NORM KENT FOR NORML
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
PUSHING 60 WITH POT
by NORM KENT
I am close to being a senior citizen. Though I will always think of myself as a student at Hofstra who was the 19 year old President of the Sophomore class, I am turning 58 this year. Damn, 60 is around the corner!
You know what that means? When I open a newspaper in the town I have lived in for the last thirty years, I know the people in the obituaries. I am older than some of them. When the city councilmen go to jail for the bribes they always seem to take in every city everywhere, I realize they are kids I grew up with. That means I smoked dope with them, got laid with them, partied with them, and got drunk with them.
If you are from the 1960's, let's be honest. Pot was the least of the things we did. There were mushrooms and Quaaludes, acid trips with LSD, body painting, psychedelic and psychotropic drugs up the yin yang tree. So a little weed was just a nominal high. By the time we were 20, we were reading about classmates who overdosed on Heroin.
Some of us really got into marijuana, though. It was a chance to individually transport ourselves to a higher consciousness, to strip away stress and let our bodies reach sensory highs.. It was a chance to feel and touch on a cosmic level, to tune in and turn on.
It worked then for us and it still works now for a younger generation, despite the institutional trash generated from the United States Office of Drug Control Policy. "This is not your father's pot," they warn. They are right. As users and caregivers everywhere know, it is better, cleaner, more refined, and probably a lot safer than ever.
If Americans are growing their own pure hydroponic pot in their homes, they do not have to worry about deceitful dealers throwing oregano, rat poison, and dirty weeds into the mix. They do not have to fear that their plants came over moldy and mildewy, after a boat trip from Colombia, where it was sprayed and stored and secreted in ways that reduced the product to rubbish.
Anyway, while we kids were dancing in the mud at Woodstock, our parents were living in the suburban valley of the dolls, downing valium by the bucket. They were pouring martinis, and finding pills by the pound to cure their own ills. Doctors called them tranquilizers and they dosed our parents in the millions.
Forty years later, whether its booze or coke, reckless citizens still generate self-inflicted destructiveness, and it has nothing at all to do with pot. In a free society, you have no conduct to condemn or congratulate but your own. The world is yours to create or ruin.
I never really used drugs until I busted up my knee playing baseball. Then the doctors shot my knee up with lidocaine, benzocaine, and any liquid that would relieve the pain. I can't list all the arthritis and pain pills I have been given. From Celebrex to Vioxx to Bextra, the manufacturers are all now getting sued for poisoning Americans while distributing substances they knew were toxic.
I found out a lot more about pills when I contracted cancer. My life became a 24 hour cycle of constant protocols of treatment. You are dosed with oxycodone, oxycontin, percocet, darvocet, percodan, cortisone, prednisone, hydrocodone, and all or any combination or concoction of medicines doctors can prescribe to keep those good blood cells alive while beating down the bad ones. You take them because they tell you to.
Recently, we all have been anointed with human growth hormones, for any purportedly natural or herbal pill with a fancy name you cannot pronounce, but all I ever wanted was a joint.
As a gay man, I have been friends with lots of men who have come down with HIV and AIDS. Many have died, but many more are living. Until the new protocols were available, they were taking as many as 30 pills a day. I can't list them all, but the processes to match the medicine with the man would leave good people very sick and often emaciated beyond your belief. Meanwhile, joints were illegal.
So here I am now, having lived a pretty full life in a pretty pill-filled America. Over the years, we have seen lots of food scares. Just in the past few years, some E coli thing in the lettuce killed thousands, and a Mad Cow took down hundreds. Last year, we even lost Popeye from a bad can of Spinach. But I don't ever remember reading about anyone dying from a bong hit, unless a jealous lover smashed the glass over some toker's skull. I did cut my hand once when I dropped a ceramic bong and it shattered in my fingers.
When I was a kid, I remember there was a scare about cranberries, and then Bon Vivant Vichyssoises Soup, and then something crazy called Legionnaires' disease. Occasionally, our city officials tell us not to drink the water because it is contaminated and we have to boil it. You know what occurred to me the other day, though? I have never had to boil pot. The only time pot ever became dangerous in America was when our government tried to spray paraquat on it.
I am proud of my efforts back then, as a young lawyer, in 1982, to stop the government dead in its tracks, asking for an injunction to end the toxic spraying. It was the first time I ever made the New York Times, and I was 32 then. Now it is 25 years later and instead of spraying pot in Florida, my government is raiding dispensaries in California. What lunacy.
Years later, I had a client smoking pot to reduce the intraocular pressure in her eyes from glaucoma. Pot saved her eyesight. Same thing with some HIV patients in Key West, who consumed cannabis to retaliate against the wasting syndrome the disease caused. Pot and the patients won. Smoke and you get better, or at least less sick.
You know, we are all day to day, and minute to minute. I may live another hour or another two decades, but in one truth I think I can trust. Pushing the age of 60, I do not need someone else to tell me what I can put in my body. I do not need laws telling me what I can eat, drink or smoke. If I don't know by now that smoking cigarettes can give me cancer or becoming an alcoholic will destroy my liver, then 'my bad.'
The bottom line is that if they can pass a law saying a condo can be for residents only 55 an older, maybe we can push for a law saying no drug laws can be applied against those 55 and older either. Maybe we can say we have put in our dues, earned our rights, and in the latter stages of our lives, we have an unfettered freedom and right to be free; to determine our own destinies.
Let's see if I can't conclude with a little story from the Mass Cann NORML conference last September in the Boston Commons. The founder and director of NORML, Keith Stroup, and the Associate Publisher of High Times Magazine, Rick Cusick, were both busted for smoking a joint at a pot rights rally in the park. They both have to go to court. Maybe more of us should.
Now you tell me what this court is going to say to two professionals who have spent their lives devoted to the advocacy and abolition of marijuana laws?
You tell me what the courts should say to two sixty plus year old men who made a conscious and deliberate choice to consume some weed on a weekend. Like they have nothing else to worry about in Boston but to bust 50 people every year in the Commons when they have a toke?
Have you seen the crime stats in Boston lately, for robbery, rape, ransacking, and plunder- and that is just in City Hall in their parking lot?
For thirty years, since those early days as a student activist, I have been fighting for change. But I guess I have not done all that well, not if our government is raiding dispensaries, arresting growers, taking scholarships away from students, seizing property from landlords and, astonishingly, arresting 800,000 citizens a year on simple pot possession charges. I guess I am not doing well if the government is still revoking your drivers' licenses, forfeiting your cars, and locking you up for loose joints.
I think we all need to do a little bit better. You can help us help you by joining NORML today. We are still fighting the good fight. We need some freedom fighters to join us.
Yeah, NORML is still around. Yeah, I know some of you have not heard about us since your college days. Yeah, we are the old men on the block. But we are infused with new blood, still very dedicated to an honorable cause, and still in need of your help.
We were here for you yesterday, and unless we change the laws we will be around for your kids tomorrow. But you can help change that by joining us at www.norml.com today.
(Originally published by counterpunch.org on February 22, 2008)
Man, Grow up! Laws are laws, and if you don't obey them, you pay the price...it's as simple as that! As a Legal authority, you well should know better, but apparently don't think it applies to you. Apparently your legal mind makes you believe you are above the law, like too many other Lawyers, Police Officers, Judges, and any other Legal Authority, who irresponsibly does as they wish, as if the law doesn't apply to them. Then you speak out in the public eye about something that is against the Law, like it is something that anyone should condone. I have seen pot and all the other drugs, Destroy Families and you want to be a spokesman, to tell young kids growing up, that it is ok to break the law??? Hypocrisy speaks volumes when you do such a thing, and common decency is not at all who you seem to be about. You try to make claims of people who benefited from pot, instead of dealing with their problems like the rest of us NON-Drug users do. Hiding from your problems, which any drug counselor would tell you, is exactly what you are proclaiming everyone should allow to be. I say, Grow up once again! At almost 60, maybe you missed a few lessons along the way, like being a good example and law obeying citizen, for your children and the younger generation, but instead you speak about teaching and having young kids JOIN you in your anti-Law crusade! WOW, and you are a prime example of what is wrong with Broward County, and the Court system in Broward, total self regard! With no concern for how your actions and words have any impact on those around you, young or old. So shameful, and actually quite ironic, that you should stand up as a pseudo-Poster child, for what seems to the Whole World, to be the most embarrassing Court System one could ever imagine...one Judge crying on the stand, while another gets high in the park, and the Sheriff goes to Lockup for his self righteous indiscretions. All of the Legal Authority in Broward County should be ashamed, and a Severe Effort by the JQC to clean up the entire Broward Court system should take place immediately, until all your kind are removed from hurting one more innocent resident, by your irresponsible words, and wrongful preaching! I do not speak from Sainthood, but I do speak from common decency, that I learned over the years, and always DOING MY BEST TO OBEY THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, which apparently for you are for others to obey, and you just pick and choose what you like to obey and what you don't like to obey. That's not called freedom, that is called anarchy! Once again, I will say, and leave you with this chilling reminder at your age, GROW UP! This just makes me sick to my stomach to read what you wrote, and knowing you care less about affecting young children, who may also read this, with the WRONG Information! Shame on you!
Don't get so fired up 12:17, nobody reads this old lame 60's rhetoric from Norma. Norma has to see his B.S. in print and since he sold that rag of his this is the only place he has to pen crap. No one pays any attention to him. He has no relevance then or now. The guy used to own a bagel shop. Need I say more?
Leave Norm alone. Despite the way you may dislike him, Norm has served a vital role in keeping principles alive that were dead before he turned 12. For one, I enjoy reading his continued tripe about the failings of our society and totally agree with a number of his points. Long live Storming Norman. I look forward to reading your column. I always get a chuckle out of it. Florida needs a good sock in the stomach every once in a while. Obviously we have judges that feel pot should be legalized when they are found smoking it in public parks. The real problem arises from the hypocrisy invoved in people sitting in positions of power judging others for crimes they commit. No new thing in the judiciary that HAS BECOME Broward.
You people have no clue what it is to be an advocate. Norman has by far served this community well. He is a person who take cases and causes based upon making this community better. Norman fights for what he believes in. You people don't care about the issues or causes only getting paid your fee, then after getting your "fee", asking the State to pay due process costs.
Instead of always complaining why don't learn by example of Norman. If you acted by Norman's example world would be a better place.
P.S. 12:17 You sure missed the point. If our founding fathers felt like you then we would be bowing to Queen Elizabeth. Some causes are worth the fight.
Kent's primary concern has been in serving himself, Ole Timer. He may have taken causes on that many may agree with, but his main attempt has been to bring attention to himself. A shameless self promoter is what comes to mind.
9:14, if Norm's really SUCH a great advocate, then why isn't pot legal?
hey 12:17, you are the one who is WAY off. norm is advocating a position, not bombing abortion clinics. his post is EXACTLY what the founding fathers of this great nation had in mind when the bill of rights were composed. we as Americans have the right, no, the DUTY to advocate our positions. you are correct only in that we are not supposed to violate the law, whether or not we like it. however, what makes us different from those in countries less free, is that we have the right to freedom of speech and ideas. the truth of the matter is that we live in a hypocritical society where our government allows us to drink alcohol at will and get into our cars at everyone's risk (you can drink and drive so long as you're neither impaired or over the legal limit). in fact, i make my living from people who drink too much and then drive. so do police officers, judges, state's attorney's and the government. in my humble opinion (one i'm given the right to have by my our constitution), marijuana is a much more benign substance than alcohol will ever be, and what makes Norm's posting important, is that he doesn't pretend to be one of the masses...just following along like 'another brick in the wall." history often reveals that it's those who rail against people like Norm who have the most skeletons in their own closets.
Norm and Judge Lee should get together as the Odd Couple.
Why can't people see this for themselves? Why is it a fact that most find the achievements of those that fight for their beliefs to be an aberration of the norm? Interesting in that people would rather just harbor in suppression their disgust for the status quo than speak out against injustices we observe every day.
Thought they were dating?
Many in Law Enforcement Agree! Go to www.leap.cc Law Enforcement AGAINST Prohibition!! Interesting site.
glad to see your still kicking norm, some people never change, thank god, weve lost this so called war on drugs years ago, its time to look at the complete issue again, but, alas, this will never happen. too many people out there in the great world want to run others lives, see the first blogger.... it is irrational to have
, one half ounce of grass as a felony, make it a misdemeanor, fines , unles they are hurting some else or violating rights, who really cares, its great to finally realize that i am a libertarian, individual rights forever.... one pill iis a felone, who are we kidding, how many woman have one i pill in the bottom of their purse that they have forgotten about, if you do do not drive in davie , they will find it and you will find out how sane our judicial system is when they go hog hell after you.. keep it up norm, but your only tilting windmills, but someone has to
Tylock says it all
11:32 and 12:24...Your comments are toatlly inappropriate. You should be the ones attending diversity training. You are the reason this blog is losing credibility!!!!!!!!!!
losing credibility? the only reason anyone reads this blog is because it has no credibility. enquiring minds want to know
Did any judges do drugs before they became judges? Do any still use? Mandatory drug testing for all judges. End hypocrisy and double standards now, or legalize it. Stop racism once and for all.
First Pot, them Poppies. We're one step from the edge of the abyss. If the government allows the use of pot, it will become used to such an extent (mainly to numb ourselves from the effects of a modern day society) it will then be used as the average tonic to cure everything from the common cold to depression, et al. Inquire of Former Judge Larry Korda if you have any doubts. He seemingly was stoned for years and pot was of great benefit to him in deciding case dispositions on a daily basis making him a more productive part of our Broward Brand of of Justice.
That was really inappropriate, ratboy. We all know your position on this. Fake MASS. gf would be dissapointed.
Government's inability to control the distribution and sale, not to mention its taxability of cannabis is the reason it is not legal. Pure and simply that is the answer to the question.
Yeah right! Almost as much ABUSE AS ALCOHOL!!If you are so concerned about substance abuse BAN ALCOHOL!! Judge Kordas decicisions were no worse than any of the BROWARD judges whom are supposedly straight!
So true. as well as NEGATIVE INFLUENCE from THE ALCOHOL COMPANIES! Go to www.leap.cc Law Enforcement AGAINST Prohibition!
Thanks Norm for all of your inspiration. I am joining today!
We need to legalize marijuana~~this guy is a total moron. Booze was prohibited at one time and I am sure this bozo drinks it!
Let's be honest~alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs take a far worse toll on the public than marijuana.
Yet those mind numbing substance are legal.
Ask any Doctor and they will agree.
Dearest Norm,
The First Amendment allows you to petition the government to change or repeal the drug laws. The First Amendment does not give you the right to violate the laws you don't like.
It seems to me that you are saying that you in fact are violating the marijuana laws of this state. If you're being coy about that, then that doesn't strike me as being very brave. Are you or are you not? It seems to me that if you are, then you have a duty, given your position, to say so clearly, and then live with the consequences. After all, that's what being brave on this issue would look like, right?
Or are you just calling on others to violate these laws as some sort of "social protest" while only consuming your green tea?
As to the two dopers whom you call leaders who got busted for smoking dope in Boston: If they're going to be so dumb as to do it in public, what did they expect? Duh. If it was an act of civil disobedience, and they expected to be busted, then what are they complaining about? They've missed the Civil Disobediance primer course on how this works that Gandhi wrote and MLK, Jr. honed to the American ethos: Break the law, suffer the punishment for it, and by the patent injustice of the transaction you change the polity's dealing with that issue. That's how it works. You don't break the law and bitch about the punishment. Martin Luther King, Jr., would laugh at that notion that seems to be your notion.
Finally, Norm, if you are brave enough to say here that yes, you do marijuana recreationally, then you understand that violates your oath as an attorney, right?
So, then, do you do dope still, Norm? You remember your responses to the request for admission in the case before Streitfeld, right? To refresh your recollection, you said you do consume marijuana without a prescription. Still true, Norm? Are you brave enough, a leader enough on this issue, to admit that here?
Jack Thompson, Attorney
PS: My parents weren't popping pills as if they were in the Valley of the Dolls. Maybe yours were. Mine weren't.
It's not far from Valley of the Dolls here in Broward from the sounds of it. Judges that aren't prescribed dope smoking it in public and those that are in dire need of behavioral modification drugs seeking encouragement for their behavior from peers instead of doctors. If the truth be known, what seems to go on here would make a great sequel to Valley of the Dolls. Maybe Norm Kent can put his enumerable talents to creating a screenplay for what promises to be a best seller.
"But I don't ever remember reading about anyone dying from a bong hit, unless a jealous lover smashed the glass over some toker's skull."
Norm, I really can't believe you said this since you had a relative who was smoking weed, acting like a dope by playing with a gun, and killed a young girl. You should have renounced all this nonsense back then.
"But I don't ever remember reading about anyone dying from a bong hit, unless a jealous lover smashed the glass over some toker's skull."
Norm, I really can't believe you said this since you had a relative who was smoking weed, acting like a dope by playing with a gun, and killed a young girl. You should have renounced all this nonsense back then.
Hey, Norm: Sounds like you're not having any problem holding the bong these days. What kind of world do you live in? Just a tip, but if you're having a problem holding on to ceramic bongs, buy a plastic one. Utter goof ball.
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Is that Norma.com? Pardon me if I decline to feed the insatiable ego of an old show girl like Norma. Time to retire and mean it this time.
I'm anything but dull. Even my enemies concede that.
I have a five handicap in golf, which entails a certain amount of "play."
I am a cinema enthusiast and have raised a 15-year-old son to be the same.
I have seen my bud Norm at a number of Marlins games, and I believe that when either of us is there we are engaged in what anyone would call "play."
I garden, I sue entertainment companies, which can be highly entertaining in and of itself, and I generally make mincemeat of liberal opponents on national television interviews. This for me is never dull, nor am I.
I would suspect that someone, however, who has the time to type "dull" several hundred times needs to get out more and enjoy life a bit. Hop in, the water's fine.
Jack Thompson, Attorney and Jesus Freak
Praise Jesus, Jack's back! Can you do something about these pot toting liberals preaching drugs to our children and attempting to spread their wicked ways for the sake of corruption of the flesh?
I think Kent has graduated to the use of shrooms by now. Sounds like it anyway. I sent him an email just to make him feel like he's getting some attention. Don't want him to feel lonely while he's tripping over the rainbow colored bridge or sitting under his toad stool.
Ok, Norm -
It's time to put your repetative stories to bed and give us a rest.
Man, this crap gets old
Jack
I dont even want to think of what kind of "play" you and Norm engage in at Marlins games. Hope you teenage son doesnt have to see it.
If you were a cinema enthusiast, you would have caught the reference to a famous Stanley Kubrick film and the insane ramblings (any similarity of course merely a coincidence) of another Jack.
Jack, why must you be such a hypocrite?