Federal Election 2022: Greens launch legalise cannabis campaign in Nimbin

‘We’re sick of being criminals’: calls to get on with it, as Greens launch federal election campaign to call for the legalisation and regulation of cannabis. See what locals had to say.

Greens senate candidate David Shoebridge braved a small crowd at the steps of Nimbin town hall on Monday to launch his party’s legalise cannabis policy for the upcoming federal election.

With just under three weeks before the nation decides, each party is making the most of what analysts have described as the crucial phase of the campaign.

“One of the reasons we are raising the issue now in a federal election campaign is that we’ve seen the efforts to legalise cannabis stalling at a state level,” Mr Shoebridge said.

He described the current laws governing cannabis as a “criminalisation regime” that ensnare our youth in the criminal justice system on petty possession charges.

“If we really want to deal with harm minimisation when it comes to cannabis we should be legalising it so young people’s lives aren’t being so badly impacted,” Mr Shoebridge said.

David Shoebridge rebounded well against heckling at the announcement of the Greens legalise cannabis policy in Nimbin. Picture Cath Piltz

The Greens senate candidate drew a few heckles of: “Yeah well the politicians are allowed to smoke it in Canberra!” and “Hurry up and put it to bed we’re sick of being criminals!”

Collecting himself Mr Shoebridge said the Greens want a national approach to the issue.

“We want to see legalised cannabis, a regulated industry to take it out of the hands of organised crime, and to see substantial funds going into the public sector,” Mr Shoebridge said.

“We don’t want to see cannabis go down the same path as tobacco, and go to big tobacco and big pharma.

“In a regulated market it can be grown by cooperatives, and we also want to ensure that adults can grow up to six plants without the police coming down on them or them having to seek separate licencing,” Mr Shoebridge said.

Shoebridge claimed that legalising cannabis into a licenced and regulated market nationally would bring in $4.4 billion in government revenue.

The Green said that money would be “taken out of the hands of organised crime and black markets” to be put towards building schools, hospitals and other public assets.

In 2020 A medicinal cannabis plantation in the Northern Rivers opened to produce 20,000 kgs of premium cannabis flower per annum.

Nimbin residents in support of legalising cannabis at Nimbin. Picture Cath Piltz

For many in the Northern Rivers who want to pursue quality controlled medicinal cannabis, legalising the drug is a step in the right direction.

Drug testing not about impairment says Shoebridge

Nimbin resident, musician and activist Neil Pike said the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes is preferred by a lot of people to treat pain from cancer, arthritis and other ailments.

“Cannabis is a lot more useful than panadol in relieving the aches and pains,” Mr Pike said, “but if I need to drive into town that means I’d have to abstain for days to ensure the police couldn’t charge me with a positive roadside test.

“It makes things really difficult.”

Mr Shoebridge said if someone is driving and is impaired by drugs they should get off the road and the law should focus on that.

“But at the moment when it comes to roadside drug testing for cannabis it’s not about impairment at all.

“Police are catching people often simply because they smoked a joint 24 hours before, even a week before and parts of the benefits of legalising cannabis will be fixing some of those drug driving laws,” Mr Shoebridge said.

Left: Louise Graves, ex-registered nurse now cannabis consultant and Neil Pike, musician and\ activist who uses cannabis to help with the pain of his cancer. Picture Cath Piltz

“We’re probably in the most significant election we’ve been in for a good long time,” Mr Pike said.

“It’s important that we get in people that can make a difference and have a broad policy on all things, and cannabis is just one of them.

“It’s kind of tragic that at this point in history we’re still pissing around with cannabis law.”

Legalising cannabis for residents in the Northern Rivers means accessing quality care from health providers who are informed about how best to treat their patients.

It means lifting social stigmas surrounding those who choose this form of recreational consumable over alcohol.

“One of the benefits of what we hope will be a minority government is a progressive crossbench which will put these ideas before the parliament and productively work with the minority Labor government to progress these changes,” Mr Shoebridge said.