Oregon: 2009 Oregon NORML Freedom Fighter of the Year - John Walsh

By Anna Diaz for Oregon NORML

John Walsh has been collecting signatures for the hemp and cannabis movement for twenty-five years, by his report. He can tell you exactly how many signatures he has collected for each and every initiative and ballot measure that relates to hemp or cannabis throughout that twenty-five year period.

Although his home is in Eugene, he travels the state, collecting signatures and registering Oregonians to vote like Johnny Appleseed planted trees. He is willing to camp out at festivals throughout the area, doing whatever it takes to gather enough signatures to further cannabis reform.

This year, he has surpassed many of his previous records by collecting the two thousand signatures needed to re-file the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act for 2010. In an amazingly short time, John worked tirelessly, pounding the pavement, traveling the state and setting up camp at Portland's Hempstalk. These signatures were turned in to the Oregon Secretary of State's office on September 21, 2009.

John, a lifetime member of Oregon NORML, advocates for all cannabis activist groups to work together. He brings that message to each and every signature gathering opportunity.

For his tireless efforts and unparalleled achievements in the history of Oregon cannabis petitioning, John Walsh is the 2009 recipient of the Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards Freedom Fighter of the Year Award.

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Anna Diaz is one of the founders of Oregon NORML and is serving her third term on the board of directors. She has spearheaded Oregon NORML's letter writing campaigns, with over 1000 letters and postcards sent to state and national legislators. She is the editor of Oregon NORML's newsletter and a published writer on cannabis issues, reporting on Oregon's cannabis community for the West Coast Leaf newspaper, West Coast Cannabis magazine, hightimes.com and state and local media.


Source: 2009 Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards Program Guide