Edward Forchion
Posted on 10/12/2005 10:37:14 AM PDT by Cagey
TRENTON — In the past, Edward Forchion has run for office to promote the legalization of marijuana.
This year, he is taking a more extreme stance in his bid for governor.
"This time it's a whole angrier thing," said Forchion, 41. "I'm openly advocating that my whole reason for running for office is to specifically give the finger to the attorney general, the Republicans and the Democrats."
Forchion, of Browns Mills in Pemberton Township, is angry over being jailed for five months in late 2002 for filming ads advocating the legalization of marijuana while he was on probation for possession and intent to distribute the drug.
He had served 16 months of a 10-year sentence before his parole.
A federal judge ultimately ruled the arrest for the videos was a violation of his free speech rights. Forchion hopes his candidacy — and its surrounding publicity — will stick it to state and federal officials.
And if he's elected?
"I'd pardon every single pothead that was arrested. I'd do that all day," said Forchion. "I'm a news junkie. I could talk about a lot of things, but for the sake of this campaign, I am openly advocating for all the potheads."
Forchion, who once tried to change his legal name to njweedman.com so that judges would have to call him "Mr. Weedman," has long promoted the legalization of marijuana and believes it should be allowed on free speech grounds, saying it is tied to his Rastafari religion.
"You don't have to smoke marijuana to believe that you shouldn't be put in a cage for smoking marijuana," Forchion said. "The weedman in every community is providing a service. . . . The fact of the matter is, we, the people, want drugs."
Although his stance would surely qualify him as soft on crime in many voters' eyes, Forchion insists that he is a conservative.
"To be a conservative you have to believe that the government should not be dictating your life," Forchion said. "All these conservatives who support the war on drugs are hypocrites."
Forchion has had many brushes with the law, several stemming from publicity stunts, including a citation while smoking at the Liberty Bell and being escorted from the New Jersey Statehouse after lighting up in the balcony of the Assembly. He said police have frequently chased him away while he campaigns, including an incident in which he was refused access to press row in the Statehouse.
His first dose of censorship, he said, was in his Waterford high school yearbook, where his quote "We smoke pot, we drink brew, we're the class of '82," was left out.
For now, Forchion has temporarily stopped smoking marijuana for his truck-driving job, but he said it is only "a temporary affliction."
In what he said is likely his last run for New Jersey office, Forchion hopes ads on cable channels like Comedy Central and music channels will draw young voters. But he said the constant battles with the law have worn him down.
"This is my last hurrah. I've been doing this for like, eight or nine years now, I'm still a one-man gang. I've never been able to spark the reefer revolution," Forchion said. "I've kind of lost my fire."
Edward Forchion
I don't know if I would vote for him but I would definitely buy a dime bag from him.
Will he get more than 1% of the vote??
as long as he gets the word out he could get 20% of the vote, (current weed smokers in NJ.)
ping
Canada has a Marijuana party and what votes they get hurt the Greens and Liberals.
Unfortunately, he may actually have a chance. NJ's politics are that pathetic.
Any enemy of the WOD is a friend of mine.
Chef Ra's love child? :)
Aside from the medicinal uses, the plants involved are lovely as ornimentals, and the fiberous stalks are useful in textile production. I don't think much about marijuana as a recreational drug, at least no more than alcohol, but that said, I still attach the same stigma - I don't want anyone working for me that consumes either to excess. Pardon the pun - but pot "clouds" the judgement of those who use it.
I agree with him on the decrim issue.
"Any enemy of the WOD is a friend of mine."
Agreed. I have always viewed drug laws as leftist policy. I don't understand why more conservatives don't.
Because being anti-druggie makes many people feel like they have the moral high ground in the argument. They completely ignore the decay in the Bill of Rights that has been caused by the WOD. And that's what I'm looking at.
Although his stance would surely qualify him as soft on crime in many voters' eyes, Forchion insists that he is a conservative.
"To be a conservative you have to believe that the government should not be dictating your life," Forchion said. "All these conservatives who support the war on drugs are hypocrites."
He'd definitely be better than Corzine. Probably better than Forrester too.
My advice: lose the locks, get some cool sunglasses, and practice speaking with a thick Austrian accent.
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