What can I/We do to help legalize cannabis in Australia?

[mullray]

Pretty sure it first went to 3 plants, then no hydro, then officially 1 plant outdoors only.

 

The stupid bloody thing is that NDRI (National Drug Research Institute based in WA) released analyses of this model's weakness and suggested a simple height restriction from memory. There were also papers on the success of fine collections - many simply never paid and there was little to no mechanism to collect it in other ways or push the issue like suspending a license or something. All of this is from memory though and I'm a bit hazy, but there's a plethora of published analyses and commentary which can be sourced/bought from http://www.ndri.curtin.edu.au/.

 

There were ways to salvage the model, why do you think WA implemented their own model while most of the States were talking about enforcing the laws harder, and legislating in an even more prohibitive direction?

 

EDIT: Ooh and I just visited their homepage and positive results are in for WA's decrim model!: http://https://cannabis.community.forums.o...showtopic=18572

 

NDRI is now NDARC. It's based in WA and Sydney. They're also the people that have been releasing lots of research hysteria around cannabis. NDARC was also funded by the Howard Government to oversee cannabis education under the Howard Governments tough on drugs (zero tolerance) policies.

 

WA is about to roll back its CIN (Cannabis Infringement Notice) Laws to zero cultivation and an allowable 15grams subject to police discretion (if cops want they can charge you for one gram .... go figure!!). The Law now is you can grow 2 plants in soil (no hydro) and possess upto 30grams but the Labor government which introduced the CIN laws announced in late 2007 that their laws needed change after review. They've committed to the voting public that they'll roll the Laws back in early 2008. No plants and 15grams is what they're saying in the media but who knows - they might even say no plants and no grams yet! Probably because the Laws turned out to be real unpopular and have made the government look like they're soft on crime and drugs (a sure election loser).

 

They've also announced that they're going to reschedule the mj laws in the UK after masses of hysteria in the press there.

[mullray]

http://blogs.thewest.com.au/news/news-blog...s-laws-working/

 

Here's something on the rollback of the WA Laws.

 

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21...220-948,00.html

Edited February 17, 2008 by mullray

[ConvexConepiece]

I personally think its about time for the community to start fighting back.

 

With all the evidence that we have from studies on the positive effects of marijuana (especially when comparing it to alcohol!!) Why is it that we havnt organised a protest in our capital cities, not for the 'legalisation', but certainly for the growing of personal supplies and the right to possess a reasonable amount? Tell me, how many stoners do you think are in australia? id say it could be up to a million people, and once again tell me how many of those would be literally willing to fight for their right to smoke? (peacefully ofcourse, stoners doing a violent protest would NOT work!) Every one I know who smokes would be there with bells on!

 

So we've had some big protests before, aboriginal rights, work choices, etc etc... but somehow I think that if we united on a national level (and lets face it, with this site and the use of facebook/myspace etc we could certainly get the word around!) it would have to go down as the biggest protest in our history!

 

All it would take is to present the FACTS about the effects of marijuana in a sensible approach that they cannot just ignore... lets face it - make the newspapers and something would most likely be done about it! Point out that unlike alchohol, weed does not cause DEATH, does not cause VIOLENCE, does not impare judgement NEARLY as bad, has MEDICINAL benifits, brings people togeather on a social level, and lets face it, ITS A NATURAL PLANT!

 

I really think we should organise something like this....

[bloodshot_eyes]

Unfortunatly most of the smokers that I know cant be fucked, would love pot laws laxed but are too busy working, coming home smoking then going to bed to do anything about it.

[Luke Skywalker]

Anyone know any rich former industrialists prepared to donate a hundred mil $ or so for a public campaign?

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

I'll check my little black book mate

 

rob

[Luke Skywalker]

roflmao

 

So you sleep with rich industrialists? tsk tsk robbie...

[ConvexConepiece]

While im sure that a few mill would help for publicity, haha I really don't think it's nessesary.

 

Free publicity is always the best, the NEWSPAPERS! who else saw the 'church of scientology' protest in the paper? even they were able to get a few hundred people to show up in adelaide and melbourne.... we are talking about stoners here... we are EVERYWHERE! and this is THE SITE that can get word out to the people who matter... If we were able to change the misconception the general public and government has about marijuana then we could really get somewhere...

 

Imagine an article in the newspaper which compared alchohol to weed... if we were able to put the government in a position where they had to explain themselves for how they can keep cigarettes and alcohol legal but not marijuana where the former are more addictive, cause death, violence not to mention pollution on the streets etc, for the possible sole reason that THEY CANNOT TAX IT.... how can they allow cigs to have chemicals which specifically increase the addictiveness of them??

 

I think we need to do something, and quick. I read in the paper 2 days ago that the prohibition of sale of bongs and other equipment has been passed by the upper house and just needed the lower house to approve it. WHAT THE FUCK WILL THAT DO OTHER THAN FORCE PEOPLE TO MAKE BOTTLE BONGS???

 

And for those who doubt we could get the numbers required to make a difference, pull your head out! This country is full of stoners and I truly think its time we stopped being stomped on for a CLEAN HABIT which affects noone else.

 

Obviously this would take some organising.... but if we dont try then its gonna be too late soon.

 

Im not talking about full legalisation here either... I myself don't really have respect for commercial growers and they do give us who use it recreationally/medicinally a bad image, but hey they are the only ones prepared to risk growing it so we need them! perhaps we could point out that the commercial side of growing could be stomped out far better than any police presence by allowing those who want to grow their own personal stash!

Edited February 19, 2008 by Gibbo

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

Ya right you know Luke, it would be a shame to be associated with with rich industrialists.

 

Incredible to think what people can be jailed for (refuse to murder in legal war for example),and the likes of those are put on a pedestal, I wouldn't mind being rich I suppose, but gee I'd hate their bad consciene..

 

cheers

rob

[Frazz]

There are a few valid reasons why authorities dismiss our wish to legalise Cannabis and its all very well to say we want legalisation .. but how, and in what form ? ,

so its up to us to develop a template for a workable law that the general population would find coherant, acceptable, and workable ..

 

In the past as many have witnessed Sth Australias' experimental attempts to de-criminalise Cannabis pretty much fucked up and resulted in SA becoming labeled the 'Marijuana Capital" of Oz, such reputations are most distasteful to general community and an anathema to all politicains ...

why did this happen , well it seems the SA became the goose laying golden eggs that every surronding state wanted , along with the natural enterpise of ppl who harnessed the relaxed laws to make huge profits ..

so whatever new law we propose must be national right accross Aust.

 

Another major concern amongst the general community is the world-wide reported effects of Cannabis upon the treasures of our life, our children .. its pretty irrelevant whether the reports are right or wrong because it has become so entrenched today that it would be easier to make laws that go a long way towards keeping Cannabis out of young ppls reach, ...

at present there is no way of proving or disproving the validity of these claims which link Cannabis use to schizophrenia ,

so whatever new laws we might propose they must have real and apparent safegards for the youth ..

 

I reckon 'Cannabis Growers Licence' would be one method of controlling and monitoring the use of the herb , and after all the authorities do feel so much more secure when they have control and oversight of what is going on in any given community pursuits ,

as much as we all hate Big Brother looking over our shoulder iam sure we are going to have to give ground on our God-given right to cultivate and use this wonderful herb if we have any chance of being able to pursue our hobby without fear of being branded criminal and facing imprisonment ..

 

there ... ive run outta ideas for now