MEDIA RELEASE FROM AUSTRALIAN HEMP PARTY
LOOK FOR THE LEAF ON THE SENATE BALLOT PAPER
VOTE 1 HEMP
The HEMP (Help End Marijuana Prohibition) Party has senate candidates in all six states and the NT for May 18 federal election.
Medical Necessity
Representing himself in court, NSW Senate candidate Dr Katelaris argued a defence of medical necessity, meaning that his patients’ needs were so dire that it was necessary for him to break the law, so he could provide them with life-saving cannabis medicine. His homemade concoctions have got him arrested and struck off the medical register. But the man they call the Pot Doctor is prepared to go to prison for what he’s doing.
The new call will be for the medical profession, police and the judiciary to stand aside and allow governments and the citizens to develop a meaningful medical cannabis regime that addresses the needs and concerns of over 100 000 Australian using illicit cannabis every day for medical purposes.
This could very well be a turning point, nobody can see how police can continue to enforce laws that the public and judiciary simply do not support. It’s now time for the federal government to listen very carefully and do whatever it takes to acknowledge and bypass UN Drug Treaties, as Canada has now done, which have hindered scientific research and medical use of cannabis at the international level.
There are far reaching ramifications for other industries and commodities when Cannabis prohibition is repealed. HEMP chooses not to conflate our advocacy for Cannabis law reform with other issues.
Not a pipe dream
HEMP provides an opportunity for voters to formally protest on the ballot paper and to fill out your selection of six above the line on the senate ballot paper in the privacy and security of the polling booth. Your vote is a type of petition or referendum without waving signs or marching down the street singing a song, although we will do that at Nimbin MardiGrass this weekend.
Australian voter
There are a couple of million Aussie voters who enjoy Cannabis regularly. Cannabis has helped them to think for themselves. Voters who have endured prohibition and can make the decision to place HEMP wherever they like in their bunch of six above the line. Any HEMP vote is your clear message to end prohibition.
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Authorised by: M. Balderstone, Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party, 51 Cullen St. Nimbin NSW 2480 www.HEMP.org.au
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New South Wales
Group B for Buds
Dr. Andrew Katelaris and Michael Balderstone
Queensland
Group N for Natural
Dr. John Jiggens and Frank Jordan
South Australia
Group I for Indica
Angela Adams and Matt Iversen
Tasmania
Group M for Medical Marijuana
Alfred Informal and Matt Owen
Victoria
Group J for Joints
Frances Hood and Heather Marie Gladman
Western Australia
Group J for Joints again
Dr. Nick Lethbridge and Mark Rayner
Northern Territory
Group F for Freedom
Andrew Kavasilas and Lance Lawrence