The legalization of Cannabis has always involved in-depth discussions and included various strong yet contradicting arguments. As the government decided to stand towards the opposing side regarding the legalization of Marijuana, activists needed to stand up and share their voice and opinion about the possible benefits and added value that Cannabis can bring to the society. They use one of the contributions of Jack Herer in regards to cannabis cases.
One of the most prominent American Cannabis activists is Jack Herer. He is also famous for the name “Emperor of Hemp” or Hemperor, especially because of his significant effort and involvement in the fight against Cannabis prohibition. The contributions of Jack Herer regarding this matter even reaches the extent of helping press legal charges against the restrictions towards the Cannabis plant.
Not only did he show resistance in mobilizations and movements where he is physically present, but the contributions of Jack Herer even include arguments and evidence that can be used by other activists as they engage in debates. This book, which is one of the most extremely well-known and recognized contributions of Jack Herer, is entitled The Emperor Wears No Clothes.
The Life of Jack Herer
Jack Herer was born on June 18, 1939, in New York City. He got married thrice and had six children, whom he remained close to. His soulmate was Jeannie Hawkins, whom he married in the year 2000.
Jack Herer spent his formative years in Buffalo, New York. When he was in high school, he dropped out to serve the army in Korea. Then in the 1960s, his family decided to move to Los Angeles. Even when Cannabis was most attractive to teenagers during this time, Herer only developed his passion for Cannabis later in his life. To substantiate, his separation from his first wife was even rooted when she did not agree to stop using and smoking the reefer. He only tried his first smoke at the age of 30.
Jack Herer might not have been a lawfully-elected official or among the richest people in America. His real desire and passion for educating the people and eradicating the misconceptions and conspiracies against Cannabis have become a strong foundation for all. Jack Herer’s contributions left a legacy for the world and the lives of people.
His Fight for Cannabis started with the person who became his partner in this battle, “Capt.” Ed Adair, when both of them were still owners of head shops and pledged to fight and change the system oppressing Cannabis. Some of the most notable contributions of Jack Herer include his book “The Emperor Wears No Clothes,”. He started writing when he was imprisoned for 14 days and charged with trespassing on the federal property when he collected signatures for a California ballot initiative.
Legalization of Marijuana
Jack Herer sure had become synonymous with the pot legalization movement and was able to change numerous lives and ignite bio-revolutions. All of these have their foundation rooted in his passion for educating people. Included in the legacy and contributions of Jack Herer are the movements he started, the legalization of Marijuana in California, his book, and the documentary entitled the Emperor of Hemp. All these will forever be remembered and will never cease to spread the truth regarding Cannabis.
Death of Jack Herer
He died at 70 years old on April 15, 2010, in Eugene, Oregon, USA, due to heart complications.
The Emperor Wears No Clothes
The Emperor Wears No Clothes is the first work that ignited a revolution that lasts decades, the Cannabis Revolution. Jack Herer first published this book on hemp paper in 1985, and it is now on its 12th printing and has sold over a million copies. The Emperor Wears No Clothes is even regarded as the Hemp Bible. This was also translated into several languages and was even a bestseller in Germany.
This book is non-fiction that uses the classic fairytale “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Hans Christian Anderesen as an allegory. Also included in this book are gathered historical evidence, positions, and books published by other reputable authors such as Region of Law: A Tale of Kentucky Hemp Fields (1990), Movie Review and documentation of authentication of the Film “Hemp For Victory” (1988), American Peoples Encyclopedia (1953) Du Pont History, and USDA Bulletin No. 404 (1916).
Famous Contributions Of Jack Herer
- Overview of the History of the Cannabis Hemp
- Brief Summary of the Uses of Cannabis Hemp
- New Billion Dollar Crop
- The Last Days of Legal Cannabis
- Marijuana Prohibition
- Medical Literature on Cannabis Medicine
- Therapeutic Use of Cannabis
- Hemp Seed as the Basic World Food
- Economics, Energy, and Environment
- Myth, Magic, and Medicine
- The (Hemp) War of 1812, Napoleon and Russia
- Cannabis Drug Use in 19th Century America
- Prejudice: Marijuana and Jim Crow Laws
- More than Sixty Years of Suppression
- The Official Story: Debunking Gutter Science
- The Emperor’s New Clothes.
Emperor of Hemp
The Emperor of Hemp is a 59-minute documentary and was first aired on June 15, 1999. It was directed by Jeff Jones starring Jack Herer, himself, and Peter Coyote. The documentary primarily showed the highlights of Jack Herer, particularly his struggle in fighting for the enlightenment of the people, including the poor, about the truth when it comes to the plant Cannabis sativa or more popularly called Marijuana or hemp. The documentary also covered all of the contributions of Jack Herer and his motivations and inspirations for doing so.
His motivation in leading the overall movement resisting the criminalization of Marijuana is rooted in his belief that Marijuana can change the world. He was not spared from criticisms, and people who believe that his points and views were irrational. However, these did not stop him from continuing his mission to spread the word and to encourage more people to join in the movement forwarding the decriminalization of the virgin plant Cannabis sativa.
As seen in the documentary, he dedicated almost half his life to protesting and rallying against the prohibition of the use of this plant. He even spent some time in federal prison fighting for his advocacy. The complete legalization of Cannabis sativa may not have happened during the duration of his life, but all the contributions of Jack Herer in this fight have been very substantial. They have set a strong foundation for all the existing movements and for those to come, left books and documentaries containing the necessary information to continue the debunking of all the conspiracies built on Marijuana, and engaged many passionate individuals to continue the fight they have started.
The Jack Herer Marijuana Strain
The Jack Herer Marijuana strain is named after the well-known activist Jack Herer. This marijuana is a sativa-dominant strain of Marijuana, which was developed and created in the Netherlands around the 1990s. It was then introduced to the market by a Dutch company referring to this as a medical-grade strain. Sensi Seeds crossed a hybrid Haze together with Northern Lights # 5 and Shiva Skunk to achieve this Jack Herer. Since then, Jack Herer has been very famous and sought after the strain and has won numerous awards, including nine Best-In-Class Flower in the Cannabis Cup Awards.
Characteristics of Jack Herer Marijuana Strain
Jack Herer is characterized to be a spicy sativa with a citrus-dominant flavor and a hint of piney scent. This strain is described by its users as 55% clear-headed, energizing and uplifting, and contains distinctive medicinal properties, especially in helping treat asthma and other respiratory illnesses. People say that this resembles the man being honored by this strain, Jack Herer, as it has a delicate yet remarkable flavor, full of substance and purpose, and is genuinely mind-boggling. Having said all of these, Jack Herer has caught the entire world’s attention and has become a global favorite.
As one of the effects of this strain being a worldly known, some breeders and cultivators have tried to grow their own Jack Herer plants and were successful in doing so. They have recorded that it needs a sunny or tropical environment and will require around 50 to 70 days before a flower blooms. It has also become the parent strain for many famous strains in the market, such as Jack the Ripper, Jack Skellington, Critical Jack, and Jack’s Cleaner.
The creators of this Marijuana strain have performed a true genius as they added value to the legacy preserved by the iconic Cannabis activist Jack Herer.
Conclusion
Jack Herer can be equivalent to the rise of the cannabis legalization movement. He has proven all of these with his life works and advocacies including The Emperor Wears No Clothes, establishment of different movements such as Help End Marijuana Prohibition or HEMP, and the legalization of Cannabis in California. All the contributions of Jack Herer in this battle are genuinely substantial and will forever be recognized as the foundation of all Cannabis movements and will impact all future movements that will emerge. One of the masterpieces that will enlighten people and have left a legacy is the 59-minute documentary entitled Emperor of Hemp starring Jack Herer, himself, and tagged as a must-watch by all Cannabis activists.