Friends,

As most people familiar with my case already know, I had the court’s permission to move to Canada, I returned voluntarily to clear up an alleged probation violation, I was never extradited, and was I never convicted for “Narcotics production.”

Despite these facts, the Placer County Republicans continue to lie about me as well as their own criminal and dopey response to the passage of California’s historic Prop. 215.

It’s time the Placer County Republicans grow up and do what former Republican Congressman and now Libertarian Presidential Candidate, Bob Barr has done—declare that the drug war was a mistake and must end now.

—Steve Kubby

Mr. kubby – thanks for visiting.

Would you care to clarify what your original felony conviction was for?

The point of this article was to point out that the Auburn Journal was on your side – a point that you did not dispute.

however, if you could clarify the above question – I will change the post to reflect it.

I was convicted of possession of a microscopic amount of mescaline, a controlled substance.

The mescaline was extracted, by police chemists, from some tiny cactus buttons, left in our guest bedroom. I testified that I had never seen the cactus buttons before, but the jury convicted me anyway.

The conviction was for a misdemeanor and I was allowed to move to Canada, while we appealed the decision. However, after I left for Canada, two Placer judges who had been removed from my case for prejudice and bias, secretly converted my misdemeanor appeal to a felony appeal, which automatically turned me into a fugitive, since felony appeals require the defendant to be present.

I protested all this, legally, from Canada. When my legal appeals failed, I voluntarily returned to the US, with my lawyer, who had negotiated my turning myself in to Placer County – for an alleged probation violation.

Instead, the Placer DA lied, told the media I was a “fugitive” who had been “deported” and “extradited:” to the US. It was the DA who broke the deal and had me arrested off the airplane, when hundreds of supporters and media were waiting for me to arrive at SFO. The resulting firestorm of publicity was all created by a publicity hungry DA and his prosecutor.

The fact that the Mendocino court dismissed the conviction and expunged my record is proof that I was the innocent victim of police and prosecutors who hate the fact that I helped write and pass California’s historic medical marijuana law, a vote heard round the world.

I have never engaged in criminal conduct, but have instead, dedicated my life to helping other patients who benefit, as I have, from this miraculous healing herb.

Placer Sheriff Ed Bonner understood this and visited me while I was in custody. He gave me a warm greeting and called me a “hero.” Sheriff Bonner told me that he and everyone else though our new law was a fraud, at first. However, according to Bonner, he has come to understand that medical marijuana is real and the police are going to have to recognize the rights of medical marijuana patients.

I received a similar response from Attorney General Janet Reno, when I met with her for private talks, on behalf of the organization I founded, The American Medical Marijuana Association. Since then, I’ve had nothing but cooperation and respect from the feds.

In fact, I am now the CEO of a pharmaceutical company that is seeking legal licensing, in Canada and the US, for cannabis based medicines.

It is time for the Placer DA to stop lying about my case and admit that they made a huge mistake when they arrested and attempted to prosecute me as a common drug dealer.

—Steve Kubby

“Known pothead.” I guess this is known as green baiting. And like red baiting, it’s very tired and lame. No one cares about pot ‘cept a couple of preachers, cops and bureaucrats scared of change.

Grow up and find a subject people actually care about.

If you actually used the product you are writing to support – you wouldn’t be so hostile.