The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Joplin Sensible Sentencing Initiative

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September 20, 2007

<img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border=0>High on hemp: Bands, speakers set for Cannabis Revival<font color="#ff0000"> w/ links to petition, Jah Roots' site and NORML's Web site</font>

By Dave Woods

dwoods@joplinglobe.com

When you talk with Kelly Maddy, it’s obvious: He’s high on the many uses of hemp.

In fact the 24-year-old president of the Joplin chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is so impressed with the potential industrial, medical and recreational uses of the long-outlawed plant that he has devoted hundreds of hours of his personal time and significant financial resources to stage what he hopes will be the best Cannabis Revival ever held in Joplin.

The Cannabis Revival, now in its 10th year, is billed as the “Midwest’s largest marijuana law reform festival.” It kicks off Saturday at 2 p.m. in Landreth Park.

Two stages

Maddy has recruited and organized dozens of like-minded proponents as festival volunteers, and more than two dozen local and nationally known musical acts and speakers to help him sing the praises of the leafy green weed during the 10-hour event.

“We’re going to have some great bands,” he excitedly explained. “We’re going to have two stages of diverse music all day long. We are going to have speakers from national organizations like Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and we are also going to have vendors out there with food, arts and crafts, different hemp products, some great contests, chances to win cool prizes and just get educated about hemp.”

He said that he thinks that the variety of acts like will help draw a crowd that may not be familiar with the pro-cannabis cause.

“Jah Roots (a Springfield-based, nationally known reggae band) and a bunch of high-profile speakers are coming,” he said. “We have really stepped up this year in terms of professionalism and organizing the event.”

Maddy said he hopes to attract more than twice the number of festivalgoers to this year’s event than in the past. He estimates that between 3,000 and 5,000 people attended in 2006.

Breaking the stereotype

Maddy said that this year’s festival will serve a special purpose.

“The festival,” he explained, “will be the first chance for Joplin voters to sign a petition that, if passed by Joplin voters in November of 2008, will stop the arrests and lower the fines for anyone in possession of a small amount of marijuana in the Joplin city limits.”

He said he hopes to change a few minds and preconceived ideas about marijuana and the people who use it.

“All we want to do is encourage more sensible laws to deal with marijuana use and possession,” he said.

Festival volunteer and admitted recreational marijuana smoker Jon Yarbrough, 25, Joplin, is excited about the festival’s potential impact on area residents’ attitudes.

“I hope we can break the ’60s stereotype,” he said. “Lawyers, doctors and school teachers use marijuana, and get up and go to work and never miss a day. They just use marijuana recreationally like many people do alcohol.”

Yarbrough said he thinks the Cannabis Revival can go a long way to help change the way people view marijuana use.

“They have been brought up to believe that they will go to hell for using marijuana,” he said, “and I want to help change that.”

Maddy contends the Cannabis Revival is not meant to be controversial or an affront to local law enforcement.

“All we want to do is build bridges,” he said. “We simply think (the police) are misinformed about marijuana.”

He said he has given the police his cell number in case parking problems or other issues arise during the event.

“We just want to let them know we are out there,” he pointed out. “Were peaceful, we’re not doing anything illegal, and we are just voicing our freedom of speech.”



Schedule of events

Main stage

The Sociables: 2 to 2:30 p.m.

Lye Bye Mistake: 2:45 to 3:15 p.m.

Ominous Words: 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.

Ben Miller Band: 4:30 to 5:15 p.m.

While I Breathe: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m.

Cinna the Poet: 6:45 to 7:30 p.m.

The Flipflop Pirates: 7:45 to 8:30 p.m.

Jah Roots: 8:45 to 10:30 p.m.

Homegrown stage

Revolution Red: 2:15 to 2:45 p.m.

By Hook or Crook: 3 to 3:30 p.m.

Daysleeper: 3:45 to 4:15 p.m.

The High and the Lonesome: 4:30 to 5 p.m.

Mannequin Kill Appeal: 5:15 to 5:45 p.m.

D Boyz: 6 to 6:30 p.m.

DJ Illectron, DJ Andro and others: 7:30 to 10 :30 p.m.

Guest speakers

Mark Pedersen, medical marijuana advocate: 2:30 to 2:45 p.m.

Anndrea Hermann, agrologist and industrial-hemp advocate: 3:15 to 3:30 p.m.

Midge Potts, political activist, former congressional candidate: 3:30 to 3:45 p.m.

Dan Viets, NORML board member, attorney, marijuana case defense expert: 4:15 to 4:30 p.m.

Terri Zeeman, helped pioneer bio-diesel hemp fuel: 5:15 to 5:30 p.m.

Eric Scheunman, alderman, Eureka Springs, Ark., marijuana law reform advocate: 7:30 to 7:45 p.m.

Kris Krane, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, executive director: 8:30 to 8:45 p.m.

Kelly Maddy, founder and president of Joplin NORML, organizer Joplin Sensible Sentencing Inititive: 9:45 to 10 p.m.

Other activities

Joint rolling competition: 6:15 p.m.

Sack races: 5:30 p.m.

Text Only
Joplin Sensible Sentencing Initiative
  • Organizers say petition drive on marijuana plan near goal A petition drive to put a marijuana-decriminalization proposal before the city of Joplin is close to having the necessary number of signatures, according to organizers.

    June 18, 2008

  • Voices: Unsupported criticisms The letter by Dianne Slater (Globe, Jan. 31) is based more on a logical fallacy than actual scientific data on behavioral patterns of marijuana users.

    Naturally, critics of such a move warn that decriminalizing cannabis will increase pot use among Joplin’s young people. Such concerns, while understandable, are not supported by epidemiological evidence.

    February 10, 2008

  • <img src=" http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/breaking.gif " Border=0> 11/21/07, 2:58 p.m. Marijuana decriminalization initiative petition announced On Friday afternoon, standing on the sidewalk at Joplin City Hall, Kelly Maddy, the president of the Joplin chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, flanked by Kris Krane, the executive director of the national organization, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and Ryan Denham, President of the Alliance for Drug Reform Policy in Arkansas, fired the first shot in what will be a year-long battle to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana within the city of Joplin and the paraphernalia that’s used to smoke it.

    February 3, 2008

  • images_sizedimage_028235035 <img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border=0> Pot-signature drive kicks into gear <font color="#ff0000">w/ links Sensible Sentencing Initiative info, audio, video & petition language</font> Four months after Kelly Maddy stood on the sidewalk outside Joplin City Hall, flanked by supporters of his effort to decriminalize marijuana use in the city, the campaign is kicking into high gear.

    Maddy, president of the Joplin chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, spent several hours Sunday in front of Dillons grocery store, soliciting signatures for the Sensible Sentencing Initiative. He met with a couple of less-than-friendly responses.

    February 2, 2008 1 Photo 4 Links

  • images_sizedimage_033103148 Dave Woods: Readers fire shots in war on war on drugs I have to admit, I admire Kelly Maddy. I admire the grassroots political organizer’s commitment to the marijuana decriminalization cause and the work he has done in Joplin in support of the Sensible Sentencing Initiative.

    February 2, 2008 1 Photo 1 Link

  • images_sizedimage_033103638 Guest column: Legal marijuana would help millions Have you heard the news? There is now a low-cost drug proven to ease a cancer patient’s suffering. Not only does this drug reduce the physical and psychological pain of cancer, but, more importantly, it restores a chemotherapy patient’s appetite.

    The drug, of course, is marijuana.

    February 2, 2008 1 Photo

  • images_sizedimage_034193221 Pot petitions gaining ground It might seem unlikely that an initiative petition aimed at decriminalizing possession of limited amounts of marijuana and the paraphernalia used to smoke it could make it onto the ballot in Joplin — let alone pass muster with voters.

    But similar efforts have passed in nearby cities such as Columbia and Eureka Springs, Ark.

    “We weren’t sure what to anticipate,” said Columbia police Chief Randy Boehm.

    January 28, 2008 1 Photo

  • Voices: Give voters the choice Several letters to the editor have voiced concerns regarding the launch of our municipal initiative petition to lessen the criminal penalties associated with the possession of small amounts of marijuana. We understand those concerns and wish to address them.

    Currently, Joplin police arrest an estimated 230 people annually for violating marijuana laws.

    October 10, 2007

  • Voices: Legalize marijuana As a Christian, I wish Kelly Maddy and the Joplin chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws success, but for re-legalizing, not just decriminalizing, cannabis.

    September 30, 2007

  • images_sizedimage_033103148 Dave Woods: Pot stories keep comments section smokin' Joplin police Chief Lane J. Roberts was blunt about his past use of marijuana during a recent interview concerning the launch of the Sensible Sentencing Initiative.

    September 28, 2007 1 Photo 2 Links