Broke But Not Busted
Medical Marijuana Museum Interview
By Mike Marino

The song remains the same. as the song goes, but modified lyrics could read, "I left my museum dream in San Francisco!" Michigan born Mark Hutchins has lived on the road, and traveled to such diverse regions as Peru, Nicaragua, and down to the tip of Chile in his journey's. He also has a vision that he knows won't go up in smoke. This vision is much more than just a green leafy pipe dream. Mark wants to build a museum in San Francisco dedicated to all things related to medical marijuana. We're not talking about a storage room sized little storefront for the kush curious, but. then again not an affair on as grand a scale as the Smithsonian or a tokers Taj Mahal. More in alignment with the philosophy of Thoreau's Walden Pond, it would be a simple, humble affair of bricks and mortar. It requires a lot of work but he has rolled up his sleeves long ago and is taking his medical marijuana mission most seriously. Faith in his goals and in humanity help fan the flames to keep the dream alive. With a little help from his friends, he will pull this off!

The Peoples Republic of Ann Arbor, Michigan is the marijunana rights hot-bed hometown of Mark Hutchins, whose Medical Marijuana Museum is formulating currently online, before making the merry morph into a three dimensional hemp happy habitat for marijuana humanity. From the seeds of personal tragedy,the idea for a medical marijuana museum began to sprout in the fertile soil of ardent activism. "This idea came to me around 2002. It was a light that went on in my head The worst times are followed by better times, and I could see that when you want someone to learn, you resort to show and tell. So, I thought that a medical marijuana museum would be a fitting place to show our past, present, and great future possibility's," he said while being interviewed for Kush.

Mark also explained the simple museum mission. "The goal of the museum is to show the human side of being fair to those that choose to use a natural nontoxic substance in place of other drugs also to archive the truth as it is comes out So nothing gets buried in the news and to give heart to all who know but are afraid to ask. We wish all to come away with a positive view of how the nonsmoking public could live next to someone who is a taking marijuana as a medication and still be friends of the community. In other words you do not have to fear us we are just like you!"

Getting the interest of those who control the purse strings are not always easy, no matter what the proposed project is, and sometimes your pot of gold has to go through the seeds and stems phase before it comes to economic fruition. "The plans after so long a wait are all in my head I am sorry to say that there are no written plans or building design The museum being a good idea is much harder to get someone interested in than I thought.This to me was a sure thing but by the time it was up as a web site and I had talked to a number of wealthy hippies I knew this was a life long challenge! It will be built!" Mark said with mucho enthusiasm.

I've interviewed other activists regard this issue, including many artist-activists in the medical marijuana battleground, and couldn't resist asking Mark just how important is the fusion of pot activism and politics" "Politics! There is nothing that is more near or dear to a persons life than there freedom and family I have smoked pot for 40 years 8 years state legal. I know what it feels like to be run around. The facts of personal lives would be showcased I cant see how there wont be a large amount of truth telling that would not involve a political note We are the hunted with 839,000 in jail. How many on probation? How many have been through the system of justice just because they tried a joint? How many families are broken by good intentioned ignorant agencies taking away children or Dad getting fired or you can not visit your relation in another country Your calls are monitored and movements and to top it all off your house and car are taken also, is that America? I want to help us through the change we seek to become united and nonjudgmental. So I would not be in any way building this to create a new war, I want to end the old one .No throwing unneeded stones!"

The plans so far are still in Marks head, and more importantly, deep in his heart, but funding is the main hurdle as it is with most idea's to make them come to fruition. Right now, the museum is only on line. "The web site has not been updated in a long time. That would be my first improvement I do post on the blog but it hasn't taken off. Harborside Health in Oakland has been my one and only contributor I used the money to educate the public on the Medical marijuana Museum on line and benefits of marijuana by setting up tables at The large shows with MMJ info I answered all there questions and tried to get the word out but cost over ran revenue that was in 2009 Boonaroo and have had a few personal setbacks My problems have never been legal and I am clean as far as my ever being in jail. So the truth is we need all the Heavy Lifters to bring us into the light and I am only one but as long as I am around this quest will not die. I am broke but I am not busted."

To visit the museum online in it's present state, just click and cruise at www.medicalmarijuanamuseum.org and lend some moral support to a valiant effort. Let Mark know, he's not alone in his journey.