainment and socialize. Most medical cannabis patients don’t enjoy alcohol anyway, but we wanted to be inclusive and have the party in a place where non-patients would feel at home and have fun as well.
This sort of issues also happen in places like Denver, where cannabis is legal but public consumption is not. Private clubs, bars, hotels and bed and breakfasts are marketing their businesses as 420 friendly. Some, with liquor licenses, have had similar visits from Colorado liquor control.
These pressures are a form of intimidation and discrimination. It scares people into the shadows. We need an open honest conversation about laws and customs surrounding cannabis. Times are changing and it’s time to accept the differences between us.
This article appears in Jul 9-15, 2015.
Thank you! Very informative and very well-written.
Officialdom has still not accepted the concept that cannabis is non-toxic and a lot less harmful than alcohol or tobacco. It’s not surprising that liquor license rules still reflect that bias.
It appears the marketers are out in force. MMJ was brought in before all the concentrates the vaps the shatter the Hash. Anywhere in the above did you read about helping the populace on ailments? I for one will not be supporting 710 with any endorsement 410 has a history of accomplishment of MMJ. This guy Aari don’t need to change a date, he needs to change his name to charlatan. These people are behind the MMP’s proposal will try to take a market not overseen but by rules they want to write.
Just a question just how many votes do you think MMP’s are going to get in these BS concerts while hiding under the term non-profit. If Mr. Aari’s is under the opinion that they can get a bunch of stoners at a concert to swing a vote for legalization while dismantling MMJ we will see you the first Tuesday of 11/2016.
I received a card in the mail inviting me to the 710 celebration in Marana. I didn’t know it was obfuscated of the international 410 struggle and accomplishments.
I went to this place as it was changing it’s name thought that was the reason for the celebration. I drive by it daily as I do others just to keep on driving. This time I went to see if anything had changed as it’s been close to 3 years since I first entered the establishment.
Went in gave my card went to the Weed Tender stated I have MS and am on a disability what do you have that can help me today. So the Bud Guy starts Indica and Sativa and the difference between them. At this stage of the game it is akin to a fast order personal explaining to a customer the difference of ICE in your drink and no Ice. I wanted to know what they had available to help my ailment different terpenes and hybrids. It was like a deer in the headlights he didn’t have a clue and was so nice about it too. I then asked do you grow your own? The Manager said yes we just started a place in PHX. I ask why PHX why not grow local invest in Tucson. BS story on Zoning as I have been involved in construction and Tenant build outs for over 40 years. Yea I don’t think I will be celebrating on 710 as I don’t see a DAMM thing that helps the citizens patients or economy of Tucson.
Could you not rent some fencing to control access to an outdoor “medicated area” that wouldn’t violate the terms of the liquor license?
This is the reason we don’t need 2 different agencies to compete with each other . The Liquor Board following enforcement of ” No Smoking ” in Bar laws. Then to have a Marijuana Control Board Issue licenses to do that very thing community smoke areas just minus Alcohol?
This will eventually All Marijuana being a concentrate or a edible. Reasoning will be second hand smoke some areas of the country don’t allow people to smoke tobacco in or outside the homes or natural open settings
. I quit smoking cigarettes15 years ago thanks to we had the Ecigarette vaps were still a decade off. I for one don’t want to see the proliferation of concentrates oils or shatter to replace simply plain plant material. This is the aim and aspirations in my opinion of the Arizona Dispensaries Association (ADA)
It is my firm belief that these dispensary agents are working diligently for that very authority of that enjoyed by the Liquor Control Board. The ADA and it’s agents will control agriculture of hemp as an industrial commodity. ADA wants to control whom can grow and who cant but as well license Hydro shops with just the propensity of use. This alone would stop a huge part of Intrastate and Interstate commerce you couldn’t buy a cloning pot on Amazon but for it to be a civil fine collected by the ADA cronies. ADA want to collect tax monies be given the entitlements of governments without any of the responsibilities and spend them without oversight of the People and the State of Arizona.
Be very aware of these Dispensaries why does the medical user need to pay for instate grown product. Grown in bad business models, extremely utility resource dependent carbon emitting personal resource taking special card punching, Happy Hour, first time patient marketing.
I have a better Idea State run wholesale distribution collective agency. Where tax collection and testing is
applied on growing can be done easily and efficient. Tax will be collected at POS to a retailer either a home care giver or storefront. All product will be held to AZ State testing standards and tested for assurance and quality. that is also why people are paying a tax to have some protections mandated by law in regard to consumables. No need for more loss of civility defining tale of a Bloated Goat rips of the ADA group..