Pollie Bothering

[Dragonfan]

The 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is one of three major drug control treaties currently in force. It provides additional legal mechanisms for enforcing the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances . . . so they are separate, the 1988 Convention being in effect an 'upgrade' one might say and reiteration of the 1971 Convention!?!?!?

[Dragonfan]

Back to my Pollie Bothering . . .

 

Okay, I've bitten the bullet [or perhaps swallowed it . . ] I emailed a local Candidate for our upcoming State Election here in Queensland and I will have the chance to discuss his parties policies etc on Medical Marijuana this Saturday IF I'm well enough to get down to his Campaign Launch!

 

And on the back of this I emailed the Greens Candidate to see what he has to say for himself , BUT, I stopped there as I will not contact Pauline 'Please Explain' Hanson who is standing as an Independent Candidate in the Seat where I live!

[Smokin Moose]

Keep up the good fight!

[mistyville]

Keep on keepin' on!

[Dragonfan]

I'll have to go and annoy the local candidate another time, as unfortunately I was prostrate on Saturday . . . couldn't stand up for wanting to fall down . . . such is life . . . but I received the following email reply from the Greens Candidate in the Queensland State Election,

Thank you for your email. I am sorry to hear of you difficult circumstances. No one should be forced to break the law to reduce their suffering.

 

I am pleased to inform you that we have had a long standing policy to (see http://greens.org.au/node/769 ) "introduce the regulated use of cannabis for specified medical purposes, such as intractable pain".

 

The Greens are keen to promote adoption of more ecologically sustainable farming practices. The use of Industrial Hemp for its wide range of environmental and commercial benefits fits into this policy area.

 

I wish you well in your campaign. Please feel free to contact me to discuss at any time. I expect to visiting most of the local markets and local shopping centres during the election. Please introduce yourself if you see me.

 

Regards from

Andy Grodecki

I pay respect to the Mulunjali people, their ongoing culture and enduring homelands.

For those of you who have to vote in the upcoming Queensland State Election it may be worth your while looking at the following Policy from the Australian Greens . . .

 

Policy D2: Drugs, Substance Abuse and Addiction

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Principles

The Australian Greens believe that:

The Australian Greens do not support the legalisation of currently illegal drugs.

a harm minimisation approach is the best way to reduce the negative effects of drug use and drug regulation.

harm minimisation policies and programs are those directed towards reducing the adverse health, social and economic consequences of drug use, to the individual user and the community.

the use of illegal and legal drugs (including alcohol and tobacco), and some regulatory approaches, can have a wide range of adverse health, social and economic effects.

the regulation of personal use of currently illegal drugs is best addressed primarily within a health and social framework, with legal support.

imprisonment for personal use of illicit drugs, when not associated with other crimes, is not an appropriate solution to drug dependence.

a funding mix should be adopted to enable supply reduction, demand reduction and harm reduction.

information and education programs should be available to enable informed debate about the effects of all drugs, including prescription, non-prescription, legal and illegal drugs.

policy and programs should be adopted that are evidence-based and subject to continuous evaluation.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities must control, to the greatest extent possible, the development and management of harm minimisation policies and programs in their communities.

 

Goals

The Australian Greens want:

a reduction in deaths, disease, crime and corruption resulting from drug use.

reduced consumption of illegal and legal drugs where this leads to a decrease in problems associated with harmful drug use.

the cost to government and the community of regulating drug use to be reduced with improved health and social outcomes.

improved efficacy of all management, treatment and other regulatory and judicial responses to drug use in the community, to maximise harm reduction, supply reduction and demand reduction.

 

Measures

The Australian Greens will:

establish an Australian Drugs Policy Institute to undertake research trials and evaluation of policy and treatment programs.

provide free information on substance use, especially for young people.

ban all advertising and all sponsorship of tobacco products.

establish an independent body to regulate alcohol advertising.

ban donations from the tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical industries to political parties.

reform alcohol taxation so that the tax rate is based on alcohol content rather than beverage type, and allocate the income to fund alcohol and drug education and treatment.

reduce the effects of passive smoking, by introducing a ban on smoking in defined public spaces.

continue restrictions on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products to people under the age of 18.

prohibit advertising promotions for alcohol that encourage excessive drinking.

introduce the regulated use of cannabis for specified medical purposes, such as intractable pain.

support the comprehensive roll out of Opal non-sniffable fuel throughout regions of Australia where petrol sniffing and trafficking is a problem, with associated diversionary and rehabilitation programs.

support serious penalties for driving while under the influence of alcohol and other drugs that impair cognitive or psychomotor skills.

introduce a system of sanctions for personal use of illicit drugs, when not associated with other crimes, that include measures such as education, counselling and treatment commensurate with specific cases and circumstances.

support criminal penalties for drug dealers.

increase availability of diversion to rehabilitation and treatment programs as a sentencing alternative for people convicted of crimes committed to support a personal addiction to drugs.

promote relationships between relevant agencies and local communities to address problems associated with illegal drug use.

make drug substitution treatments available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and compensate pharmacists for costs of dispensing treatment.

extend the range of counselling and treatment programs covered by Medicare.

increase the availability of harm reduction programs, including needle and syringe exchanges and medically supervised injecting rooms and implement a rigorous scientific trial of prescribed heroin to registered users in line with the proposed 1996 ACT government heroin trial.

[luciddreaming]

First of all, great job girl!

Second....

I think we really need to get the word out that every person who smokes weed needs to vote for the Greens in state and federal elections! Really, talk to your friends and anyone you know who smokes.

 

I've also recently been writing a letter to Krudd.

This is the bit I typed out on the computer but I also have a hand written letter which will accompany it. I am hand writing this one because I tried to e-mail politicians recently and got no reply.

Me thinks they sux at the interwebz!

Anyway, here it is....

Edited March 6, 2009 by luciddreaming

[littlbit]

Can everyone please send all your correspondence to Bob Brown as I have been asked to do so by his office I believe they are putting together a case for medical cannabis.

 

I continue to also email the pollies especially Nicola Roxon as she is the one who is in breach of Australian law because she ignores the Treaty as are the Health ministers in each state etc.

 

I was so glad to read that you are all now getting in their faces regarding this issue, the more we can get to do this the more chance we will force them into medical cannabis.

 

For me personally I am targeting Nicola Roxon as she has the attitude that regardless of the science and the fact that she must make it available under the treaty, she will never do so. Because of her religious beliefs we are just to continue to suffer and she does not give a shit.

 

http://www.onlinepot.org/medicalreports.htm

Medical Marijuana Reports, Scientific Research

Studies On Medical Cannabis & Illness's

 

One of the largest and up to date collection of all the

medical marijuana- cannabis, research reports, medical reports

medical case studies, clinical research study's online. All the

reports & case study's about marijuana, pot, cannabis all in 1 spot

Here is another site for you to refer them to as further proof that Cannabis is vital to us all including them.

 

Keep up the great work I love that they are getting bombarded with emails on Medical Cannabis.

[Dragonfan]

Can everyone please send all your correspondence to Bob Brown as I have been asked to do so by his office I believe they are putting together a case for medical cannabis.

There was a thread on here regarding a Medical Marijuana Policy for the Australian Greens . . . must find the link

I continue to also email the pollies especially Nicola Roxon as she is the one who is in breach of Australian law because she ignores the Treaty as are the Health ministers in each state etc.

 

For me personally I am targeting Nicola Roxon as she has the attitude that regardless of the science and the fact that she must make it available under the treaty, she will never do so. Because of her religious beliefs we are just to continue to suffer and she does not give a shit.

Most if not all the Pollies who've replied to me [read buck passing] have said they have onforwarded my email/online comments to Ms Roxon . . . mmm, Littlbit, what the hell do her religious beliefs have to do with ANY of this . . . if she's unable to perform her duties as the Health Minister because of religious beliefs, she shouldn't BE the bloody Minister!

 

And thanks for the links, it's always good to fall back on fact when the 'Reefer Madness' bullshit rears its ugly head again!!

[littlbit]

Dragonfan

Most if not all the Pollies who've replied to me [read buck passing] have said they have onforwarded my email/online comments to Ms Roxon . . . mmm, Littlbit, what the hell do her religious beliefs have to do with ANY of this . . . if she's unable to perform her duties as the Health Minister because of religious beliefs, she shouldn't BE the bloody Minister!

Yep that is my point, she has the belief that Cannabis is EVIL and has no place in society as do many other Ministers and senators who come out of the churches. I have told her that she should step down from her post as her religious views have no place in the parliament.

 

And thanks for the links, it's always good to fall back on fact when the 'Reefer Madness' bullshit rears its ugly head again!!

If you think that one was good then you should see the one lightning found that we are also attaching to our application to the high court.

Now that everyone is on board and emailing pollies remember to demand that they email and not snail mail as they claim they are environmentalists well then lets make them live up to that and stop cutting down trees to satisfy their little egos sending snail mail on government letter head. I am sure they just like to see their names at the bottom of the letter.

 

Bob Brown's personal secretary: John.Dodd@aph.gov.au

Bob Brown's email: senator.bob.brown@aph.gov.au

 

These guys are keeping up with our case and have asked me to forward all information to them, so please everyone do the same.

[resist]

Good on you all for taking a stand.

 

It seems like public opinion is slowly changing for the better.