Photo: americancannabis.org |
Jack Herer (1939-2010) |
Famous marijuana activist and author Jack Herer, “The Emperor of Hemp,” died Thursday morning at 11:07 Pacific time.
“Jack deserves kudos for having publicized the benefits of cannabis hemp in his classic book, The Emperor Wears No Clothes,” said Dale Gieringer of California NORML.
“He also labored long and hard on innumerable initiatives to re-legalize hemp in California,” Gieringer said.
Last September, Herer suffered a serious heart attack at the Portland Hempstalk Festival, just two minutes after giving his last, impassioned speech. He was taken from the site by ambulance and hospitalized, and had struggled with health problems since that time.
“No one has ever educated more people about hemp and cannabis than Jack Herer,” said Paul Stanford, organizer of Hempstalk. “Jack’s legacy will live on for generations to come.”
“I’ve known and been friends with Jack since 1982, and he wrote the first edition of his book in my home in 1985,” Stanford said. “I am going to miss you, Jack.”