NOMINATION FOR THE 2021 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
THE GRAND BOUQUET CANNABIQUE OF HUMAN AND CITIZENS RIGHTS DEFENDERS
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Stéphane Karcher aka KShoo (1967) France, Libertarian cannactivist, organic food hemp processor.
“The Cannabis Family” poses for « Fumée Clandestine » (Detail – 1993). Me, 2nd from the left.
Start. Raised in a loving family, study BAC -3 with a repetition of 6th grade and three experiences of 3rd, the last of which in the private sector to finally start working after military service at 18 years old. A few months of drama lessons, a bit of figuration, while I was hired in a « culture department store » in Montparnasse, I discovered revolutionary unionism … and cannabis. And therefore, to wonder why the latter is prohibited.
Experience. In 1990 my political birth took place. I squat for months Place de La Réunion with the Committee of the Bad-housed, the later Right to Housing (DAL). I meet a bunch of lost young people like me who are united by their passion for hashish. We learn that a mysterious collective, Di Great Insohreckshan, is organizing wild demonstrations for the legalization of cannabis in Beaubourg. We participate with the cry « Free Marie-Jeanne, lock up Jean-Marie !* » » and we meet Jean-Pierre Galland (JPG) while writing his best-seller, Clandestine Smoke. We later welcome him to our squat at St Louis Hospital to take the picture of « The Cannabis Family ». Then I do some forcing and JPG takes the presidency of an association that we call CIRC, for Collective for Information and Research on Cannabis. (*Jean-Marie Le Pen, head of the extreme right in France).
The « Great Epoch » of cannabis began with the meeting with our patron, Michel Sitbon and the creation of Éditions du Lézard. Spectacular developments in courts, we believe we have defeated Prohibition, but then came the backlash from both the right and left. The fall of our benefactor is followed by the loss of historical activists and apart from Lyon, the CIRC in the regions are disappearing one after the other.
At the end of 1990, I created with friends an informal collective, the PILS (Prevent, Inform and Legalize Narcotic Drugs). It is in the midst of techno parties and particularly those of psychedelic trance that PILS is working to distribute the first flyers intended for consumers of ecstasy and LSD that I write myself. Shortly thereafter, we took part in the emergence of the Techno Plus association, going so far as to carry out testing, completely illegally, that goes without saying of course.
In 1998, I moved to Montpellier and set up the association Mauvaise Graine growshop there, first online, then « for real ». At the same time, with my partner Laurence and Éric Chapel, we create the Ananda & Cie association with the aim of promoting « global hemp ». We are gradually equipping ourselves with the means to set up a food processing workshop for organic hemp seeds. We produce oil, cakes, flour, condiments then mash, which we distribute in specialized stores or sell to artisan bakers or soap makers. After many court proceedings for, among other cases, sales of “grainaoizo” (traditional hemp seeds, sold as bird food) I ended up closing shop to concentrate on Ananda & Cie. The association is doing like a charm. Hemp is now « fashionable ».
Yearly manifestation of 18 June/Joint, before, during and after. Poster by Matt SatSat / Le Drop.
Since 2011 I have been the spokesperson for CIRC and endeavor to organize communication with our now limited resources. We are no longer many, but still very determined and ‘pumped up’ by the green wave from across the Atlantic.
The charm of hemp and the hemper
Motivation. Cannabis has brought me relaxation and an inseparable conviviality. Without it, I would not be where I am, carrying out exciting activities around edible hemp, cannactivism all over the place, surrounded by people I love, my affinitive family. A culturally and economically extremely dynamic environment despite a context of ruthless repression.
#StopLaProhibition
#AuChanvreCitoyens!
