28th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL J DAY - LATIMER SQUARE 4th MAY 2019

The Christchurch COALITION For CANNABIS LAW REFORM is joining with over 400 cities worldwide to protest against prohibition of cannabis.

The protest will take place in Latimer Square this Saturday 4th May from Midday to 4.20pm.

The protest will start in Cathedral Square at Midday followed by a “Roll and Stroll” March to Latimer Square led by Seasoned Cannabis Campaigner, Blair Anderson and disabled amputee Cannabis Activist Neville Yates. Neville was wrongly locked up a few years ago for his medicinal cannabis use.

The groups joining together are Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, NORML, Green Cross, BudSoc UC, and MILD Greens. Also the #MakeItLegal Canterbury Group, a local branch of the new national organisation promoting the YES vote for the 2020 Reeferendum, will be present this J Day. Spokesperson Mike Smith will be there to educate and inform the people about how they can help to achieve the YES vote to change this destructive, expensive and out-dated law.

The government is spending a couple of million on the 2020 cannabis Referendum. This is less than 10% of the Flag budget. Cannabis is either a problem or it is not.

As of yesterday the Health Select Committee on Synthetics is basically calling for full decriminalisation on all drugs for personal use, based on police becoming the arbitrators of who enters the criminal gateway. The recent meth use exposure proves that extreme punishment does not stop use. A positive side is that this will channel money away from the Justice System and resource the Mental Health Services. However drug law reform needs to go further for certainty of legal stance.

The medicinal benefits of cannabis are proven worldwide and New Zealand needs to catch up, not just for medicinal access but also for full law reform for recreational use.

That is why the people of Christchurch will be Standing Up for their rights in Latimer Square this Saturday. There will be speakers, music and information all protesting this terrible law that has unfairly criminalised thousands of our citizens since the introduction of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1972.

ends

© Scoop Media