Police accused of harassing cannabis users

[Tom]

Police have been told to back off from harassing tourists and drug users at Nimbin in northern NSW.

 

A rally, organised by the Hemp Embassy, was held yesterday to protest against what some say is a new wave of police harassment.

 

Police have strengthened their presence in the town, and a special operation included searching overseas visitors on tourist buses for drugs.

 

Hemp spokesman Michael Balderstone says there needs to be better communication between the police and the community.

 

He says most police want cannabis legalised and do not want to waste time arresting people who are stoned.

 

"What they're doing is making no impact at all and I think everyone agrees that the police are sick of it too, they don't want to waste their time on stuff that is really [not] a criminal issue and there's plenty of other bigger troubles they've got to deal with," he said.

 

Police accepted an invitation to attend the rally and then decided not to go.

 

But Inspector Tony Crandell from the local area command (LAC) says he and other officers are keen to discuss the drug situation in Nimbin.

 

"Upon reflection it probably wasn't appropriate for me to attend a rally and discuss issues with Michael or the protesters there," he said.

 

"The police, however, are very receptive to the Nimbin community and we're quite happy to speak to any people who have concerns about the policing of that area. Our policing methods will relentlessly target drug supply whether that be in Nimbin or any other area in the LAC."

 

Author:Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Date:Friday, January 28, 2005

Source:Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Copyright:© 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation

[Chev]

:angry: I suppose they're going to 'clean' the town up or something....... That place has some wicked history, I hope the cops don't fuck it up for us young ones to experience :thumbdown That really sucks hey.

[everest]

:mellow: Over the christmas break i popped in to nimbin to pick up an oz , the place was full of young kids dealing ...... to tell you the truth i was bloody shocked . I'm no stranger to nimbin having visited 3 mardigrass but the last visit i thought it was going down hill a bit ...... now i know it's true . the place needs cleaning up .

[jackfrost]

Have to agree with you everest, last time I went to nimbin about 18 months ago, I was shocked by how many junkie looking people where hanging around the main street. They very obviously have a herion problem there.

 

The museum is a total dodgy dive for smackedout people - at least they could keep it clean.

 

There is a three distinct types of people there 1. clean Farmer type, 2. Clean commune type, 3.) dirty junkie feral type.

 

Got asked to score about 10 times in ten mintes - all the weed was total shit, but it progessively got better as I rejected there bush shit - and finally brought out the hydro. - which was only very average - in relation to most weed around home area.

 

Jack

[Tom]

It's a pity to see an icon like Nimbin going down hill, hope the cops don't go to far with their clean-up and start harrasing the crap out of the mj growers and users.

 

[everest]

Nimbin has got to change for it's own survival . haey jackfrost i had 3 little kids in tow and had to settle for that shit bush . bummer . at 160 an oz .

[generic_hippie]

The trouble with Nimbin is we get a lot of the people society rejects for one reason or another, there are a lot of damaged people end up here and we dont reject them the way the rest of society has.

 

Another problem we have is the judgemental shit like this post that get's bandied about in the popular press.

 

"Junkies, dirty feral types", these seem like enlightened, knowledgable terms from people without bigotry at the very centre of their hearts.

 

The reality is if prohibition were not in force Nimbin would not need "cleaning up".

 

If we were able to sell cannabis in controlled cafe type environments the "kids on the street" would not have access to the cannabis tourist dollar, and the funds necessary to degrade the town with their addicted presence...

 

 

All these judgements, harsh judgements on the village and yet both the judges go there for their weed, fuckin hypocritical cunts ought to grow some of their own stuff instead of relying on the street scene they find so abhorrent...

 

Nah, you judges can eat the peanuts out of my Nimbin loving shit.

[jackfrost]

Hey Hippie

 

Yes im am judging Nimbin, its a fucking disgrace, I dont give a fuck about a few weed smokers/dealers. But the amount of Herion use there is rampant - look around yourself mate - I would not want my kids growing up there.

 

I used to live in a area with alot of smackheads - they would screwover there own mother to get there next shot - its not there fault granted - but they are addicted to Herion, like it or not -------> equals crime, broken families and generally unhappiness.

 

As far as getting the weed there, it was a novelty - but Lismore still had 10X the more dank hydro then Nimbin Bush. - and the hole North coast has planty of good weed without going to Nimbin.

 

If people go there to get off herion - I suppose that is a good thing, in which case the community should be raising money for more rehab clinics and help those people. -----> but if people go there to escape life and get smacked out, the community should be very wary as the damage these type of people do is very great to everyone else around them.

 

 

Jack

[generic_hippie]

Well, I'm sure as they struggle dialy with their addictions they are truly concerned that you find them so abhorrent.

 

Get your pointed Klan-like discriminatory head out of your blinkering arse-hole. Have a look around you.

 

Nimbin isn't about the pot.

 

Nimbin isn't about the smack.

 

Nimbin certainly isn't about the Byron Bay attitude that seems to be buying the place out in large numbers.

 

Nimbin is about freedom.

 

Freedom from persecution. Freedom from the hypocritical political correctness of life in a sheltered bubble. Freedom to experience and revell in our differences and similarities. Freedom to be what society has made you.

 

Freedom from the blandness of suburbia and it's profit driven hydroponic hysteria.

 

The whole north coast may have great weed a plenty, but it also has more than it's fair share of hypocritical cunts who judge others without taking the time to know them. Judging books by covers so to speak.

 

I hope you never truly experience what it's like to become an addict Jack Frost, although you seem to already have the heartless attitude you have broadly accused every junkie of having quite well down pat...

[F420]

yea sorry but im with Jack there.

 

Nimbin is a dirty cunt of a place, that is full of crack whores and dole bludgers.

 

 

I have been there several times and its interesting but dirty.

 

I found 3 needles in the ONE carpark behind the museum.

 

people were shooting up on the back door of the meuseum.

 

nah, good when the mardigrass and stuff is on, but give it a BIG miss if its not.