Welcome to this edition of Cultural Baggage. Today our guest, Irvin Rosenfeld. Supplied with three hundred marijuana cigarettes per month by the US Government and yet, he chose not to remain silent. He chose to speak out in this regard. That’s why he’s one of my hero’s.
________
{David Bowie’s Hero’s}
Though nothing
Will drive them away
We can beat them
Just for one day
We can be Heroes
Just for one day
________________
Hello, my friends. Welcome to this edition of Cultural Baggage. This is Hero’s Day. Going to bring a couple of hero’s of mine on the air, to talk with us. Give you a chance to maybe pick up the mantle, the yolk, the burden and to carry it away as yourself, to become a hero. Because it’s a time for hero’s. It’s time to end this drug war. It’s time to especially look at our insane, bizarre laws about marijuana.
We’re going to be bringing in Mr. Irv Rosenfeld. He, as stated, gets… I said three hundred joints per month. It’s actually, I think, every twenty-eight days, he will be telling us more specifically, from the US Government, you know, goes through the FDA, the DEA, {chuckling} local pharmacist, etc. But, they’ve provided him a lot cannabis, over the years. We’re going to talk to him about that.
On this weeks Century of Lies show, we’re bringing in another hero. Mr. Marc Emery, who sold millions of marijuana seeds to people around the world, a lot of Americans. Made the drug czar mad. They want to lock him up for something that they don’t even bother with in Canada. They want to extradite him and it looks like it’s maybe going to happen. Marc will inform us on that.
But, he’s out on bail… bond, something to that effect. He has a couple of days. Early December, he’s scheduled to be handed over to the United States, to face a multi-year prison sentence. Again, for selling those seed to you and me.
Today there’s a major piece in the New York Times. At this school, it’s marijuana in every class. At most colleges, it’s very much an extra curricular matter. But at Marijuana Universities, it’s the curriculum, the history, the horticulture and the how-to’s of Michigan’s new Medical Marijuana program. Laura, go ahead and let’s play them a little bit of that and then we’re going to bring in Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld.
________
{classroom conversations in the background}
Classroom: These are blueberry crossed with Afghani and these are… one of Nathan’s strains. It’s Obama Cush.
Narrator: Nick Tennant teaches people how to grow marijuana, legally.
Classroom: Because if you guys noticed, we were turning out only one six hundred.
Narrator: He’s the twenty-four year old founder of Med-Grow Cannabis College, near Detroit, Michigan, where students are learning how to make money in the fledgling medical marijuana industry.
Nick Tennant: People are coming here because they want a new opportunity. This is something that they can come into. They can leave with a trade; an education. Something that they can start and they can go out there and they can make thirty, forty, fifty, sixty thousand dollars a year.
Narrator: Tucked into this suburban office park, students enroll in six week courses, that cover legal issues; horticulture…
Classroom: Not all brownies and marijuana cookies and stuff like that anymore…
Narrator: …and even creating edibles from marijuana.
________
OK. That was from today’s New York Times. Front page of the newspaper. Front page of their website and right before we bring in Mr. Irv Rosenfeld, I want to talk about the fact that, we’ve had this situation where people like George Will have a column in today’s Washington Post, talking about medical marijuana’s disingenuous. That it has no basis in reality. That it subjugates law in such a fashion, as to destroy our society.
With that thought, let’s go ahead and bring in Mr. Irv Rosenfeld. Very successful stockbroker down there in Florida. Irv, are you with us?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I’m with you. Good evening.
Dean Becker: Hello, Irv. Thank you, sir. Irv, let’s first talk about your life; your situation. What brought you to need medical cannabis?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I have a severe bone disorder. I grow bone tumors on the ends of most long bones and at age eighteen and a half, I discovered that cannabis, medical cannabis, was a medicine that worked for me, better than the narcotics and other medicines and drugs that the doctors gave me. So I decided, since this was the best medicine, I needed to have it legally and since the federal government had outlawed it, I decided to take on the federal government.
It took me ten years to convince the federal government. But in November 20th of 1982, I received my first medical cannabis cigarette, from the federal government, and I have been receiving it ever since.
Dean Becker: OK. 11-20-1982, that’s some twenty-seven years ago, and I told the listener’s in my opening remarks, that you had smoked a considerable amount of cannabis in that period of time. How may joints, sir?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Last Friday, I smoked my hundred and fifteenth thousandth medical cannabis cigarette, provided by the federal government, and of course, that doesn’t count the ten years before that time that I was smoking, ‘cause I cannot document that amount.
Dean Becker: Right. But this is known, because the government tallies it. They ship it via some secure method, I would suppose, to a local pharmacy? Is that right?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: It‘s a local pharmacy, by Federal Express.
Dean Becker: Federal Express.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I receive a tin every twenty-five days.
Dean Becker: Twenty-five days, wow!
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Twenty-five days, of three hundred cannabis cigarettes.
Dean Becker: Oh my. OK, now. This has occasionally led to, I won’t say altercations but, misunderstandings with law enforcement over the years. Right?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: There have been misunderstandings at times, correct. But I’ve been able to… thankfully been able to educate the officers, in different organizations that are against me, to the fact that is legal. Provided by the federal government.
Dean Becker: I guess it takes a little while to kind of just crack through their inherent belief, I guess, whatever. That there’s just no way that that’s possible but… You have paperwork that helps on this?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I carry a letter from the federal government from 1983, when I was arrested in Orlando, when they said that state law supersedes federal law. I also carry the private cell phone number of the captain of the police department in my local town and of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department at the airport, I carry a lieutenant’s private cell phone number. Just in case.
But thank goodness, it’s a lot different than in was in ’82/’83 when I first became legal. There’s the internet now. So you can just tell the police officers, you know, go to Google, put my name in and you’ll read all the stories about me.
Dean Becker: Yeah. That’s true, and then, you know, it’s a sad fact, that internet also interferes with a lot of pot smoker, former pot smokers, who run afoul of the law and then have the ’reputation’ as a drug user. It impedes a lot of people progress, does it not?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld. It can. It depends on how you’re perceived.
Dean Becker: I mean, but the average Joe out there sometimes, caught with an ounce, he can’t rent an apartment anymore, in the city of Houston, I know that.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: He can’t rent apartments, he can’t get scholarships for colleges. You know, all kinds of things that, if you’re a convicted drug offence user of medical marijuana or marijuana - whatever, that it’s worse than if you an assault and battery person.
Dean Becker: Yeah. There’s special provisions put in place for those who use the prohibited drugs, right?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Exactly. Which is sad.
Dean Becker: Now Irv, let’s talk about… you’re a skilled sailor. You get out there and sail in some races and you’re able to do physical activities. Maybe not a hundred percent, but you’re still active and much of that ability, you think is provided through the use of cannabis?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Correct. If it wasn’t for the medical use of cannabis that I have, I probably would be home bound and a) not able to work, as far as a stock broker, because it would be hard for me to move around, and with the pain and the potential of hemorrhaging. But more important, like you said, I do teach disabled people how to sail and I’m very active in racing with disabled sailing and to me it’s wonderful and I’m able to do all that because I have the right medicine.
Dean Becker: Right, and as you said earlier in your medical history, if you will, you tried the opioids and the other, I don’t know, sedatives, relaxers - whatever ingredients, found them to be lacking?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Yeah. I use to take diloted, which is synthetic morphine. Methaqualone, which is Quaalude. Valium. Different anti-inflammatories - difference between medications and they all had marginal effects with detrimental effects that they gave you besides giving you the palliation helping with the pain and muscle relaxation. The can also inhibit you in other aspects, where the cannabis doesn’t do that and thank goodness. With the cannabis, I haven’t used any of the other narcotics or other drugs in nineteen years.
Dean Becker: So much better for all your systems, I’m sure. We’re speaking with Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld. He’s a Florida stockbroker who, just last week, set the world record for the consumption of cannabis cigarettes and here’s the telling point, my friends. These cannabis cigarettes are grown and cured and rolled and shipped, personally, to Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld by agents of the United States government. Am I telling a lie Irv? Is that it?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Not at all. The United States federal government under the Food and Drug Administration, under the Drug Administration and the National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Dean Becker: The DEA, the FDA and, what was the third? I didn’t catch it.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: NIDA. The National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Dean Becker: Speaking of which. One of their major scientists, a Dr. Donald Tashkin, undertook, a few years back, to investigate just how dangerous and deadly; just how damaging it is to the repertory system of the human being, and he found that it was not damaging. Did not cause cancer. Might contribute to bronchitis if it’s smoked too much, but that there was no linking it to cancer. Which is kind of one of the refrains of the politicians when they speak of this. Right?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Very true. In fact he also found that, not only were there no cases of lung cancer in the study that he did in California, but they also found that the people who smoked cannabis and cigarettes, had less cancers than the people who just smoked cigarettes. But he wasn’t sure why.
Dean Becker: I tell you what Irv, I want to alert the listeners, we are taking your calls. If you’ve ever wanted to talk to, is it one of the three surviving patients now, or four?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: No. Luckily it’s at least four. There’s four of us. There’s four of us.
Dean Becker: There are four and you see, as… In the intro to the show I talked about… Irv get’s this. He didn’t have to say a word. He didn’t have to object to the fact that you and I don’t have that same access. But he does and that’s why he is one of my hero’s. Him and Marc Emery, because they have dared to speak the truth despite many people thinking that they shouldn’t.
But we’re going to take just a one minute break and when we come back I want to take your calls. Our number locally, is (713) 526-5738 or if your calling from anywhere in North America, Canada, Mexico, United States, it’s toll free. 1-877-9-420-420. In one minute we’ll be back with Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld and I want you to please, give us a call.
________________
It’s time to play: "Name That Drug - By It’s Side Effects!"
Loss of personal freedom, family and possessions. Ineligible for government funding, education, licensing, housing or employment. Loss of aggressive mind set in a dangerous world. This drug’s peaceful, easy feeling can be habit forming.
A hundred years, A hundred years
A hundred years, A hundred years
You can hear the drug war blow, A hundred years.
________________
(To the tune of: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
Billions and billions……. flushed away.
No one knows just why, but we do it everyday.
The drug lord smiles, the cartel thrives,
the gangs come out to play.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.
________________
Alright. Tidings of Comfort and joy. The holiday season has begun and I wanted to get the drop on everybody. So there we go, with Tidings of Comfort and Joy.
This is Dean Becker. You’re listening to the Cultural Baggage show on the Drug Truth Network. We’re speaking with Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld. He’s a stockbroker, down there in Florida, who has set the worlds record for the consumption of cannabis cigarettes.
We don’t have any callers. Let me remind you once again, that our number here is (713) 526-5738 or toll free, 1-877-9-420-420.
Irv, I didn’t get a chance to see you in the last year or so. You occasionally get to some of the drug conferences, but you’re a very busy stock broker as well and I see you on television spots once in a while and it looks like you leave the office. You go out into a little alcove, alley of some kind and, like smokers do, and enjoy your cannabis in that fashion. Is that how you do it?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: That’s correct. I go outside, where basically people smoke cigarettes, and I join them and I smoke my medicine while they smoke their cigarettes. Unlike places like California or other states where I wouldn’t be by myself, there might be other patients out there.
Dean Becker: Right, right. Florida does not have it’s own medical marijuana law.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: No, no. Just like Texas, I’m afraid.
Dean Becker: Right, right. Well, let’s see. Irv, when you… I don’t know. You’re called upon by legislative bodies to, just kind of give your side of things. To educate them to the fact that, by gosh, there are people who are approved by the federal government. What are some of the responses you get from these politicians?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: It’s important for me to try to teach others what I have and that it’s not the theory people make it out to be and in the pass, when I’ve testified on the state, of course they talk about the federal government being able to send in their state troopers or their federal troopers, to arrest the patient, if they were to pass the law and now, thank God with Obama, he’s stated that he’s going to keep his storm troopers - or DEA, out of states to where, if only you’re breaking state or federal law.
They also talk about, “If it’s really medicine, the AMA would have done something about it.’ Well, now the AMA has done something about it. They have stated that maybe it should be looked into differently. So I think that that’s improved situations tremendously and as far as the economic value of it. I think that states are starting to realize that there might be a taxation aspect of it and I feel like that that’s maybe… I don’t know the whole situation with Marc Emery, I’m afraid.
But you know, if our government has a problem with him, I would say that the major problem, not knowing his real situation, would be maybe taxation. Because sales were done in this country or sent to this country. So the worst thing they should do for something like that is to say, ‘Well hey, you owe me some money. Pay me.’ You know?
Not bring them to this country and put them in jail and then my tax money is paying to put him in jail and pay for him while he’s in jail. I mean, that’s ridiculous. If they think he’s done something wrong, than the worst he’s done is profited from our country. So hey, pay us back, man. Give us some taxes and we’ll give you some time to pay it off or whatever. But you know, you owe us most of the money so, pay us off. That should be the worst that should happen to him.
Dean Becker: I think finances is really starting to enter into the whole of the drug war picture. Alright. We’ve got some callers on line now. Let’s go to Eric on line 2. Eric, can you hear me? Eric, are you with us?
Eric: Yes, I am.
Dean Becker: You have a question or concern for Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld?
Eric: Well actually, I just want to say I’m a first time listener to your station. It’s funny how I just came across this, while I was doing some chores. I was originally a Californian. Building in California before I moved to Texas and, like you were talking about the drug laws, I actually got caught with, shoot, less than… well, maybe about a half a gram of Marijuana, traveling down the road, and I’ve spent two years on probation. Probably spend two thousand dollars and it has made my life an absolute nightmare.
They keep threatening me with jail, they keep threatening me with everything. Back in California - now I do understand this, they use to take a little bit like that, stomp them on their toe or, needless to say, take it home to their wives. But the point being is, when you were talking about… I was listening earlier, when you were talking about marijuana laws and how it’s opening so wide all over the country.
I know in Northern California, I have friends that are setting up shop to sell medical cannabis. I have… and we were talking about taxes and that’s their reform to that, is taxing it so it actually goes to the community. Money actually goes to California to help their problems with money and it seems to be working out really great. It’s a program. Now I don’t see why that can’t happen all over the United States.
Dean Becker: Eric, I’m with you. Instead of it being a drain, it could be a source of revenue. You’re absolutely right.
Eric: They completely flipped the lease. They completely turned it over.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: In this country, there’s still a debate as far as the social use and the economic use of it. But there is no ---- the debates already been won as far as medical use and patients all around the country are out of time and while I’m a director of an organization called Patients Out of Time, the medical use has been proven and that’s really what I want to see happen. Is that doctors, nation wide, have the right to be able to use it, as a medicine.
Dean Becker: OK. Irv, thank you so much. OK. Friends, we’re speaking with Irv Rosenfeld, a stock broker down in Florida. Get’s three hundred joints, from the US government, every twenty-five days. Let’s go to Joe. Line 1. Hello Joe. Your thoughts?
Joe: Hi. Am I on the air?
Dean Becker: You are on the air.
Joe: Alright, wonderful. Thanks for hosting this forum. I wanted to get your thoughts on the THC ministry and whether or not that’s successful in claiming your right to smoke cannabis…
Dean Becker: For sacramental purpose?
Joe: Yeah as a religious right.
Dean Becker: We’ll go to Irv here, in just a second. I want to throw in this. I know that Eddy Lepp tried to use that defense. He said that if Ayahuasca (pronounced io-was-ka) tea, which could kill you, can be considered a sacrament, surely cannabis could be.
Joe: …THC ministry, Roger Christie, when I was in Hawaii and he is a very interesting person and he has a huge banner hanging on the side of the building that says, We smoke cannabis religiously and you can too and after passing it a few times it was like, finally went inside to see and go in right there and he had like it‘s --- out that it was like this huge bag of weed {chuckling} and you know… I do realize that in certain area’s of the country Indians, or different groups, have the right to use peyote.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: While I’m not very knowledgeable on the subject, I always think that if that’s a benefit, then there’s no problem with that.
Dean Becker: No. I would agree. Joe, thank you so much for your call. Again, we’re speaking with Irv Rosenfeld. He get’s three hundred joints every twenty-five days from the US government, the FDA, the DEA and NIDA.
We’re going to have a couple of lines open. I think we’ll have for you. If you want to call our number, locally (713) 526-5738. You can call toll free in North America 1-877-9-420-420. Let’s go to Susan on line three. Susan, you’re on the air.
Susan: Hello Irv. I’d like to know if the ‘government provided’ marijuana is as bad as they say it is, with seeds and stems and all that.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Well, the cannabis that they grow has gotten better over the years…
Susan: OK.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: …and the shipment that I am smoking right now, is from 2001. Which is a big improvement over what I was recently getting, 1996. Meaning I was actually smoking medicine that was thirteen years old…
Susan: Wow.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: …and as far as the quality, since the federal government doesn’t agree that it’s medicine, the THC isn’t as high as it could be. But there again, it’s adequate. It works for me and we’ve really learned from muscle relaxation and for pain palliation, we’re thinking that other of the cannabinoids, such as cannabidiod or some other ones, might be more beneficial for us, than THC.
We wish the federal government would look into different strains, as far as finding which strains work best for me, verses say for Elvy, Elvy Musikka, who gets it for glaucoma. It makes a big difference between glaucoma and muscle relaxation and pain.
Dean Becker: Yeah, and too often I’ve heard that people who have done that, and you reach back to Todd…
Susan and Irvin: McCormick.
Dean Becker: …Todd McCormick who was trying to develop that knowledge of the strains and their capabilities and they wiped out his database. They did the same with Phil, up at the Vancouver Island Compassion Society.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Luke…John…Luke…
Dean Becker: Phil Lucas.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Philippe. Philippe.
Dean Becker: Philippe Lucas. The did the same to him. They had devoted years to develop these strains and the knowledge, and it was wiped out because…
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: That’s why I think someone, like Marc Emery, serves such an important purpose. Because again, he has the knowledge of the different strains and to me that’s very important to continue the process.
Dean Becker: Right. For those out there that don’t know, for some people in pain, they find the indicas work better to just kind of dull the senses and help get through the day and for others who are depressed or otherwise needing of an uplift, that the sativas tend to do that - give more of a positive thing and then the blending of the two and as you said Irv, the hundreds of cannabinoids and molecule combinations that are contained in the plant are amazing.
Susan, we want to thank you for your call. We do have time for, well, another Joe. He’s on line one. Joe, your thoughts please.
Joe: Yeah, I was listening to a couple of your guests and this one guy gets three hundred of these cigarettes every twenty-five days. You know, just doing some quick math, he sleeps eight hours a day, he’s smoking a joint every hour and a half and I’m thinking, ’My God, there’s no way he could do that.’
Dean Becker: He’s become a very successful stock broker, while doing that. Irv, respond to this man. I …
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I do and again, I usually only sleep about six hours a night. But I smoke two in the morning, when I get up. One in the morning while I drive to work. I take a break about thirty minutes after I get to work, after I set my computer up. The market opens at 9:30. Around 10:30 I take a break, smoke one. Then around 1:30 I take a break, smoke another one. Then the market closes at four o‘clock. I go outside, smoke another one. Then when I leave work, whatever time - 5:30/6:00/6:30. I smoke on the way home and then I smoke a couple at night, two or three a night, when I get home. So yeah, it’s ten to twelve cannabis cigarettes a day with no euphoric effect.
Dean Becker: Your thought, Joe? Does this surprise you?
Joe: Well, I haven’t smoked in twelve years or so, but when I was younger I did. I just, I couldn’t fathom that. It would just… it would just… There’s absolutely no way.
Dean Becker: But here again, they find that even people who are in severe pain and take a great deal of opioids, those who got a smashed vertebra or that kind of thing, and that they can take an enormous amount of these opioids - and still function and I think there’s a similar thing happening with you Irv. Your thought?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I would agree. It works for me medically, therefore I don’t the euphoric effect.
Joe: I also would agree with him. That is a hell of a lot better than the synthetic opioid.
Dean Becker: You betcha.
Joe: That synthetic opium is nasty.
Dean Becker: It is. I would almost would prefer heroin, to that stuff. But not that I use either, but I’m just saying that it seems that it’s a safer product. More natural, if you will.
Joe, thank you so much for your call and to all of those who called in, we appreciate it. We’re speaking with Irvin Rosenfeld. I like to think of him as a hero. Because I’m looking at a press release that was sent out about his hundred and fifteen thousand joints, and counting, he’s gotten from the US government, the DEA, the FDA and from NIDA. The end of the quote says, “When do sick, not named Rosenfeld, receive their cannabis medicine?”
It’s because of his willingness to speak up in this regard. He’s helped open the dialog. He’s helped open the ears and eyes of these politicians and newspaper editors and so forth. He could have just taken that supply and kept his mouth shut. But he cares about you. He thinks that we all should have that same largess, that same ability to easily acquire medicine. Right, Irv?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Correct. But you know, when you mentioned hero’s, my hero, I have to admit, is Robert Randall. He was the first patient. He was the one that steered me through the process and he died in 2001 and so, if I had to say who my hero would be, you know, Robert Randall and his wife, Alice O'Leary.
Dean Becker: Well, I got to meet his wife and I’ve heard all the stories about Robert, and he was something. I wish I’d had a chance to meet him.
Irvin, thank you so much for being with us. We’re going to have to let you go at this time, folks. Be sure to stay tuned for this weeks Century of Lies, available next on most of the Drug Truth Network stations. Our guest will be Mr. Marc Emery. He of Canada, sold millions of seeds to American’s and I just want to let you know, you’ll be able to call in for that show, too and…
I remind you once again, because of prohibition, you don’t know what’s in that bag. Please, be careful.
________________
{David Bowie’s - Heroes}
We can beat them
for ever and ever
Oh, we can be Heroes
Just for one day
________
Thank you for listening to the Drug Truth Network, during Heroes week. Canadian, Marc Emery, wanted for selling marijuana seeds to US citizens and Irvin Rosenfeld, not wanted for smoking marijuana supplied by the US government. Both heroes. Waiting for you, to become a hero.
Transcript
Cultural Baggage, November 29, 2009
Welcome to this edition of Cultural Baggage. Today our guest, Irvin Rosenfeld. Supplied with three hundred marijuana cigarettes per month by the US Government and yet, he chose not to remain silent. He chose to speak out in this regard. That’s why he’s one of my hero’s.
________
{David Bowie’s Hero’s}
Though nothing
Will drive them away
We can beat them
Just for one day
We can be Heroes
Just for one day
________________
Hello, my friends. Welcome to this edition of Cultural Baggage. This is Hero’s Day. Going to bring a couple of hero’s of mine on the air, to talk with us. Give you a chance to maybe pick up the mantle, the yolk, the burden and to carry it away as yourself, to become a hero. Because it’s a time for hero’s. It’s time to end this drug war. It’s time to especially look at our insane, bizarre laws about marijuana.
We’re going to be bringing in Mr. Irv Rosenfeld. He, as stated, gets… I said three hundred joints per month. It’s actually, I think, every twenty-eight days, he will be telling us more specifically, from the US Government, you know, goes through the FDA, the DEA, {chuckling} local pharmacist, etc. But, they’ve provided him a lot cannabis, over the years. We’re going to talk to him about that.
On this weeks Century of Lies show, we’re bringing in another hero. Mr. Marc Emery, who sold millions of marijuana seeds to people around the world, a lot of Americans. Made the drug czar mad. They want to lock him up for something that they don’t even bother with in Canada. They want to extradite him and it looks like it’s maybe going to happen. Marc will inform us on that.
But, he’s out on bail… bond, something to that effect. He has a couple of days. Early December, he’s scheduled to be handed over to the United States, to face a multi-year prison sentence. Again, for selling those seed to you and me.
Today there’s a major piece in the New York Times. At this school, it’s marijuana in every class. At most colleges, it’s very much an extra curricular matter. But at Marijuana Universities, it’s the curriculum, the history, the horticulture and the how-to’s of Michigan’s new Medical Marijuana program. Laura, go ahead and let’s play them a little bit of that and then we’re going to bring in Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld.
________
{classroom conversations in the background}
Classroom: These are blueberry crossed with Afghani and these are… one of Nathan’s strains. It’s Obama Cush.
Narrator: Nick Tennant teaches people how to grow marijuana, legally.
Classroom: Because if you guys noticed, we were turning out only one six hundred.
Narrator: He’s the twenty-four year old founder of Med-Grow Cannabis College, near Detroit, Michigan, where students are learning how to make money in the fledgling medical marijuana industry.
Nick Tennant: People are coming here because they want a new opportunity. This is something that they can come into. They can leave with a trade; an education. Something that they can start and they can go out there and they can make thirty, forty, fifty, sixty thousand dollars a year.
Narrator: Tucked into this suburban office park, students enroll in six week courses, that cover legal issues; horticulture…
Classroom: Not all brownies and marijuana cookies and stuff like that anymore…
Narrator: …and even creating edibles from marijuana.
________
OK. That was from today’s New York Times. Front page of the newspaper. Front page of their website and right before we bring in Mr. Irv Rosenfeld, I want to talk about the fact that, we’ve had this situation where people like George Will have a column in today’s Washington Post, talking about medical marijuana’s disingenuous. That it has no basis in reality. That it subjugates law in such a fashion, as to destroy our society.
With that thought, let’s go ahead and bring in Mr. Irv Rosenfeld. Very successful stockbroker down there in Florida. Irv, are you with us?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I’m with you. Good evening.
Dean Becker: Hello, Irv. Thank you, sir. Irv, let’s first talk about your life; your situation. What brought you to need medical cannabis?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I have a severe bone disorder. I grow bone tumors on the ends of most long bones and at age eighteen and a half, I discovered that cannabis, medical cannabis, was a medicine that worked for me, better than the narcotics and other medicines and drugs that the doctors gave me. So I decided, since this was the best medicine, I needed to have it legally and since the federal government had outlawed it, I decided to take on the federal government.
It took me ten years to convince the federal government. But in November 20th of 1982, I received my first medical cannabis cigarette, from the federal government, and I have been receiving it ever since.
Dean Becker: OK. 11-20-1982, that’s some twenty-seven years ago, and I told the listener’s in my opening remarks, that you had smoked a considerable amount of cannabis in that period of time. How may joints, sir?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Last Friday, I smoked my hundred and fifteenth thousandth medical cannabis cigarette, provided by the federal government, and of course, that doesn’t count the ten years before that time that I was smoking, ‘cause I cannot document that amount.
Dean Becker: Right. But this is known, because the government tallies it. They ship it via some secure method, I would suppose, to a local pharmacy? Is that right?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: It‘s a local pharmacy, by Federal Express.
Dean Becker: Federal Express.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I receive a tin every twenty-five days.
Dean Becker: Twenty-five days, wow!
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Twenty-five days, of three hundred cannabis cigarettes.
Dean Becker: Oh my. OK, now. This has occasionally led to, I won’t say altercations but, misunderstandings with law enforcement over the years. Right?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: There have been misunderstandings at times, correct. But I’ve been able to… thankfully been able to educate the officers, in different organizations that are against me, to the fact that is legal. Provided by the federal government.
Dean Becker: I guess it takes a little while to kind of just crack through their inherent belief, I guess, whatever. That there’s just no way that that’s possible but… You have paperwork that helps on this?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I carry a letter from the federal government from 1983, when I was arrested in Orlando, when they said that state law supersedes federal law. I also carry the private cell phone number of the captain of the police department in my local town and of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department at the airport, I carry a lieutenant’s private cell phone number. Just in case.
But thank goodness, it’s a lot different than in was in ’82/’83 when I first became legal. There’s the internet now. So you can just tell the police officers, you know, go to Google, put my name in and you’ll read all the stories about me.
Dean Becker: Yeah. That’s true, and then, you know, it’s a sad fact, that internet also interferes with a lot of pot smoker, former pot smokers, who run afoul of the law and then have the ’reputation’ as a drug user. It impedes a lot of people progress, does it not?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld. It can. It depends on how you’re perceived.
Dean Becker: I mean, but the average Joe out there sometimes, caught with an ounce, he can’t rent an apartment anymore, in the city of Houston, I know that.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: He can’t rent apartments, he can’t get scholarships for colleges. You know, all kinds of things that, if you’re a convicted drug offence user of medical marijuana or marijuana - whatever, that it’s worse than if you an assault and battery person.
Dean Becker: Yeah. There’s special provisions put in place for those who use the prohibited drugs, right?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Exactly. Which is sad.
Dean Becker: Now Irv, let’s talk about… you’re a skilled sailor. You get out there and sail in some races and you’re able to do physical activities. Maybe not a hundred percent, but you’re still active and much of that ability, you think is provided through the use of cannabis?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Correct. If it wasn’t for the medical use of cannabis that I have, I probably would be home bound and a) not able to work, as far as a stock broker, because it would be hard for me to move around, and with the pain and the potential of hemorrhaging. But more important, like you said, I do teach disabled people how to sail and I’m very active in racing with disabled sailing and to me it’s wonderful and I’m able to do all that because I have the right medicine.
Dean Becker: Right, and as you said earlier in your medical history, if you will, you tried the opioids and the other, I don’t know, sedatives, relaxers - whatever ingredients, found them to be lacking?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Yeah. I use to take diloted, which is synthetic morphine. Methaqualone, which is Quaalude. Valium. Different anti-inflammatories - difference between medications and they all had marginal effects with detrimental effects that they gave you besides giving you the palliation helping with the pain and muscle relaxation. The can also inhibit you in other aspects, where the cannabis doesn’t do that and thank goodness. With the cannabis, I haven’t used any of the other narcotics or other drugs in nineteen years.
Dean Becker: So much better for all your systems, I’m sure. We’re speaking with Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld. He’s a Florida stockbroker who, just last week, set the world record for the consumption of cannabis cigarettes and here’s the telling point, my friends. These cannabis cigarettes are grown and cured and rolled and shipped, personally, to Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld by agents of the United States government. Am I telling a lie Irv? Is that it?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Not at all. The United States federal government under the Food and Drug Administration, under the Drug Administration and the National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Dean Becker: The DEA, the FDA and, what was the third? I didn’t catch it.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: NIDA. The National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Dean Becker: Speaking of which. One of their major scientists, a Dr. Donald Tashkin, undertook, a few years back, to investigate just how dangerous and deadly; just how damaging it is to the repertory system of the human being, and he found that it was not damaging. Did not cause cancer. Might contribute to bronchitis if it’s smoked too much, but that there was no linking it to cancer. Which is kind of one of the refrains of the politicians when they speak of this. Right?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Very true. In fact he also found that, not only were there no cases of lung cancer in the study that he did in California, but they also found that the people who smoked cannabis and cigarettes, had less cancers than the people who just smoked cigarettes. But he wasn’t sure why.
Dean Becker: I tell you what Irv, I want to alert the listeners, we are taking your calls. If you’ve ever wanted to talk to, is it one of the three surviving patients now, or four?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: No. Luckily it’s at least four. There’s four of us. There’s four of us.
Dean Becker: There are four and you see, as… In the intro to the show I talked about… Irv get’s this. He didn’t have to say a word. He didn’t have to object to the fact that you and I don’t have that same access. But he does and that’s why he is one of my hero’s. Him and Marc Emery, because they have dared to speak the truth despite many people thinking that they shouldn’t.
But we’re going to take just a one minute break and when we come back I want to take your calls. Our number locally, is (713) 526-5738 or if your calling from anywhere in North America, Canada, Mexico, United States, it’s toll free. 1-877-9-420-420. In one minute we’ll be back with Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld and I want you to please, give us a call.
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It’s time to play: "Name That Drug - By It’s Side Effects!"
Loss of personal freedom, family and possessions. Ineligible for government funding, education, licensing, housing or employment. Loss of aggressive mind set in a dangerous world. This drug’s peaceful, easy feeling can be habit forming.
(((gong)))
Time's up! The answer: Doobie, jimmy, joint, reefer, spliff, jibber, jay, biffa, jazz, blunt, steege, greener, cracker, hogger, bone, carrot, maryjane, marijuana, cannabis sativa.
Made by God. Prohibited by man.
________________
(to the tune of: 500 Miles Away from Home)
A hundred years, A hundred years
A hundred years, A hundred years
You can hear the drug war blow, A hundred years.
________________
(To the tune of: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
Billions and billions……. flushed away.
No one knows just why, but we do it everyday.
The drug lord smiles, the cartel thrives,
the gangs come out to play.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.
________________
Alright. Tidings of Comfort and joy. The holiday season has begun and I wanted to get the drop on everybody. So there we go, with Tidings of Comfort and Joy.
This is Dean Becker. You’re listening to the Cultural Baggage show on the Drug Truth Network. We’re speaking with Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld. He’s a stockbroker, down there in Florida, who has set the worlds record for the consumption of cannabis cigarettes.
We don’t have any callers. Let me remind you once again, that our number here is (713) 526-5738 or toll free, 1-877-9-420-420.
Irv, I didn’t get a chance to see you in the last year or so. You occasionally get to some of the drug conferences, but you’re a very busy stock broker as well and I see you on television spots once in a while and it looks like you leave the office. You go out into a little alcove, alley of some kind and, like smokers do, and enjoy your cannabis in that fashion. Is that how you do it?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: That’s correct. I go outside, where basically people smoke cigarettes, and I join them and I smoke my medicine while they smoke their cigarettes. Unlike places like California or other states where I wouldn’t be by myself, there might be other patients out there.
Dean Becker: Right, right. Florida does not have it’s own medical marijuana law.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: No, no. Just like Texas, I’m afraid.
Dean Becker: Right, right. Well, let’s see. Irv, when you… I don’t know. You’re called upon by legislative bodies to, just kind of give your side of things. To educate them to the fact that, by gosh, there are people who are approved by the federal government. What are some of the responses you get from these politicians?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: It’s important for me to try to teach others what I have and that it’s not the theory people make it out to be and in the pass, when I’ve testified on the state, of course they talk about the federal government being able to send in their state troopers or their federal troopers, to arrest the patient, if they were to pass the law and now, thank God with Obama, he’s stated that he’s going to keep his storm troopers - or DEA, out of states to where, if only you’re breaking state or federal law.
They also talk about, “If it’s really medicine, the AMA would have done something about it.’ Well, now the AMA has done something about it. They have stated that maybe it should be looked into differently. So I think that that’s improved situations tremendously and as far as the economic value of it. I think that states are starting to realize that there might be a taxation aspect of it and I feel like that that’s maybe… I don’t know the whole situation with Marc Emery, I’m afraid.
But you know, if our government has a problem with him, I would say that the major problem, not knowing his real situation, would be maybe taxation. Because sales were done in this country or sent to this country. So the worst thing they should do for something like that is to say, ‘Well hey, you owe me some money. Pay me.’ You know?
Not bring them to this country and put them in jail and then my tax money is paying to put him in jail and pay for him while he’s in jail. I mean, that’s ridiculous. If they think he’s done something wrong, than the worst he’s done is profited from our country. So hey, pay us back, man. Give us some taxes and we’ll give you some time to pay it off or whatever. But you know, you owe us most of the money so, pay us off. That should be the worst that should happen to him.
Dean Becker: I think finances is really starting to enter into the whole of the drug war picture. Alright. We’ve got some callers on line now. Let’s go to Eric on line 2. Eric, can you hear me? Eric, are you with us?
Eric: Yes, I am.
Dean Becker: You have a question or concern for Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld?
Eric: Well actually, I just want to say I’m a first time listener to your station. It’s funny how I just came across this, while I was doing some chores. I was originally a Californian. Building in California before I moved to Texas and, like you were talking about the drug laws, I actually got caught with, shoot, less than… well, maybe about a half a gram of Marijuana, traveling down the road, and I’ve spent two years on probation. Probably spend two thousand dollars and it has made my life an absolute nightmare.
They keep threatening me with jail, they keep threatening me with everything. Back in California - now I do understand this, they use to take a little bit like that, stomp them on their toe or, needless to say, take it home to their wives. But the point being is, when you were talking about… I was listening earlier, when you were talking about marijuana laws and how it’s opening so wide all over the country.
I know in Northern California, I have friends that are setting up shop to sell medical cannabis. I have… and we were talking about taxes and that’s their reform to that, is taxing it so it actually goes to the community. Money actually goes to California to help their problems with money and it seems to be working out really great. It’s a program. Now I don’t see why that can’t happen all over the United States.
Dean Becker: Eric, I’m with you. Instead of it being a drain, it could be a source of revenue. You’re absolutely right.
Eric: They completely flipped the lease. They completely turned it over.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: In this country, there’s still a debate as far as the social use and the economic use of it. But there is no ---- the debates already been won as far as medical use and patients all around the country are out of time and while I’m a director of an organization called Patients Out of Time, the medical use has been proven and that’s really what I want to see happen. Is that doctors, nation wide, have the right to be able to use it, as a medicine.
Dean Becker: OK. Irv, thank you so much. OK. Friends, we’re speaking with Irv Rosenfeld, a stock broker down in Florida. Get’s three hundred joints, from the US government, every twenty-five days. Let’s go to Joe. Line 1. Hello Joe. Your thoughts?
Joe: Hi. Am I on the air?
Dean Becker: You are on the air.
Joe: Alright, wonderful. Thanks for hosting this forum. I wanted to get your thoughts on the THC ministry and whether or not that’s successful in claiming your right to smoke cannabis…
Dean Becker: For sacramental purpose?
Joe: Yeah as a religious right.
Dean Becker: We’ll go to Irv here, in just a second. I want to throw in this. I know that Eddy Lepp tried to use that defense. He said that if Ayahuasca (pronounced io-was-ka) tea, which could kill you, can be considered a sacrament, surely cannabis could be.
Joe: …THC ministry, Roger Christie, when I was in Hawaii and he is a very interesting person and he has a huge banner hanging on the side of the building that says, We smoke cannabis religiously and you can too and after passing it a few times it was like, finally went inside to see and go in right there and he had like it‘s --- out that it was like this huge bag of weed {chuckling} and you know… I do realize that in certain area’s of the country Indians, or different groups, have the right to use peyote.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: While I’m not very knowledgeable on the subject, I always think that if that’s a benefit, then there’s no problem with that.
Dean Becker: No. I would agree. Joe, thank you so much for your call. Again, we’re speaking with Irv Rosenfeld. He get’s three hundred joints every twenty-five days from the US government, the FDA, the DEA and NIDA.
We’re going to have a couple of lines open. I think we’ll have for you. If you want to call our number, locally (713) 526-5738. You can call toll free in North America 1-877-9-420-420. Let’s go to Susan on line three. Susan, you’re on the air.
Susan: Hello Irv. I’d like to know if the ‘government provided’ marijuana is as bad as they say it is, with seeds and stems and all that.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Well, the cannabis that they grow has gotten better over the years…
Susan: OK.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: …and the shipment that I am smoking right now, is from 2001. Which is a big improvement over what I was recently getting, 1996. Meaning I was actually smoking medicine that was thirteen years old…
Susan: Wow.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: …and as far as the quality, since the federal government doesn’t agree that it’s medicine, the THC isn’t as high as it could be. But there again, it’s adequate. It works for me and we’ve really learned from muscle relaxation and for pain palliation, we’re thinking that other of the cannabinoids, such as cannabidiod or some other ones, might be more beneficial for us, than THC.
We wish the federal government would look into different strains, as far as finding which strains work best for me, verses say for Elvy, Elvy Musikka, who gets it for glaucoma. It makes a big difference between glaucoma and muscle relaxation and pain.
Dean Becker: Yeah, and too often I’ve heard that people who have done that, and you reach back to Todd…
Susan and Irvin: McCormick.
Dean Becker: …Todd McCormick who was trying to develop that knowledge of the strains and their capabilities and they wiped out his database. They did the same with Phil, up at the Vancouver Island Compassion Society.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Luke…John…Luke…
Dean Becker: Phil Lucas.
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Philippe. Philippe.
Dean Becker: Philippe Lucas. The did the same to him. They had devoted years to develop these strains and the knowledge, and it was wiped out because…
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: That’s why I think someone, like Marc Emery, serves such an important purpose. Because again, he has the knowledge of the different strains and to me that’s very important to continue the process.
Dean Becker: Right. For those out there that don’t know, for some people in pain, they find the indicas work better to just kind of dull the senses and help get through the day and for others who are depressed or otherwise needing of an uplift, that the sativas tend to do that - give more of a positive thing and then the blending of the two and as you said Irv, the hundreds of cannabinoids and molecule combinations that are contained in the plant are amazing.
Susan, we want to thank you for your call. We do have time for, well, another Joe. He’s on line one. Joe, your thoughts please.
Joe: Yeah, I was listening to a couple of your guests and this one guy gets three hundred of these cigarettes every twenty-five days. You know, just doing some quick math, he sleeps eight hours a day, he’s smoking a joint every hour and a half and I’m thinking, ’My God, there’s no way he could do that.’
Dean Becker: He’s become a very successful stock broker, while doing that. Irv, respond to this man. I …
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I do and again, I usually only sleep about six hours a night. But I smoke two in the morning, when I get up. One in the morning while I drive to work. I take a break about thirty minutes after I get to work, after I set my computer up. The market opens at 9:30. Around 10:30 I take a break, smoke one. Then around 1:30 I take a break, smoke another one. Then the market closes at four o‘clock. I go outside, smoke another one. Then when I leave work, whatever time - 5:30/6:00/6:30. I smoke on the way home and then I smoke a couple at night, two or three a night, when I get home. So yeah, it’s ten to twelve cannabis cigarettes a day with no euphoric effect.
Dean Becker: Your thought, Joe? Does this surprise you?
Joe: Well, I haven’t smoked in twelve years or so, but when I was younger I did. I just, I couldn’t fathom that. It would just… it would just… There’s absolutely no way.
Dean Becker: But here again, they find that even people who are in severe pain and take a great deal of opioids, those who got a smashed vertebra or that kind of thing, and that they can take an enormous amount of these opioids - and still function and I think there’s a similar thing happening with you Irv. Your thought?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: I would agree. It works for me medically, therefore I don’t the euphoric effect.
Joe: I also would agree with him. That is a hell of a lot better than the synthetic opioid.
Dean Becker: You betcha.
Joe: That synthetic opium is nasty.
Dean Becker: It is. I would almost would prefer heroin, to that stuff. But not that I use either, but I’m just saying that it seems that it’s a safer product. More natural, if you will.
Joe, thank you so much for your call and to all of those who called in, we appreciate it. We’re speaking with Irvin Rosenfeld. I like to think of him as a hero. Because I’m looking at a press release that was sent out about his hundred and fifteen thousand joints, and counting, he’s gotten from the US government, the DEA, the FDA and from NIDA. The end of the quote says, “When do sick, not named Rosenfeld, receive their cannabis medicine?”
It’s because of his willingness to speak up in this regard. He’s helped open the dialog. He’s helped open the ears and eyes of these politicians and newspaper editors and so forth. He could have just taken that supply and kept his mouth shut. But he cares about you. He thinks that we all should have that same largess, that same ability to easily acquire medicine. Right, Irv?
Mr. Irvin Rosenfeld: Correct. But you know, when you mentioned hero’s, my hero, I have to admit, is Robert Randall. He was the first patient. He was the one that steered me through the process and he died in 2001 and so, if I had to say who my hero would be, you know, Robert Randall and his wife, Alice O'Leary.
Dean Becker: Well, I got to meet his wife and I’ve heard all the stories about Robert, and he was something. I wish I’d had a chance to meet him.
Irvin, thank you so much for being with us. We’re going to have to let you go at this time, folks. Be sure to stay tuned for this weeks Century of Lies, available next on most of the Drug Truth Network stations. Our guest will be Mr. Marc Emery. He of Canada, sold millions of seeds to American’s and I just want to let you know, you’ll be able to call in for that show, too and…
I remind you once again, because of prohibition, you don’t know what’s in that bag. Please, be careful.
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{David Bowie’s - Heroes}
We can beat them
for ever and ever
Oh, we can be Heroes
Just for one day
________
Thank you for listening to the Drug Truth Network, during Heroes week. Canadian, Marc Emery, wanted for selling marijuana seeds to US citizens and Irvin Rosenfeld, not wanted for smoking marijuana supplied by the US government. Both heroes. Waiting for you, to become a hero.
Submitted by: C. Assenberg of www.marijuanafactorfiction.org