Thursday, April 15, 2010
'Hemperor' Jack Herer Passes Away at 70
Cannabis Culture David Downs — Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 4:39 PM
One of the most prominent figures in the legalization community died today, 70 year-old Oregon resident Jack Herer, author of The Emperor Wears No Clothes and lifelong cannabis activist.
California NORML reports and Salem-News.com confirms Herer passed away this morning, after months of serious health complications from a massive heart attack in late 2009.
California NORML's Dale Geiringer said Herer was an idealistic, hard-headed pioneer with a voice louder than any P.A. system.
- Hemperor Jack Herer
Herer's work in The Emperor Has No Clothes became canon to the new generation of activists. However, his later attempts to change various states' laws through the initiative process met with failure. He tried for years to get hemp initiatives on the different ballots, but they proved too radical for the time.
"He kept staying with his initiative and it always had problems. He was asking for a little bit more than the moon," says Gieringer. "It's ironic because he died the year full-scale legalization — I should say half-scale legalization is on the ballot. My recollection is Jack wasn't particularly enthusiastic about it."
According to Herer, The Emperor Wears No Clothes has sold 600,000 copies. Herer also had a strain of potent cannabis named after, called Jack Herer (below).
We'll miss you, brother.
Comments (12)
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I worked with him on a project circa 2002 and had many phone calls with him. He was a genuine character, full of life and enthusiasm. When he sent me his contribution to the project, he included a copy of every one of his books after signing them all along with a number of other goodies.
He was one of the good ones!
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Jack Herer, may we continue to HEAR the thunder of your voice calling us to action, to SMELL the heavenly aroma of the Cannabis Hemp Plant, to TASTE the lovely fruits of hemp foods that are so healthy for us, to FEEL the luscious touch of hemp clothing against our bodies and to SEE Cannabis Hemp legalized and respected ,as it once was in the past! You brought us all so much knowledge about Hemp, that was hidden from us for decades! Thank you for not giving up, when people didn't, at first, believe you. You told me that everyone even laughed at you, thought you were "crazy loon" and wouldn't even read your book. You walked Venice Beach and talked to every person who would listen to you about Hemp. You walked your talk and talked your walk until "THEY", finally, believed you! The truth came to light, as it always does! I have found COURAGE & FREEDOM with your words of advice and wisdom! I miss your beaming smile that always lit up when you were happy to see someone you loved, your strong but gentle hugs and your calls asking me "what are you doing, now?" For NOW is when we need to act to see the change we desire. What you brought to the WORLD was a gift of love and hope for a dying planet! Your Mom, I'm sure, is so proud of you (as we all are) and I know she is happy to have you with her, now! (You've always missed her, so!) Jack, I wish you sweet, sweet peace, dear heart, and may the rest of us aspire to continue what you have started!
Thank you Jack we will never forget the divine work you gave your life for your light will forever shine on us. One day we will all be free and we will own much to you. RIP
you will live on through others, you have turned readers into diciples, you are a star
Jah bless you and all you have done for us and our fight for the rights of cannabis
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