Dennis Peron
Encyclopedia
Dennis Peron is an openly gay
American medical marijuana and LGBT
activist and businessman who was the figurehead for the legality of cannabis throughout the 1990s influencing many in California
and thus changing the political debate of marijuana in the United States
. He grew up on Long Island
, served in the Air Force
in Vietnam
and moved to The Castro, San Francisco, where he sold marijuana, cofounded the Cannabis Buyers Club
, and coauthored California Proposition 215
. His marijuana business was busted by authorities in 1978 and 1990. In 1996, Dan Lungren
, state attorney general
, ordered another bust of Peron's club. Proposition 215 was passed soon thereafter, which allowed the club to reopen. Later in 1996 The Grassroots Party
of Minnesota fielded Dennis Peron, as their first Presidential nominee, in the U.S. presidential election. Peron received 5,400 votes. In 1998, Peron ran in the Republican
primary for California
governor against his rival Lungren (who won the primary and lost the election to Gray Davis
).
Peron has voiced support for decriminalization of all marijuana use
as he believes the herb is medicinal just as food
is and thus should be available to those who want to benefit from it. Peron opposed California Proposition 19 (2010)
because he does not believe that recreational use of marijuana exists and that all people who use marijuana are using it medicinally.
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
American medical marijuana and LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
activist and businessman who was the figurehead for the legality of cannabis throughout the 1990s influencing many in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and thus changing the political debate of marijuana in the United States
Legal history of marijuana in the United States
The legal history of cannabis in the United States relates to the regulation of marijuana use for medical or recreational purposes in the United States. Regulations and restrictions on the sale of Cannabis sativa as a drug began as early as 1860...
. He grew up on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, served in the Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and moved to The Castro, San Francisco, where he sold marijuana, cofounded the Cannabis Buyers Club
Cannabis Buyers Club
The San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club was the first public medical cannabis dispensary in the United States. It first opened in 1992, in the wake of the success of Proposition P, which passed in 1991...
, and coauthored California Proposition 215
California Proposition 215 (1996)
Proposition 215, or the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, is a California law concerning the use of medical cannabis. It was enacted, on November 5, 1996, by means of the initiative process, and passed with 5,382,915 votes in favor and 4,301,960 against.The proposition was a state-wide voter...
. His marijuana business was busted by authorities in 1978 and 1990. In 1996, Dan Lungren
Dan Lungren
Daniel Edward "Dan" Lungren is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. The district covers most of Sacramento County and part of Solano County, as well as all of Alpine, Amador and Calaveras counties...
, state attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, ordered another bust of Peron's club. Proposition 215 was passed soon thereafter, which allowed the club to reopen. Later in 1996 The Grassroots Party
Grassroots Party
The Grassroots Party is a minor political party. It was created in the 1980s to oppose drug prohibition. The party shares the political leftist values of the Greens but with a greater emphasis on marijuana/hemp legalization issues....
of Minnesota fielded Dennis Peron, as their first Presidential nominee, in the U.S. presidential election. Peron received 5,400 votes. In 1998, Peron ran in the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
primary for California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
governor against his rival Lungren (who won the primary and lost the election to Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
).
Peron has voiced support for decriminalization of all marijuana use
Decriminalization of non-medical marijuana in the United States
Attempts to decriminalize cannabis in the United States began in the 1970s. Several jurisdictions have subsequently decriminalized cannabis for non-medical purposes, as views on cannabis have liberalized, peaking in 1978...
as he believes the herb is medicinal just as food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
is and thus should be available to those who want to benefit from it. Peron opposed California Proposition 19 (2010)
California Proposition 19 (2010)
California Proposition 19 was a ballot initiative on the November 2, 2010 statewide ballot...
because he does not believe that recreational use of marijuana exists and that all people who use marijuana are using it medicinally.
See also
- Legal and medical status of cannabisLegal and medical status of cannabisCannabis is in Schedule IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, making it subject to special restrictions. Article 2 provides for the following, in reference to Schedule IV drugs:...
- Places that have decriminalized non-medical marijuana in the United StatesPlaces that have decriminalized non-medical marijuana in the United StatesMultiple places have decriminalized non-medical cannabis in the United States; however, cannabis is illegal under federal law. Gonzales v. Raich held in a 6-3 decision that the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution allowed the federal government to ban the use of cannabis, including...
- Removal of cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act