Cannabis Restoration – What Now?

Written by Mark Pedersen

Written by Mark Pedersen

October 9, 2021

100 Cannabis Restoration petitions

This is what 100 copies of the 2022 Cannabis Restoration Initiative ballot petition looks like. It may not look like much to the untrained eye, but at eight pages each (four pages double-sided), that’s 400 pages, 8 1/2 x 14″, or…roughly $125.
With my limited income, that’s the best I can do for now. But the need will be far greater if we expect to see our initiative on the ballot.

Why is it that our initiative is eight pages when the actual Cannabis Restoration Initiative is only two (with the petition sheet)? Well, that has to do with the very poorly written Amendment 2. In all it’s exhaustive effort to create the framework for a recreational industry, it not only neglected patient rights, it also ignored the fact that it was being written to the state Constitution.
In order to legally append or remove the nonsense, I was required to include what I was replacing, along with the new text.

It is so VERY important that we examine closely what we are doing when we fumble about in our state’s Constitution. Removing imperfect, or worse, detrimental text from our Constitution is exceptionally difficult, for everyone involved…and it’s all so unnecessary. When we speak truthfully and without craftiness, many words are not necessary and only lend to confusion, corruption and distrust.

As I have stated, the Cannabis Restoration Initiative is actually only one page for the petition form and one page for nine simple points. I spent a great deal of time trimming the wording down to it’s most essential text. No room for hidden agendas and industry building as we have seen demonstrated here in the Midwest.

Our Constitution should be clear and decisive. It’s a terrible pity that it’s not. Amendment 2 was a very clear example of how NOT to append a state’s Cannabis laws.

Petitioners will be required to carry several sets of all four pages for each county where they are petitioning. No doubt, that’s going to be a pain, but it’s required. If anyone tells you that its not necessary, they’re lying. I have eight years of experience. I know what I’m talking about. My apologies to our petitioners, but there are no shortcuts.

It was my hope that by now, I would be holding talks here in Jefferson and St. Louis Counties. I have presentations already prepared, regarding Cannabis Restoration and the petitioning process. Unfortunately, local libraries – where I am most accustomed to hold events around the state, have closed their meeting rooms indefinitely due to Covid. I fear other meeting spaces have followed suit.
Libraries were cheap. Roughly ten bucks. I could afford that. But I’m looking into other places.

Without the ability to have educational events where Missourians can learn about Cannabis Restoration, the people will have little understanding. All that citizens will know exists will be the corrupt, prohibitionist bills, bought and paid for by the profiteering “pot” industry. One thing the Midwest has had a lot of is corruption. We have a brand new industry that could mean health and healing to it’s citizenry, and untold prosperity to us all… that is, if we are willing to fight for it.

So here’s the thing. I need your help. I’m asking you to contact me – anyone who would like to take a leadership role in passing our initiative. We’ll find a place locally to meet…eventually. If you’re serious, I will provide you with a digital copy of the initiative and my presentations. Perhaps most importantly, I will be able to share with you personally why REAL legalization is right for Missouri.
If you have a place for a meeting – for five or five thousand – drop me a line. If you would like to arrange a Zoom meeting, We’ll make it work.

It’s time… Cannabis Restoration 2022

“Cannabis is nontoxic. Cannabis is food. Cannabis is the single most important medicine of the 21st century.”

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