Journalist seeks female med. cannabis user for interview

[Freelancer]

Hi forum,

 

I am a freelance journalist, writing a story for a national Australian women's magazine about medical marijuana. I really need to talk to women who use or buy cannabis for medicinal purposes. I would love to hear your story. If you know someone who might want to talk to me, please pass on my details.

 

You will remain anonymous in my article. I will never refer to you by name (not even in my notes), and I won't give anyone your details, or say that I have talked to you. I take source anonymity seriously. I'm sensitive, easy to talk to, and an experienced writer, writing a piece that has already been comissioned.

 

I have included my email below (I've made this email just for this article, but I'll give you my real details when you contact me, if you like).

 

Please contact me at <cannabisstory1@gmail.com>.

 

Thanks.

[haze420mist]

Hey I think some users would be more comfortable using this thread as a way to tell you their story no need for details.

 

Firstly like to say that it's good to see interest in this topic.

 

Would like to ask you if your a cannabis smoker yourself?

 

What are your views on the topic?

 

I don't like to think that the reason your doing this article is because of the extensive media attention this topic has had in the last months, I like to think this is not some sort of flavour of the month and in the next months gets no attention.

 

Hope I haven't seemed to much of a prick but is a topic close to me and a lot of other members.

 

Welcome to OS

 

Haze

[forgetiwashere]

Hi Freelancer.

 

i dont really fit your credentials but i hope someone can help you out.

 

I think its great that we are seeing more articles of this nature and that journalists like yourself are keeping an open mind and seeking peoples actual experiences. even if this is just the flavour of the month it still helps to get the issue out into the masses.

 

just out of curiosity is it strictly an Australian woman that you would like to speak to or would you consider speaking to a woman from the states who uses medicinal marijuana and has had great success with it?

[Freelancer]

Hi Haze,

 

Thanks for your reply. I understand what you're saying.

 

Am I a user myself? No, I'm not (I believe it says so in my profile (: ).

 

What are my views? Well, as my interest in medical marijuana is professional, not personal, I don't think my views are too relevant, but I'll chat about that. I certainly won't be stating my views in the article. It's third person (more the pity - I do like first!) What I think about marijuana use won't colour my questions or my writing (to the extent that of course, everyone's views colour everything they do, whether consciously or otherwise!). Everyone's biased in some way, I suppose. But as a journalist, and personally, I try to pride myself in being as unbiased as possible. I hope I achieve that.

 

I think the fact that I don't smoke weed covers my views about it. None of my views are hardcore. I have smoked weed once before. I didn't enjoy it very much. I don't hate it when people do smoke, certainly. It's everyone's choice. I wouldn't want my family members smoking it, because I think it's probably bad for you. But I think that most weed smokers possibly wouldn't come down really hard on me for that opinion. I don't smoke tobacco, either, for the same reasons.

 

I am sure that some people wouldn't be comfortable talking to me outside of this forum. But I'm sure that some will be. I think that's their own choice. I respect that. I can guarantee that they'll be in safe hands if they do.

 

I can say that yes, this topic is certainly a 'flavour of the month,' thing, actually, because that's how news and press works. But is that bad? No topic (capital punishment, taxes, sex etc aside) will stay newsworthy forever. If there is a groundswell of support for medical marijuana, and I think that's a good thing (definitely for those who use it), and not a bad thing. The more press the better, if it heads towards more understanding, surely.

 

I am an honest, professional journalist. I don't work for A Current Affair. I'm not here to stitch anyone up. I'm just looking for people's stories. That's what I love to do.

 

Thanks for all that. And you're not a prick.

 

Fl

[Freelancer]

Hi Freelancer.

 

i dont really fit your credentials but i hope someone can help you out.

 

I think its great that we are seeing more articles of this nature and that journalists like yourself are keeping an open mind and seeking peoples actual experiences. even if this is just the flavour of the month it still helps to get the issue out into the masses.

 

just out of curiosity is it strictly an Australian woman that you would like to speak to or would you consider speaking to a woman from the states who uses medicinal marijuana and has had great success with it?

 

Hey there,

 

Yeah, I'm looking for Aussies, actually, but thanks. If you're interested, there was a REALLY well-written article in The Beilever magazine about the green triangle in the US, where they grow the most.

 

Thanks for your support. I agree.

[haze420mist]

Thanks for reply,

 

With your views towards medical cannabis which is the right terminology, I remember making same mistake and was told by naycha a member on this forum the word marijuana is wrong some how can't exactly remember but someone will help me out nay .

 

Your telling me your personal views on smoking cannabis which would be classed recreational use, with the medical side of things needs to be more control over it. Medical cannabis can come in many forms and dose not get the user high, straight cannabis oil the stuff that's been all over the news is a process that requires raw cannabis plant matter then through safe extraction methods separates key elements cbd cbn called cannabinoids, the THC is left in the plant matter (I think) which is the main physocoactive chemical that gets you high. So the mixtures given to babies, small children doesn't get them high in no way.

 

Other forms of medical cannabis are Sativex Marinol Canasol are pharmaceutical derivertives of the cannabis plant itself. IMO this is the most likely scenario it will head.

 

Yea agree no topic is newsworthy forever, that's why they invented the wheel every 6 months to 1 year they bring the topic back can't remember how many times they were going to change the drinking age to 21 .

 

Respect your views and wish you well for this article

 

Haze

[itchybromusic]

Hi forum,

 

I am a freelance journalist, writing a story for a national Australian women's magazine about medical marijuana. I really need to talk to women who use or buy cannabis for medicinal purposes. I would love to hear your story. If you know someone who might want to talk to me, please pass on my details.

 

You will remain anonymous in my article. I will never refer to you by name (not even in my notes), and I won't give anyone your details, or say that I have talked to you. I take source anonymity seriously. I'm sensitive, easy to talk to, and an experienced writer, writing a piece that has already been comissioned.

 

I have included my email below (I've made this email just for this article, but I'll give you my real details when you contact me, if you like).

 

Please contact me at <cannabisstory1@gmail.com>.

 

Thanks.

Hi There Freelancer 

Have you seen the Doco , The Union , a must see if you haven't already ( Soon to be released, The Culture High ,The Union 2 ,sort of )

In any article on Cannabis , Facts & education priority No 1 , good luck with your article 

will you post back when it's published ?

[Freelancer]

Thanks for reply,

 

With your views towards medical cannabis which is the right terminology, I remember making same mistake and was told by naycha a member on this forum the word marijuana is wrong some how can't exactly remember but someone will help me out nay .

 

Your telling me your personal views on smoking cannabis which would be classed recreational use, with the medical side of things needs to be more control over it. Medical cannabis can come in many forms and dose not get the user high, straight cannabis oil the stuff that's been all over the news is a process that requires raw cannabis plant matter then through safe extraction methods separates key elements cbd cbn called cannabinoids, the THC is left in the plant matter (I think) which is the main physocoactive chemical that gets you high. So the mixtures given to babies, small children doesn't get them high in no way.

 

Other forms of medical cannabis are Sativex Marinol Canasol are pharmaceutical derivertives of the cannabis plant itself. IMO this is the most likely scenario it will head.

 

Yea agree no topic is newsworthy forever, that's why they invented the wheel every 6 months to 1 year they bring the topic back can't remember how many times they were going to change the drinking age to 21 .

 

Respect your views and wish you well for this article

 

Haze

 

Thanks for that, Haze. A lot of good information, there. I shall certainly be using it in my research.

 

F

[Freelancer]

Thanks ichybromusic,

 

I will post when the article goes up - but it will certainly help if I can find a few people to interview!

 

Just to reiterate, it would be completely anonymous, I'm after women 25-39yrs (or people of that age who buy for someone else, or who have in the past). This would be a completely non-judgemental process. I never have to reveal who I have spoken to for an article, and I never would.

 

I'm very keenly aware that it would be a significant thing to share your story with me, and that the use of medicinal cannabis most likely comes at a difficult time in the lives of most people.

 

cannabisstory1(at)gmail(dot)com

 

Thanks!

F

[Lenore]

While I fit your criteria, I'm afraid that given the current climate surrounding cannabis due to it's legal status an interview would be out of the question. At least in the flesh.

[Freelancer]

Hi Lenore.

 

Thanks for replying to my post. I appreciate it.

 

I understand that it's difficult to talk about cannabis use in Aus right now. And I respect it if you don't want under face-to-face circumstances. But it isn't necessary at all for us to meet face-to-face. I do most of my interviews over the phone, anyway. If you would like, I don't even need to know your name, let alone where you live, or any specific details at all. That's why I created a seperate email account for this story - that no one has the details for but me. I want to take as many steps as possible, from my end, to ensure that no trackable details are exchanged. This is important stuff, and I take it very seriously.

 

If you feel that under those circumstances, you could chat to me, I will keep things just as anoymous as this forum. I could even just use private messaging on this website to exchange a phone number, and not store it on my phone. I am happy to not post the link to the article on this forum, so that even your anonymous identity is not directly linked to the article.

 

I think it's a really good opportunity to get more information out there, and thank you for posting. I hope we can arrange a situation in which you feel comfortable talking to me. If not, thanks anyway. It's nice that you took the time.

 

F