Jack Herer, Emperor of Hemp, June 18, 1939

Jack Herer, Emperor of Hemp, June 18, 1939 – April 15, 2010

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Friday April 16, 2010 · 12:43 PM PDT

2010/04/16 · 12:43

Yesterday, we received the news that Jack Herer has passed away.

There are quite a few folks on the West Coast who have smoked one of the strains named after this legendary activist-such as Jack Herer or Jack Flash (sativa or sativa-dominant strains).

But Jack Herer was much more than a marijuana activist. His book "The Emperor Wears No Clothes"is popular worldwide, and helped further the movement to re-legalize marijuana and industrial hemp. [the only thing stupider than prohibition of cannabis is the prohibition of industrial hemp. Just ask Republicans in Dakota, who've battled the DEA for years on this.]

Jack Herer's health has been poor lately, this last week there have been reports of the severity, and an outpouring of prayers on his behalf.

"It's shocking news, even after these last seven, trying months," said Paul Stanford, THCF Executive Director.

"Jack Herer has been a good friend and associate of mine for over 30 years. I was there when he had the heart attack at our Hempstalk festival and I know he wouldn’t appreciate the quality of life he's endured these last months. Still he will be greatly missed. I honor his memory."

"No other single person has done more to educate people all across the world about industrial hemp and marijuana as Jack Herer. His book is translated into a dozen different languages, it's a bestseller in Germany," added Stanford.

It's too bad that he, like millions of other Americans, was unable to see a basic civil liberty extended to the citizenry- the right to use a plant known to cause no deaths from use, in a country killing itself with pills, booze, and cigarettes.

Perhaps California can be the beginning of change this November.

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