Friendly warning and disclaimer: These forums are provided for the thousands victims of prohibition who form the pot community of Aotearoa for discussion of marijuana-related issues. NORML reserve the right to delete off-topic posts. The views expressed in any forum are solely those of the contributor and not necessarily approved or endorsed by NORML New Zealand Inc.
LTEs in The Southland Times Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 11:39 am
Today's issue of The Southland Times had my LTE regarding their article and editorial about the Cannabus' visit to the Deep South.
That makes seven pro-cannabis law reform LTEs in total and none against. I'll try and type them up some time.
The Southland Times
- 9th May 2008
Cannabis
SOUTHLAND area commander Inspector Tony O'Neill's claim that Norml's Cannabus protest was "disrespectful" to the ANZAC spirit (April 30) is ironic as those soldiers supposedly fought for freedom of speech and the right to live free from tyranny.
The issue of cannabis prohibition, however, is riddled with irony.
Although the United States government’s 1937 Marijuana Tax Act effectively strangled the burgeoning hemp industry with red tape, it secretly encouraged its farmers to grow hemp in 1942 after the Japanese invaded South East Asia and cut off its plant-fibre supplies.
The Nazis also encouraged its farmers to grow hemp for their war-effort, and post-war a British company bought hempen concentration camp uniforms to recycle into paper.
The Marijuana Tax Act also stymied the use of plant biomass as an alternative to petroleum. A 1941 issue of Popular Mechanics featured a lightweight plastic automobile that was "grown from the soil’ according to manufacturer Henry Ford and powered by bio-fuel, with hemp being a major ingredient.
Today, as we face the effects of global warming created by our reliance on petroleum, sustainable technologies utilising plant biomass are underdeveloped, primarily because of cannabis prohibition.
Ironically, the "marijuana problem" continues to get worse despite decades of prohibition.
Furthermore, prohibition makes it harder to address the alleged harmful effects of cannabis use that were outlined in your editorial (May 1).
Ultimately, cannabis prohibition is the cause of the problem and not the solution, and the Cannabus crew deserve respect for risking their own liberty to highlight that fact.
Joined: Feb 19, 2004 Posts: 1344 Location: Nelson area
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 12:55 pm
Good letter _________________ Regulation will set cannabis free
Freedom's just a TICK away - VOTE Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party 2008 then everyone's a winner
Contact me: steven@alcp.org.nz Party website http://www.alcp.org.nz
Thanks steveoh.
Have to admit that it was nice to be able to use 250 words instead of the usual 200, or even worse 150.
There was actually a good selection of LTEs which covered quite a few different aspects of the cannabis issue.
Good to see that you also had a LTE published in the Nelson Mail recently , steveoh.
It'd been about a month since I wrote my last LTE (isn't time passing quickly?) and the latest one rattled around in my head for a while before I got back into the groove. Hoping this weekend to get one written for the ODT re: their editorial but am going to try to stick to 150 words to reduce the chances of it getting abridged.
Did you see the editorial steveoh? There's been no LTEs so far . It could be a good opportunity for you to mention the ALCP . It would be good to see one of your letters in the ODT anyway.
The other Southland Times LTEs Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:39 am
Here are the other LTEs that were printed in The Southland Times regarding the visit of the Cannabus to Invercargill.
Friday May 2nd 2008
Supporting legal rights
REGARDLESS of how one may feel about legalising cannabis, let's support the legal rights of all New Zealanders.
With this in mind I was amazed with Inspector Tony O'Neill saying it was inappropriate for the protest to be held near the Cenotaph.
The Southland Times reported Mr O'Neill saying that for the protesters to promote "an unlawful activity in the shadow of the monument devoted to men and women who had lawfully died in service of their country was disrespectful".
Did not many of the soldiers who served do so to support, for all persons, democratic rights including those of free expression and peaceful assembly?
They defended New Zealand and other nations against tyrannical dictatorships where basic human rights were infringed on.
A selfless act that today's servive men and women continue to do.
Throughout New Zealand's history many illegal acts became legal through the freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly.
Women obtaining the right to vote in 1893 and allowing Saturday and Sunday trading in 1990 are among them. While cannabis use may remain illegal, the right to discuss the issue in public remains legal.
The role of the police, as our custodians of ensuring a peaceful society, should be to remain neutral by focussing on enforcing the laws as assigned by Parliament and not delve into the politics of peaceful assembly in a public place.
The New Zealand Police Oath supports this concept by saying: "(I will serve) without favour or affection, malice or ill-will, until I am legally discharged."
The freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly are legally defined by the New Zealand Bill of rights Act 1990 as fundamental freedoms.
Ken Wuschke, Invercargill
IT was interesting to read your article "Nasty fumes from that bus" (May 1) about the Cannabus coming to Invercargill recently and your reference to a study published in "The Lancet" medical journal last July. This Saturday is J Day, billed as "a national day of protest against cannabis prohibition and a celebration of the country's cannabis culture".
The NZ Drug Foundation has recently started a debate about this most regularly used of our illicit drugs. Over half of us have tried it and one in eight of us use it regularly, yet few of our politicians debate whether the laws around cannabis are still valid over 30 years after the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 was enacted.
While the Drug Foundation does not have a position on whether cannabis should be legalised or not, we do feel its use in society is wide, regular and sizeable enough to have this national conversation to gain a real understanding of current rather than dated thinking about cannabis.
It's interseting to see how the effects of cannabis use can be presented by the media. Alarming-sounding statistics are often relayed with little attention given to context and stories are run under sensationalist headlines.
This occurred with a study on cannabis and psychosis published last July in The Lancet. One finding, that smoking cannabis increases the risk of schizophrenia by 40 percent, was very widely reproduced in covering media stories.
However, the study actually stated that the risk pertains to a small proportion of heavy users, and noted that it was related to quantity - the more you use, the greater the risk. The study's authors also admitted that, while a correlation between cannabis and schizophrenia was shown by their research, no causitive link could be established.
The point here is not that the possible mental health risks associated with cannabis use should be trivialised - there is a possible link and it shouldn't be ignored - but rather that the media coverage amounted to wild and inaccurate overstatement.
Ross Bell, executive director New Zealand Drug Foundation - Abridged
The New Zealand Drug Foundation is an idependent trust aimed at minimising harm caused by drugs such as tobacco, alcohol and cannabis. - Editor
Sat May 3rd 2008
Stayin 'in the game'
CANNABIS users of Invercargill will have been laughing over their morning tea.
The amount of cannabis research done in the last 50 years is vast and for both users and non-users can be confusing.
But calling cannabis a 'hideously damaging substance' (1 May) and listing a slew of frightening claims is inexcusable prohibitionist hyperbole at its very worst.
A single letter will not do it justice.
Distinguishing chronic (long term) from acute effects of cannabis is problematic.
It is often the case in THC (the psychoactive ingredient of cannabis) research that interpretation is in the eye of the beholder.
A possible reason for this may be the sources of funding for cannabis research.
As most money comes from government coffers and most governments are in opposition to cannabis use, it is logical to assume that researchers will attempt to minimize findings which do not satisfy the views of their funders in order to ensure future support.
This may seem harsh - if one accepts the myth of scientific objectivity - but scientists are as competitive as any other group in their attempts to stay 'in the game' and to win.
Your editorial grandly overstated your case and did absolutely nothing for a factual, rational and sane discussion.
On the other hand NORML is committed to encouraging the debate, and to do so in a reasonable, informed and calm manner.
It would be more useful to spare your readers such extremist claims and therefore be taken seriously.
Paula Lambert, Secretary, Norml
NASTY fumes from the Southland Times !
I would expect The Southland Times to have a comparable percentage of casual cannabis users within it ranks as other such similar organizations.
Perhaps you should order random work place drug testing to take place next week, and we'll could see whether you still stand by: "Socially, evidence shows a marked decline in occupational performance in adults"
Anyone familiar with using cannabis knows that cannabis only impairs occupational performance (including driving) in those who are either inexperienced cannabis users, or inexperienced in their occupation.
Paula's friend
REGARDING your story "Pro-cannabis protest held in peace, man" - recent science from Germany shows how cannabinoids stimulate the body's production of TIMP-1, which helps healthy cells resist cancer invasion.
www.salem-news.com/articles/january112008/cancer-treatment-11008.php
Viewed in this light, the police's war against marijuana seems downright criminal.
Russell Barth, Ontario, Canada
Wed May 7th 2008
Cannabis
IN regards to the article commenting about the Cannabus tour in Invercargill I would like to place my opinion about cannabis law reform.
I didn't attend the protest, nor do I use cannabis any more. But I do know that cannabis is harmful to the health of users as I have researched its effects.
It is mainly dangerous to the lungs and cancerous if it is used in the wrong manner (smoked).
Research has been performed on this substance for many years and has proven its health benefits.
Used in other ways eg eating it is a lot better for the body. It enhances appetite and reduces stress to the mind and to the digestive system.
Vapourisers have now been invented for using cannabis, in which only THC is inhaled and the other 40 odd chemicals that are poisonous to the body are not consumed.
I am prescribed by my doctor opiates and benzos for the pain relief and comfort for sleep due to a car accident. The side effects of this medication are far worse and dangerously more addictive than cannabis. It reduces the appetite and gives consumers constipation which is also very dangerous to the health.
I have discovered that it is impossible to overdose and die from using cannabis.
So at the end of the day I would prefer to have the symptoms of cannabis than the medication I am legally prescribed for the rest of my life.
D Ramsay, Otautau
That last letter hits the spot. Very big ups to the med user with the intestinal fortitude to send it.
I wonder why D.Ramsey is no longer a medpot user but would have preferred it over the less effective and more harmful medications he will be on for the rest of hs life.??
Could be he too has suffered the wrath of the system if he was honest about his medical use.??
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Login to check your private messages
Login
, steveoh.
. It could be a good opportunity for you to mention the ALCP 
. It would be good to see one of your letters in the ODT anyway.
