Cannabis Activism In Australia?

[tonail]

Well, looking at the situation in Aus... I see that there is a movement in Nimbin with HEMP embassy and nearly NORML. I'm wondering if there are any other groups in the entire country. Granted, I have only done 2 days of research. Here in the states, we have a NORML group in virtually every major city. The best situation was in Austin, TX when I lived there. We would do banner drops over the interstate and on major buildings downtown. The theme there was "no victim, no crime". I went to every banner drop and every Texas NORML meeting. Basically, we would just get involved with the community. If there was a festival, carnival, parade etc... we would always have a "tent", basically, a temporary shop where we could give away stickers, shirts and educate people about hemp and marijuana. Also, being a graphic artist, I sent emails out to most of the NORML chapters and offered my design services for free. I can't tell you how many shirts, etc.. I have done for these groups. I do have one that is my fave... Arizona NORML contacted me, asking if I would design the shirt for the rally to empliment medical marijuana in their state. The voters passed the bill for Med. Marijuana that same year. Score! Basically, you want to bring people of like mind together, create non profit groups, put yourselves out there in front of the masses and most importantly educate! It does take time, but I see your country as ripe for the picking. Polls show that there is support... but, you guys just don't have any groups or organizations that i can see. Please excuse me if I am wrong. But, back to my question... any and all advice/tips/info on your mj culture would be greatly appreciated. Passing the bong...

[tonail]

Also, looking at the NORML situation... geez guys... New Zealand has 8, yes I said 8 NORML groups, while the entire country of Australia has only 1. Start up NORML groups in YOUR city. It's not hard at all. I would say that's gold! Yes, i'm learning... Seriously though, whatever you do, NORML or not, start up groups and get out into the community. Don't be ashamed of what you believe! Be respectful and educate! Peace, love and bud....

[winkingskeever]

Thanks for that - I think it is a bit of a cultural thing, we don't really have much activism of any kind in Oz. Lots of people will tell you about aussie apathy, but that kind of sounds grim... i think it's more like we are happy to support something in theory but actually making movement happen doesn't really come easy.

 

If anyone would like to start a Newy chapter, I'm up for it. I love the idea of "No victim, no crime" and I think that Barry O'farrell rcently speaking out against the dangers of legalising medicinal use ought to be a starting point for something to happen because he's just spreading disinformation and making it harder to have a legitimate discussion.

[tonail]

Well, I'd be willing to help start a NORML group in Sydney and actually work to make changes. Anybody want to help?

[MongyMan]

We need a group in Australia tonail, but if it is called NORML it wont go far from past experience. It is seen as an American organisation with little or no relevance in Australia by many. NORML has been tried in the past in Australia a few times now but because of this, and the fact people don't donate to a group when the fund raising seems to be the most important agenda, it went nowhere. I doubt it would be any different this time. Good to see you are keen but the name NORML won't work in Australia. It needs to be Australian.

 

Peace MongyMan

[Naycha]

Welcome tonail.

 

Mongy has a good point about NORML, and the Hemp Embassy are not at all what they seem.

 

This highlights the need for a targeted Australian Cannabis activist movement, although finding a group of people able to organise it would be difficult (but yeah not impossible). Best I can do for now is ecourage discussion of the subject and frankly that is where it needs to start cause we have a long way to go and there will be no quick fix solution.

 

Naycha

Edited January 23, 2012 by Naycha

[Ford Fairlane]

We used to go to a lot of cannabis rallys in the 90's.. not sure who organised them.. There was never any trouble from the filth.. I haven't heard of anything in the last 10-15 years though... The rallys obviously didn't work coz canna is still illegal.... I think we need to get the media to portray canna for what it is, the only prob is there is very little free media in australia

[nonetoomany]

Many people fear retribution from there piers if they were to be openly active in there opinions of any form of drug reform (it should be more about freedom to grow all plants, for personal utility, rather than drug reform).

 

Although they may think, feel, believe that what one is doing is a victimless crime, it is still difficult to make voice without such fears of condemnation.

 

Also,given the legal status of many of our most desired and effective plant medicines it makes promoting them to the public in a positive way also very difficult.

 

Aside from this, I would like to help if possible with the promotion, discussion, education of the benifits of production of plants for personal utility, provided its carried out in a professional way so as to avoid unnecessary attention.

 

peace

 

nonetoomany

[cvulse]

"No victim, no crime" is a tired mantra that the Government disagrees with and it's very unlikely a push now is going to change the minds of a bunch of Neo-Cons. (if they're not interested in millions of dollars in tax revunue, then trust me, they're not interested in what we have to say about pot)

 

What we need is for Australia to be less complacent, we need a concerted effort towards individual rights. It seems like every other first-world country is moving forward, while Australia is happy to revert to a Church-run state out to appease generations that haven't been born yet with their self-righteousness and maddeningly stringent ruleset defining what I can and can't do to myself, my home, my computer, my electronic devices, etc.

 

Living in a nanny-state is suffocating and the Australian people will need to wake up and realise it before Abbott's in power.

 

Then we're all fucked.

 

God damn I like these honey-soy shapes

[nici]

<p><p>

Welcome tonail.

 

Mongy has a good point about NORML, and the Hemp Embassy are not at all what they seem.

 

This highlights the need for a targeted Australian Cannabis activist movement, although finding a group of people able to organise it would be difficult (but yeah not impossible). Best I can do for now is ecourage discussion of the subject and frankly that is where it needs to start cause we have a long way to go and there will be no quick fix solution.

 

 

I think Naycha just named the new group - ACAM - Australian Cannabis activist movement