MEDIA RELEASE
The Nimbin “Laneboys” court cases begin next Monday and Tuesday September 5 and 6 and supporters and protestors are gathering outside Lismore Court House from 9 am on both days. All those who think cannabis law reform is long overdue are encouraged to come,” says Michael Balderstone, President of Nimbin’s HEMP Embassy. “Saliva testing of drivers for merely the presence of pot should be enough to bring ten thousand people at least!”
“It’s time cannabis users were respected and the law changed. There might even be an apology due,” he says. “We have been treated like common criminals for decades now because of lies and nonsense and its time the laws caught up with the new science on this plant which now confirms what we have said all along, it’s a fantastic healing herb.”
“The police are actually working for the giant pharmaceutical companies who have a legal monopoly on relieving pain. Very profitable as you can imagine. They need to think for themselves and help us get change happening like the police did in America with the organisation L.E.A.P, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.”
“It was not another dopey raid from the police but one that has had a big affect on our tight knit alternative community. Most of the “laneboys” are now not allowed to talk to each other or live near Nimbin. Whatever you think, they are “our” boys, young men who grew up in this tight knit close community. They went to school together, play football together, and many of them work together now. And many of them have families and children in Nimbin. What are the real consequences of these restrictions, who’s thinking it through?”
“I acknowledge the police are just following orders but those giving the orders are clearly unaware of their affect. These boys did more to keep the use of ice at bay in Nimbin than anyone. And they stopped violence, rip off drug dealing and young kids dealing, as best they could. What does it prove banning them from their own community? What does it achieve? And in a time when the medical properties of cannabis are finally getting recognised.”
“Cannabis is thoroughly woven into all the north coast communities alternative thinking, not just Nimbin, and it’s integral in the new ideas and inspiration that make us different. And across the western world now attitudes are changing fast as governments wake up to how good this safest of medicines is. Yet in NSW our Premier wants to control it all himself and still hunt cannabis users. He’s building new jails!”
“Do the police realise that Nimbin has a lot of alcoholics who don’t drink any more, because they smoke pot now? Or they used to be ice addicts, or whatever? Nimbin is an open air and free range hospital and rehab centre for a lot of people. And modern policing using hidden cameras like in this case, and saliva testing and sniffer dogs etc mean it has never been more traumatic for cannabis users and Australian police need to find the balls to help instigate change. They must know by now which drugs cause the problems. Last year there were 75,000 arrests for cannabis use in Australia, up ten percent on the previous year.”
For further info phone the HEMP Embassy on 0266890326 a/h Michael on 66897525