‘Just let me grab an ounce and roll some up in front of the HUB and let us smoke and listen to music’
Meet Amro Elansari. You may have seen him and his sign outside the HUB recently: “Legalize Marijuana” complete with a certain green leaf, with “I am suspended from Penn State Law” on the other side. He’s pretty hard to miss, as he consistently generates a small crowd of people around him.
The Tab took the time to get to know Amro and his cause a bit more. He’s a single man who illegally smoked up, knowing he would be arrested, so that he could take his case to the Supreme Court and challenge America’s cannabis laws.
What inspired you to protest marijuana laws?
A) Innocent people arrested for marijuana. B) Millions denied access to medical cannabis that may need to survive cancer or epilepsy (life / death). C) Every single American denied their right to choose for themselves. What’s there left to inspire? It’s such a gross injustice that we have to stand up against it.
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Explain the side of your sign that says “I’m suspended from Penn State law.”
Since my very first day at Penn State Law, I was made to feel like a second class citizen. Aside from being slandered, defamed and having my reputation tarnished for smoking pot, which doesn’t cause you to blackout, throw up, etc., I am forced to live the life of a criminal for a little herb that doesn’t hurt anyone. I cannot medicate anywhere near my school, despite my medical ailment and (now) prescription. I have to sit in these chairs with chronic back pain from years of sports nearly in tears unable to focus on my work. I was tired of being treated like a second class citizen and saw this was a violation of our due process and equal protection rights of the 14th Amendment.
To challenge this prohibition, I took a fat, watermelon orange kush joint, lit it up in front of thousands of people at a graduation ceremony in Bloomsburg. I was arrested, knowing when I went to court I would cite the 14th Amendment as my defense and eventually take it to the Supreme Court.
When I returned to Penn State Law, I was treated unequally due to this (unlawful) arrest. I was dismissed from my position as VP of a student organization because “I made the group look bad.” I stood up against the unequal treatment by asking to be returned to the group. The administration supported the unequal treatment against me. I protested their unequal treatment which got me suspended for two years. I protested their suspension by going back and sitting in the class I was supposed to be in; a big showdown took place and now I am facing expulsion. I sued Penn State for unequal treatment and discrimination in violation of the 14th Amendment and we will see how it goes.
How many times have you gone out by yourself? How are you usually received by people?
I started this past June in West Chester, PA where we got our first 1,000 signatures. The people generally loved it. For every signature I received about four cars honks of support. People drop what they’re doing and cheer for marijuana. My estimate is about 58% of people want marijuana legalized, and those who aren’t 100% for it at least don’t care. Not once has anyone come up to me angry or yelling or with any points against our wish to legalize marijuana. Even officers and the State Attorney are like, “You know, I don’t really mind if marijuana gets legalized.” It truly has been an amazing experience. Imagine shaking hands with over 2,000 people!
I rolled into Penn State on my skateboard on Saturday and have only been here for a few days. I received about 800 signatures in just those days when it took me a month to reach 1,000 in West Chester. My goal is 10,000 signatures for Penn State so I can file it in the courts with the case and also to the president of the university to hopefully maybe think about having a chance to get back into law school. After 10,000, the plan is to go on as long as it takes to legalize marijuana. Even if it’s 100,000, 1,000,000 or 60,000,000, I like to think I have a plan. Stay tuned to see!
Recently, marijuana was decriminalized in State College, although laws regarding paraphernalia remain the same. What are your thoughts on these changes?
The decriminalization in State College is a step forward, but honestly, it’s like “giving a slave off on Sunday.” Marijuana isn’t something “bad” to be “punished” for. You don’t get punished for having alcohol or tobacco, and that stuff is worse! Why should we get tickets for pot? We need to come together and end punishment for pot all together. We need to be able to smoke in peace without fear of a cop ruining our lives for it. After all, you can smoke cigarettes across the street and cops don’t bother you for that. We demand all cops in State College and elsewhere to put down their arms and leave us be! The world won’t end if we smoke marijuana. But those blacked out on the sidewalk unresponsive students on the weekends, they actually face that danger of never waking up to the world again. It is unacceptable and has to stop.
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What have you accomplished so far?
I have filed lawsuits across the board from the Magistrate all the way up to the Supreme Court of the United States. This case is in every court from bottom to top. We are still working on winning the case and I am still working and hoping I can return to law school, but the greatest accomplishments so far have been the 2,000+ signatures and educating people on the topic. I am really glad to see many people getting on board. Even police officers, lawyers, judges and doctors! That’s what makes this case extra awesome; this opportunity to learn and grow and come together with one another to overcome this tragedy of a law.
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What’s the end goal here? Do you think you’ll ever be able to put down the sign and smoke without knowing you’ll be paying a hefty fine or risking arrest?
The end goal is to straight up legalize marijuana. If you can smoke cancer cigs on the street, there is no reason to have anything less for pot. The end goal is for the 24 or so police officers in State College and Penn State to stop arresting people for pot. Just let me grab an ounce and roll some up in front of the HUB and let us smoke and listen to music. That is the end goal and it is as easy as literally leaving us alone. Yes, I do believe I will be able to smoke without a fine or being tackled and arrested. I hope that happens this weekend. If we convince Officer XYZ that this marijuana ban is a violation of the Constitution, that officer has to enforce the Constitution and not that marijuana law. Using the statistics/facts: 500,000 Alcohol and Tobacco deaths; 0 Marijuana deaths.
Okay, onto some more fun questions.
Favorite Stoner Celeb – Bob Marley
Indica or Sativa – Both!
Favorite Strain – Sour Diesel
Grinder or nah – Ya of course!
Ice Bongs are – Mine; two of them. The police took them when they raided my apartment. I had a red illadelph with the glycerin coil jel bong and a green grav labs bong. Cops took both of them along with 14 other items from my apartment and I demand them back!
Favorite way to enjoy cannabis – With good friends is most important. Under the sunset and one with nature is next. Dabs are great, Egyptian Hash is legit, my ice bongs are daily. I don’t support blunts but I’ll smoke like three or four if we wanna. Bowls, bubblers, apples; all that. It’s all good.
@mixed_hues
