Nimbin Mardi Grass, set to roll from Friday, 5 May, is once again calling for the legalisation of cannabis and law reform. The five members of the Legalise Cannabis Party in parliament will be on hand to discuss the issues over the weekend as locals and visitors enjoy an extensive weekend program of events, talks and the famous HEMP Olympix with Sorrensen and Glover.
‘We missed the May MardiGrass last year because of the floods, so we’re very happy to be back on the calendar for the harvest season protest again,’ says HEMP Embassy president Michael Balderstone.
‘It’s hard to believe we are still labelled as criminals as much as ever. Thirty years of loudly crying out about the mistake of banning the most useful plant in the entire creation, and now authorities are starting to agree, but there’s still no let up on hunting down cannabis users.
‘The two best pain relieving plants on Earth. Giant pharmaceutical companies are allowed to grow them, and we can get them via a doctor’s approval and then through the chemist, but dare to grow your own and risk joining the inmates of Australia’s ever-growing jammed full privatised jails.
‘Cannabis and the opium poppy were in the majority of medicines only a century ago. Now we fill our jails with victims of the drug war. A war to maintain Big Pharmas control over what medicine we are allowed to use and what not.
‘And isn’t everyone using drugs to try and enjoy their day more? To try and have less pain, physical or mental. The try and feel good, or God if you prefer, both come from the word Gad, like gather and together. How come this became a crime?
‘Basically, we’ve lost the plot it seems on this issue of enjoying your life and the heaven we are standing in,’ says Michael. ‘And MardiGrass is all about trying to restore sanity to this pursuit of happiness, surely the ultimate purpose in life?’
Three-day program
The three day MardiGrass Hemposium event has a packed program that includes speakers from experts on all aspects of the cannabis plant to the latest in hemp plastics, hemp building blocks, and industrial hemp.
‘The five Legalise Cannabis members of parliament will be joined by a similar number of Greens who hopefully will all be listening to a long line up of experts,’ said Mr Balderstone.
‘Other high lights include the Kombi Konvoy arriving from Byron for the Saturday 4.20 and the Big Rally and Parade for law reform Sunday afternoon.
‘There is art everywhere as we know cannabis fuels creativity. The hemp fashion show, great green cabaret, pot art and pot poetry, music including Fantuzzi and special guest Wilfred the Dog. All to try and make our annual protest as much fun as possible.’
The full program is on nimbinmardigrass.com.
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