By Michael Bachara, Oregon NORML/CRRH

Portland, Oregon – Nearly three hundred cities worldwide, including Portland, will participate in the fourteenth annual Global Cannabis March on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Portland participants will gather in Pioneer Courthouse Square to march at high noon through downtown Portland, accompanied by a police escort. Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp (CRRH) and Oregon NORML are sponsors of this event.

Musicians Justin James Bridges, Tim Pate and John Cornett have joined the roster for the rally, which runs from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Speakers for the rally include Leland Berger, Portland Attorney and advocate for the group Compassionate Oregon, Russ Belville of 420 Radio, Madeline Martinez of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) and more.

“Cannabis proponents agree; the war on the cannabis plant is a farce, the drug war is taking a last gasp. No political movement in America has made it this far without eventually winning, it’s just a matter of time.” according to Michael Bachara, Executive Director of Oregon National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Paul Loney, Oregon NORML’s legal counsel, states, “All we want is freedom and sensible regulation. We just keep pushing for freedom. Whatever groups are out there, it takes everybody. That’s the beauty of this country is that there are so many of us out there. There is a group that we can all join and all have the same common cause, which is legalize cannabis.”

OMMP registrants are invited to the World Famous Cannabis Cafe to celebrate the anniversary of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act after the rally.

A bio-diesel school bus has confirmed they will be offering rides to the disabled; they will be parked in The Square. There will also be an ASL interpreter for the hearing impaired. Come out and join us!

The Lineup:

11:00am – 11:05am Opening Ceremonies/Urb Thrasher (Free the Drug War Prisoners)

11:06am – 11:25am Justin James Bridges, Musician

11:30am – 11:40am Tim Pate, Musician

11:45am – 11:50am Open

NOON – The MARCH

12:35pm – 12:45pm Paul Loney, Attorney, Oregon NORML Legal Counsel

12:50pm – 12:55pm Russ Belville, 420 Radio Host

1:00pm – 1:05pm Anthony Johnson, National Cannabis Coalition, SB 3371 Proponent

1:10pm – 1:15pm Leland Berger, Attorney, Compassionate Oregon

1:20pm – 1:25pm Anna Diaz, NORML Women’s Alliance

1:30pm – 1:35pm Madeline Martinez, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP)

1:40pm – 1:45pm Jennifer Alexander, A Different View

1:45pm- 2:00pm Closing

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Who: Nearly three hundred cities worldwide, including Portland, will participate in annual Global Cannabis March.

What: 14th Annual Global Cannabis March

Where: Pioneer Courthouse Square – 701 SW 6th Avenue, Portland, OR 97204

When: 11:00am-2pm (March at Noon)

Why: To bring an end the failed war on cannabis.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/222397234567437