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Tommy Chong in Jail
international |
miscellaneous |
press release
Saturday September 13, 2003 07:40 by Sean Dunne

Tommy Chong, of Cheech and Chong fame, was recently imprisoned in the United States for selling glass pipes on the internet. Here's a letter from NORML, an organisation which seeks to decriminalize cannabis. Dear NORML Supporter:
As you have probably heard by now, on September 11, 2003 cultural icon
Tommy Chong was sentenced to nine months in federal prison for his role in
selling marijuana pipes on the Internet through his legally licensed
company Tommy Chong Glass. Tommy Chong is the first person to be
prosecuted under John Ashcroft's "Operation Pipe Dreams" and "Operation
Headhunter," which shut down national glass distributors nationwide,
resulting in the indictment of over 55 people.
Tommy Chong, one half o f the Cheech & Chong comedy troupe that practically
invented marijuana comedy, has been a celebrity among marijuana smokers
and non-smokers alike since the 1970's. Recently, he has had a recurring
role on 'That 70's Show' and was planning on a long awaited Cheech and
Chong reunion movie with Cheech Marin. Tommy Chong was obviously targeted
by the federal government because of his status as a cult figure among
marijuana smokers.
Ironically, Tommy Chong was sentenced on September 11, 2003, exactly two
years after the worst terrorist attacks in American history. With Osama
Bin Laden still on the loose and President Bush admitting that the war on
terrorism is far from over, it is preposterous that we would waste
valuable law enforcement resources locking up a comedian for selling glass
pipes. Can anyone in America honestly say they feel safer today because
Tommy Chong, a comedian and actor, has been sentenced to 9 months in
federal prison for selling pipes on the internet? Of course not. These
laws do nothing except make criminals out of otherwise law abiding
businessmen.
The federal raids on paraphernalia distributors has been an utter waste of
time and money, while it has ruined the lives and careers of otherwise law
abiding citizens. These businesses pay taxes and do not in any way
contribute to the crime problem in America. To target them at this time
shows a total lack of understanding as to which risks truly threaten the
health, welfare and safety of America's citizens.
Please take two minutes to write your members of Congress and tell them to
stop funding Operation Pipe Dreams and Op eration Headhunter, and to
immediately release Tommy Chong, by visiting:
http://capwiz.com/norml2/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=3406006
Thanks for your support.
Regards,
Kris Krane
Associate Director
NORML
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Comments (11 of 11)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11Everyone should joint this campain.That is definately a waste of taxpayers time and money.A fed goon easy target.Like Ruby ridge and Waco
Free Tommy and the weed.
Indymedia does come up with somthing worthwhile,once in awhile.
Somehow I've never thought of lone gunman as being interested in canabis. Although it might make him a little mellow, and that would be a welcome change.
As regards his reference to Waco, when I see a posting from lone gunman the word that springs to mind is wacko.
Tommy Chong, of 'Cheech and Chong' fame, was sentenced in a California courthouse on Thursday to nine months in prison for 'conspiring to promote the use of marijuana.'
Chong, 65, who also directed many of the Cheech and Chong duo's hits including 'Nice Dreams' and 'Still Smokin', later marketed his film persona to sell smoking apparatuses, known as bongs. In court he was criticized by Assistant US Attorney Mary Houghton for "growing wealthy by glamorizing drug use and trivializing law enforcement in his films of the late 70's and early 80's." Chong lawyers appealed for leniancy and offered for Chong to use his fame to dissuade LA youngsters from drugs. The sentence ended with 9 months in a federal lock-up, one years subsequent probation, a $20,000 fine and the surrender of over $100,000 gains from the 'glass-art' enterprise.
Chong is the latest of thousands to fall under the sinister shadow of new drug laws such as the Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 1999, which severly prohibits the displaying, promoting, publishing or disseminating of any paraphenalia or information pertaining to 'controlled substances.' These and similar new laws in the War on Drugs have led to the forced closure and prosecution of hundreds of web-sites and alternative book-stores nationwide, enraging free-speach advocates and setting back the campaign to decriminalize marijuana and many other natural remedies by decades.
At a time when the prison population of the US exceeds two million, and more than 60% for non-violent crimes, a revision on the homefront policy does not seem forthcoming as Canada and many European nations move to relax their drug laws and concentrate more on rehabilitation than incarceration. Policy-makers indeed are attempting phase out all public knowledge of drugs, but in doing so are driving more people underground.
In a stark example of double standards, another famous Los Angeles resident, hiphop-star Snoop Dog, who was caught earlier this year giving ecstasy to 15 year-old girls to get them to take their clothes off for his cameras, got off relatively lightly by agreeing to use his greater fame and influence for a new weekly MTV show in which he raps carefully scripted anti-drug messages to viewers while dozens of dancing fly-girls surround him...
Ok, I've had enough! I hope some people will read this and that I might get my point across to some people. Why did we give our decision making ability to the government?! Drugs are bad for you, no-one is denying that, but so is Beer, red meat and a shit load of other things. We didn't tell the government to criminalize them. This was our choice. How dare some government take away my choice! If I wanna live in an unhealthy way, who are they to tell me not to?! Addiction is the problem yes? Well what about shopping, chocolate, caffine, alcohal and nicotine? These are all addictive but we don't ciminalize them BECAUSE WE HAVE FREEDOM OF THOUGHT. I didn't know that showing a good side to drugs was illegal too. STOP SWEEPING THIS UNDER THE RUG. Let people know all sides and make their own decisions!!!!
BASTARDS!!!!!! FREE TOMMY NOW!!!!!!!!!! PRICKS!!!!!
I am Full of surprises !! The humble weed is one of the most versitile plants around. What pisses me off it the dumb things the Feds come up with to waste taxpayers money,and justify their overgrown budjets.Bothering people who make glass pipes,belong to weird churches,or just want to be left the Hell alone.
Remember YOU mightnt like whatever the arrested group or person does.But what is to say YOU are next on the list of unapproved activities?
Not only that I always liked Cheech &Chong.
sorr IMC people, didn't see earlier posting, otherwise would have made it a comment...
Knock, knock.
Who's dat?
It's me. I got the stuff.
What stuff?
Knock, knock.
Who's that?
It's me. Open the door.
Who are you?
It's me.
Who are you?
It's me with the stuff.
Why are you knocking on the door?
I got the shit.
Quick, hide the shit.
What?
Hide the shit.
Knock, knock.
Go away.
Cheech and Chong. Classic.
Does this kep doubling my posts??? I AM NOT hitting the send button twice.In case some wiseguy is going to say that!
Editors of Indymedia Do we have a tech problem somwhere?
Anyone got a prison address and fed priz number for support letters??????
links to all threads on Chong, these will be "updated / washed" in the near future, so keep them here for reference:
http://www.talkleft.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-comments.cgi?entry_id=4239
http://www.talkleft.com/archives/003151.html
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/9/11/203112/968
with photo:
http://www.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030514chong0514p4.asp
http://www.dtheatre.com/read.php?sid=2024
for petitions, letters, and so on, try:
http://freetommychong.org/