John Sinclair: Two Joints, 20 Years And Life

I'm in Detroit right now but I'm going to Italy for the month of September to premier and promote the film about my life story, Twenty To Life: The Life and Times Of John Sinclair, which is finally coming out after 16 years in the making. It's already been nominated as Best Documentary in the World Marijuana Film Festival. Of course, the film is named after the prison sentence I faced for passing two joints to an undercover police officer back in 1969.

How would I describe my life up to this point? Long! (laughs) But luckily I only spent a couple years behind bars, and not the 20 I was facing. In 1969, I realized I was in trouble 33 days after the so-called crime was committed, when they staged a massive dope raid in our neighborhood and named me the leader of the "dope ring." Fifty-six people were arrested and I was incarcerated.

Going to prison was just what you'd expect: terrifying. I don't recommend it. (laughs) You live in a cell, you have no contact with the opposite sex, you have no freedom and you're under total control 24 hours a day for as long as they can keep you.

In December, 1971, we organized the John Sinclair Freedom Rally benefit concert to try to get me out of prison. Jerry Rubin told John Lennon about it, and John decided to be part of it. When we heard John Lennon was headlining, we knew my troubles were over.

I spent quite a bit of time with John after I got out, three days after the benefit concert. He's just like you'd expect; he's a beautiful character, a great person.