Grassroots Party | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | GRP |
Founded | 1986 |
Dissolved | 2012 |
Preceded by | Youth International Party |
Succeeded by | Legal Marijuana Now Party |
Newspaper | The Canvas |
Ideology | Marijuana legalization |
Colors | Green |
The Grassroots Party was a political third party in the United States established in 1986 to oppose drug prohibition. The party shared many of the progressive values of the Farmer–Labor Party but with an emphasis on cannabis/hemp legalization issues, and the organization traced their roots to the Youth International Party of the 1960s.[1][2][3]
The Grassroots Party was active in the U.S. states of Iowa, Minnesota, and Vermont. The party was most successful in Vermont, where they achieved major party qualification in 1996,[4] a status which they retained for six years, until 2002.
"When we're handing out leaflets, some people will mutter, 'Get a job,' like we're subclass citizens," Grimmer said. "They typecast us. They judge people by the coloration of their thoughts." Grimmer, who holds a doctorate in physics, has a job, thank you. He is a research scientist at 3M. "The reason why we are in our present mess with respect to drug prohibition is that people do not analyze the situation rationally," said Grimmer, who ran for Minnesota attorney general last year under the aegis of the Grass Roots Party.