Colorado: Court: First Amendment does not protect ‘ganja minister’s’ cannabis grow

Colorado Politics reports

The First Amendment does not protect a “ganja minister’s” right to cultivate more cannabis plants than state law allows, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday.

Aaron Snyder Torline was an ordained minister with the Hawai’i Cannabis Ministry. According to the group’s website, the founder of the ministry was the first licensed “cannabis sacrament minister” in the country, after receiving a license from the state of Hawai’i in 2000. Members use the “Holy Cannabis sacrament” for prayer, meditation and worship, including baptisms, weddings and funerals.

Our Practices
  • Holy Cannabis sacrament is used by members for prayer, meditation, worship, nutrition, healing, and fellowship.
  • We use Cannabis in formal rituals, including baptisms, weddings, & funerals.
  • Cannabis use as a sacrament is also encouraged for communing with nature.
  • Holy Anointing Oil, made according to the recipe given to Moses, is used to bless and heal.
  • Making and providing Cannabis sacramentals for those in need is an important part of the THC Ministry’s mission.
  • We teach members to bless their challenges, find the good in any situation and to honor all of God’s creation.
  • We strive to live with modesty, good manners and humbleness.
Our Beliefs
The THC Ministry is a universal religious organization that uses Cannabis to exalt consciousness, facilitate harmony, and become closer to God and Nature.
We believe that:
  • Cultivation and enjoyment of Cannabis sacrament is a fundamental human right provided by God and protected by the U.S. Constitution.
  • Sacramental use of Cannabis opens the mind, frees the soul and releases the body to commune with God and balance itself.
  • Cannabis has been used for millennia as a sacrament by spiritual seekers & is the original sacrament of Hebrew, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Shinto, Buddhist, Rasta and more.
  • Cannabis is the Tree of Life, given to humans by God for food, shelter, clothing, fuel, medicine, sacrament and much more.
  • Cannabis was given by God to help humans find answers to fundamental questions about the meaning of life and their place in it.
  • Cannabis fosters a spirit of harmony and compassion among people.
Holy Anointing Oil
Holy Anointing Oil is a key component of the THC Ministry. The ancient recipe, given by God to Moses in Exodus 30:23, was made with myrrh, cinnamon, Cannabis (“fragrant cane”), and cassia infused in olive oil and blessed with prayer. The THC Ministry makes the Holy Anointing Oil of Moses and the christening oil of Jesus based on the Old Testament recipe. We’re honored to bring this age-old practice back to modern times.Our Holy Anointing Oil has had extraordinary effects on many physical ailments, including gangrene, arthritis & migraines. It is also used for spiritual purposes. The word “Christ” means “Anointed One.” Jesus Christ used Holy Anointing Oil to heal the sick and bless people.
THC Ministry Blessing
God, that’s great!
Show me the blessings in this situation…and hurry!
We are safe, we are loved and all is well.
Observe by giving thanks in formal or informal rituals using Cannabis sacrament.
Sacred Days
April 20: International Cannabis Day
September 20: THC Ministry Founding Day
Solstices and Equinoxes
Legal Background
Cannabis sacramental use is a lifelong right given to the human race by the Creator of all things. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects religious belief and practice, and so does the written guarantee of every state Constitution.
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, explicitly protects religious freedom in Article 18.The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (1993); Guam v. Guerrero (2000); U.S. v. Bauer (1996); State v. Blake, 5 Haw. App. 411 (1985); Leary v. U.S. (1969); and U.S. v. Meyers (1996) all assist in defining the legal status of religious Cannabis.See our website for more legal information. Click here for more case law.
Credentials
Rev. Roger Christie is licensed by the State of Hawai`i to perform marriage ceremonies as a Cannabis Sacrament Minister (Department of Health License Number 00-313).
The THC Ministry also serves as the Oklevueha Native American Church of Hilo.
THC Ministry Services
  • Cannabis Ceremonies: We provide Cannabis ceremonies, including weddings, funerals, baptisms, communions. Our Ministers will work with you to develop the right program for your needs.
  • Counseling & Guidance: We provide guidance and counseling to our members when they need it.
  • Medical Cannabis Education: We provide physician referrals and nutrition education to help patients who use Cannabis get the most effective treatment.
  • Cannabis Advocacy: A big part of our mission is to help free people from the problems associated with Cannabis prohibition and discrimination.
THC Ministry Tools
Our tools are designed to help build mana (inner spiritual strength) and provide education on THC Ministry beliefs, practices and more.
  • Sanctuary Kit
    Includes sanctuary signs, laminated ID cards, sacramental plant tags & the THC Ministry Guide to Cannabis Spirituality, with 180 pages of research on Cannabis religious use, articles and case law.
  • Sacramental Plant Tags
    Identify your plants as being for Cannabis sacramental use.
  • Member ID Cards
    Add to your legitimacy and build your mana by getting a THC Ministry Member ID card.

In July 2016, a police dog in Mesa County alerted officers during a traffic stop to the presence of marijuana in a truck. Law enforcement spoke with Torline, who helped load the bags of cannabis into the vehicle. Torline acknowledged his grow operation, and told officers he had 115 plants under cultivation, with approximately 10 plants processed per month.

Read the full article 

https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/court-first-amendment-does-not-protect-ganja-ministers-marijuana-grow/article_cad2a5d8-2522-11eb-bfd0-27510e53415f.html

CASE SUMMARY PDF

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