Nearly 30 years ago The Echo was founded as a response to the disproportionate use of police resources to target cannabis users in Main Arm with road blocks and vehicle inspections. And while the rest of the world has moved on and intelligent, informed people are belatedly realising the health, social and environmental benefits of decriminalising cannabis, the NSW police are diverting resources from domestic violence, child abuse and horrific drugs like ice to devote even more resources to target a drug that has no known toxicity, no connection to violence and no evidence it impairs driving.
And here’s the most unpleasant part of their current strategy. Once you have been caught once, the police put the registration of your vehicle into their database along with stolen and unregistered vehicles.
Every police car in the state with number-plate recognition will now pull you over to give you a drug test. First time you may get a caution, second time you’ll lose your licence and maybe your job, your house and your future.
Name and address withheld
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
