Rick Steves Tours in Support of Oregon Marijuana Initiative

Rick Steves is hoping to work some more magic in the Northwest with his pro-legalization tour of Oregon.

What worked in Washington hopefully will also prove successful in Oregon, where Measure 91 is on the ballot in November. Rick Steves is barnstorming through the Beaver State starting today though Oct. 12 in support of the marijuana legalization effort.

“One thing I’ve learned in 30 years of travel is that treating marijuana as a crime does not work,” says Steves. “A better approach is to regulate it, legalize it and tax it. I’m an advocate for better policy, and that’s what Oregon will get once Measure 91 passes."

Watch Rick Steves speak to a crowd during the I-502 campaign

While he's on NORML's board of director and pumped $350,000 of his own money into passing I-502 in Washington State in 2012, Steves is best known to most Americans as the PBS  travel host who loves to visit Europe "though the back door."

His "Travel as a Political Act: Ending Marijuana Prohibition in Oregon" tour begins today. Here's the schedule:

Oct. 7 - First Congregational Chuch, Portland (5:30-8 pm)

Oct. 8. - Ava Roasteria, Beaverton (12-1 pm); The Grand Ballroom, Salem (7-8 pm)

Oct. 9 - Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Corvallis (12-1:30 pm); McDonald Theater, Eugene (7-8:30 pm)

Oct. 10 - Branch of Jackson County Library, Medford (12-1 pm); Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Ashland (7-8 pm)

Oct. 11 - Central Oregon Association of Realtors, Bend (5-6 pm)

Oct. 12 - Civic Auditorium, The Dalles (12-1 pm); Mt. Hood Community College, Gesham (4-5 pm) 

Steve Bloom

Steve Bloom

Publisher of CelebStoner.com, former editor of High Times and Freedom Leaf and co-author of Pot Culture and Reefer Movie Madness.