The Church of Cognizance (COC) was founded in 1991 by Danuel & Mary Quaintance in Graham County (Pima) Arizona, United States.
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In 1994, the Church announced a 16-page "Declaration of Religious Sentiment" establishing their church. [1] The COC Founders recorded their intent to unite the world's Ethnic Minorities that utilize and rely upon the cannabis hemp plant as an Ethno-Socio-Religious Institution, following Neo-Zoroastrian tenets.
Although COC members are encouraged to study all of the world's religions, the Zoroastrian Avesta is held by them to be the least convoluted and most ancient source of their practices and beliefs. Numerous references to Haoma may be found in the Avesta.[2]
In 2006, the COC had 50 registered Individual Orthodox Member Monasteries (IOMMs), located inside each members home.
1. That cannabis, when used properly, aids the mind, body, and soul.
2. That Haoma is the ancient teacher of wisdom, compassion, and the way to the kingdom of glory in heaven on earth, while humans let ego block their own, and others, path to this kingdom of glory.
3. That Haoma is the capable provider of all substance. To become a registered member in the COC, it is required that a candidate read "The Church Of Cognizance Introduced" and fill out, sign and return THE PLEDGE at the end of it to the stated address. [3]required to accommodate a comfortable, healthy, productive, full-bearing life.
4. That Haoma is the righteous Protector of our health, and longevity; by way of receptors in the human body that Haoma connects with to heal. For this we declare Marijuana the teacher, the protector, the provider. We further believe that the proper religious use promotes Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds, none of which is harmful to the health, safety, welfare, or morals of society in general.
Members are dedicated to promoting the health, safety, welfare, culture, and tradition of the family.
1. The physically able, retired adults, of the family should care for the sick, the eldest, and the youngest of the family.
a. The eldest of the family whom have provided in the past should not be forgotten and tossed aside for strangers to care for.
b. The children of the family need to learn the family’s culture and traditions from a member of the family with that wisdom.
c. It allows the able bodied of the family to work and provide for the entire family without the worry of who's caring for their offspring, and whose customs and traditions they are taught.
d. It keeps family together, helping family, and the family as a whole may become Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise.
On February 22, 2006 The founders of the Church of Cognizance, Danuel & Mary Quaintance were arrested with 172 pounds of marijuana. They asserted that the marijuana was for religious use, an argument which US District court judge Judith C. Herrera rejected outright. The federal judge stated that the evidence shows the two created the church and beliefs as a way of justifying their life style choice to use marijuana and their belief that marijuana should be legalized. She further stated they cannot avoid prosecution for illegal conduct by simply calling their conduct a religion. Also it was noted that the monasteries were all located in members homes. The church states they do not grow marijuana but pick it up from church "couriers" which is what they were doing when they were arrested. Both founders have now stepped down from the church.[3]
On August 18, 2008 they both pleaded guilty to two counts. one count of conspiracy with intent to distribute 200 pounds or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana; and one count of possession with the intent to distribute 100 pounds or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, as well as aiding and abetting. They faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Danuel Quaintance is serving a five-year sentence at a facility at the Federal Correctional Institute in Terminal Island, Calif., near Long Beach. Mary Quaintance, is serving two years at the Victorville Federal Correctional Complex in Adelanto, Calif.[4]
Although they both were confident that an appeal based on their claimed religious use would keep them out of prison[5], a unanimous three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on May 19, 2010 affirmed the denial of the couple’s RFRA defense in United States v. Quaintance. The panel agreed that evidence in the case established that the Quaintances had failed to establish that their beliefs about marijuana as a sacred substance were sincerely held further concluding that “the record contains … overwhelming evidence that the Quaintances were running a commercial marijuana business with a religious front — particularly in this transaction aimed at securing bail money for Ms. Quaintance’s brother.” [6]