Media Release 12 May 1999
Nimbin Elders Bless Big Joint Mission
Dr Winifred Mitchell of the
Nimbin Older Women's Forum will bless the Big Joint and its supporting Cannabus Convoy
when it departs from Nimbin for the NSW Drug Summit 11 am Friday 14 May 1999.
She and the other women of the
Forum will be offering hot soup to Convoy participants.
The Big Joint and the Nimbin HEMP Embassy will
be at the gates of the NSW Parliament at 9 am Monday 17 May with a people power message
for Premier Carr and his selected summiteers calling for decriminalisation of cannabis for
small amounts and legalisation of it for compassionate use as a medicine.
"I wish these young people well in their mission to end the War on Drugs", said
Ms Mitchell who is a 82 year old former teacher (infant, primary, secondary and tertiary)
who remembers Premier Bob Carr as a former student. "May they win a peace on drugs.
May they convince the politicians and drug policy advisers to stop talking about
punishment and to start thinking about ways to help, counsel and prevent drug abuse in a
pleasant and advisory way."
The 12 metre Big Joint will be mounted on a
brightly painted bus and journeyed to Sydney where it will become the central icon at the
NSW People's Drug Summit which will take place in the Domain Park at the rear of the NSW
Parliament.
"We will be assembling at the fountain at Hyde Park north from 8 am Monday and we
expect about 100 people to carry the Big Joint to
the NSW Parliament for the 9 am opening of the Drug Summit, " said Michael
Balderstone, spokesperson of the Nimbin HEMP. "We are expecting thousands to come and
participate in the Peoples Drug Summit over the 5 days."
The NSW People's Drug Summit will be a rallying point for people who are dismayed by the
failure of the NSW political leadership in this time of plague, great suffering and grief
amongst the people.
"We will be a listening post for all the suffering and grief that has been brought to
our lives by the US driven War on Drugs," he said. "We are at heart a peace
movement and we will be there outside the NSW Drug Summit bearing witness for the
suffering and calling for compassionate drug law reform."
The Big Joint and Cannabus Convoy will be cruising down the Pacific Highway at a stately
60 kph inviting other drivers to toot for drug law reform. At Grafton, Coffs Harbour,
Bellingen, Kempsey, Taree, Maitland and Newcastle there will be smokos and cannabis law
reform actions.
See the web site (www.nrg.com.au/~hemp) for an up-to-date
itinerary.
A live webcam will relay interactions along the way on
www.nrg.com.au/~hemp/bigjoint/live.htm
Further Information
Winifred Mitchell 02 6689 1415
Michael Balderstone 02 6689 1842/1968
Graeme Dunstan 02 6689 1968/0412 609 373
websites; http://bigjoint.webjump.com
or www.nrg.com.au/~hemp
Nimbin HEMP Embassy
When injustice becomes Law, resistance becomes duty.
Cullen Street, NIMBIN 2480 tel/fax 02 6689 1842 email: hemp@nrg.com.au
"Legalise
now for compassionate use!"
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