"For my generation, what Sinclair experienced and what he stood for remains strongly etched in memory. In 1969, after delivering two joints " barely enough marijuana to fit in a tablespoon " to an undercover cop, he was sentenced to ten years in prison. He was 28.

The severity of his sentence sent shock waves through the Boomer generation and drew high-profile attention.

Most dramatically, John Lennon wrote a song for him and performed it at a huge concert, dubbed "The John Sinclair Freedom Rally" at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor in December 1971 as Sinclair listened, glued to a radio in his cell.

Three days later, after two and a half years, he was freed after the Michigan State Supreme Court ruled the state's marijuana laws unconstitutional."

more

First pot I smoked was at about age 14. It came in a penny matchbox and cost $5.

A friend of mine's older brother had a buddy on the local police force; my friend and I bought it from him in the middle of a pasture where he had pulled up his patrol car.

I didn't know we were buying from the Fuzz until we got there, and was sure it was a setup and that we were going to jail!

Texas also had people in prison sentenced to 10 years for a joint. We would have gone to Reform School at that age.... you know, to learn how to be real criminals.