South Australian State Election

March is time to vote for South Australians. and I just wanted to remind all the stoners out there about HEMP SA.

They just got a new facebook page, here is a description on that page:

Help End Marijuana Prohibition (H.E.M.P) SA is a political party based in South Australia commited to the legalisation of cannabis in its many forms, and for its many uses. This group is a show of support for the party, and the causes and values the party holds.

Cannabis in its various forms is one of the most useful, naturally occurring substances in the world. It has been in use for thousands of years by humans, for all things ranging from clothes, to relaxation, to religion, to medicine, but yet it is a family of plants that the modern world, for the most part, doesn't understand. Up until the 20th Century there was little to no regulation on marijuana at all, it was only after unfounded propaganda campaigns starting in the 1920's and 30's that the tide of public opinion began to shift, not due to science or actuality but fear. It has been this totally baseless fear that has been built on ever since culminating in the current climate whereby, despite a huge consumer base and monumental economic and social potential, the users and producers of cannabis products are persecuted for using a largely harmless natural substance which is (and will continue to be) part of human history.

According to the latest survey conducted in 2007 by Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (DASSA), 10.2% of South Australians admitted to using marijuana that year and over 30% admitted to being a marijuana user at some point in their life. Using an index of only those brave enough to come forward to a governmental agency, the numbers of people in this state who consume cannabis is still well over 160,000 and often these consumers were forced to go to dealers of hard drugs and gang members in order to do so. This not only associates cannabis with hard drugs, sometimes leading to later consumption of such drugs, but it gives huge profits to criminal growers. Who, unlike users and personal growers, cultivate on a large scale funnelling profits into other criminal activities ranging from hard drug production to weapons and violent crime. Kilogram for kilogram cannabis sativa is worth more than silver, yet it is a weed that grows quickly and in great density, comparably cotton sells for approx. $2.50/kg. The price is only set where it is due to underground production and inflamed profits to account for criminal risk, in this black market there can be no regulation and no taxation, but if this market were to become legitimate that would mean the massive mark-up the product had previously undergone could be replaced by taxation and it would still prove cheaper for the consumer. Not only would the sale be taxed but also the incomes of the thousands of people that the new industry would employ, this instead of the current situation of huge amounts of undeclared income which ends often in the hands of bikies. The South Australian Government has the opportunity to increase their spending budget by literally millions and millions of dollars not only earning through taxation of marijuana, which due to mass production will have a greatly reduced price, but also because money previously spent oppressing marijuana users and fighting the crime prohibition causes can be spent elsewhere. That's not to mention the funds and international recognition gained from the potential tourism boom and the increase of creative arts in the festival state, which would further work to increase the state's population and prosperity. A prosperity that could be under threat if we continue on our current trajectory.

Please join there group and help them out if you can. Don't think we can't make a difference. There is a lot of smokers in Adelaide and regional SA, we just need to get the message out and get organised.

Peace