10 Ways You Can Help Legalise Cannabis

1 Resist prohibition. Learn your rights and stand up for them. Never consent to a search. Be a roaring lion and plead NOT GUILTY if charged. Grow pot. The more high-quality cannabis out there the better.

2 Write to your MP, tell them you support cannabis law reform and ask for their own position. Asking them a question helps to ensure a reply, you may even get a fruitful dialogue going. Share their response with NORML so we can use the information to strategise. Even better, visit your MP in person, it can be very empowering.

3 Talk to people about cannabis law reform. Especially those “straights” who you are afraid might think less of you because of it, your parents for example. These are the people who most need to hear the truth. Inform yourself of the facts and educate those around you.

4 Donate money to law reform efforts. If you cannot be ‘out there’, then support the activists who are. Our activities are severely limited to what we can afford. NORML is run on a shoestring, so even $20 helps a lot, and a regular donation on A/P is bloody brilliant!

5 Write to newspapers & call talkback radio when cannabis is mentioned. Check out the media articles posted at www.mapinc.org/nz.htm which always contain the newspaper’s email address so you can send a response. Commit to writing one letter per week.

6 Distribute NORML’s stuff including leaflets, postcards and stickers around your town, your sports or social club, shopping centre, doctor’s surgery, citizen’s advice, library or wherever else “unconverted” people will read them.

7 Parents should tell Boards of Trustees they do not support the infringement of children’s rights in the name of “zero tolerance”. Suggest that more emphasis is placed on honest education and less on scaring young people into submission.

8 Come out of the closet! Declare yourself, your house or if possible your entire neighbourhood a prohibition-free zone. Stop being afraid and celebrate that you are part of Aotearoa’s cannabis culture! Don’t meekly ask for your freedom, demand it!

9 Set an example. Be a Functioning Pothead and break the negative stereotypes about pot smokers. Be a good employee, a wise parent, a contributing member of society.

10 Join NORML. Donate your time or skills or just do what you can. Contact us to find out more about how you can get active!

Tip for this season: write to the Health Select Committee (especially if you made a submission) and ask them where their report is and why it is taking them so long. They need to know that we haven’t forgotten and we are holding them to account.

Unless stated otherwise, copyright © 1998-2005 by NORML New Zealand, working for marijuana law reform

Published on: 2003-05-23 (5346 reads)