Cannabis Science Coming to Australia's Nimbin MardiGrass 2010

The annual MardiGrass festival brings activists from around the world to speak for marijuana decriminalization

(NIMBIN / SALEM) - “This is our eighteenth consecutive Rally for Cannabis Law Reform. We vowed to rally every year on the first weekend of May until we are no longer criminals for using cannabis.

"The recent Nimbin police raids have highlighted their need to reconsider how their limited resources are spent,” said Michael, an organizer of the Nimbin MardiGrass Festival.

The largest pro-cannabis festival in the country of Australia, the Nimbin Mardigrass Festival is an anticipated destination for activists around the world.

Dr. Robert Melamede PhD is a special guest at the annual cannabis law reform rally, and will discuss the health benefits of cannabis extracts and their anti-aging and anti-cancer properties.

Event organizers said, “We are very excited about this American new age legend coming to MardiGrass and Australia. Especially as we have a Prime Minister preaching “evidence based” policy!

"And we want to hear first hand how the Medical Cannabis Dispensaries are changing life for pot users in America. No longer are they hunted as criminals like we still are.”

Dr. Robert Melamede, is President and CEO of Cannabis Science Inc., a Colorado company that works with world authorities on phytocannabinoid science targeting critical illnesses, adhering to scientific methodologies to develop, produce, and commercialize phytocannabinoid based pharmaceutical products.

Dr. Melamede is an expert on the biology of the cannabis plant, how it relates to the human endocannabinoid system, and why the cannabis plant has the potential to affect so many diseases and illnesses.

Faeries perform for the Nimbus crowds

“It is clear that many veterans are already using herbal cannabis to self-medicate to relieve the symptoms of PTSD,” said Dr. Melamede.

“Consequently, there is a clear need for standardized, FDA approved, oral cannabis products which can, and should be, provided to veterans and others who can benefit from its use."

"Medical cannabis has far fewer and milder side effects than most currently prescribed pharmaceutical products do. We are working hard to have one or more products ready for FDA clinical trials as soon as possible,” he said.

“We at Cannabis Science are trying to make cannabis extracts available in every state in the USA, and to have the government health care programs pay for them.”

Other speakers booked include Professor of Criminology from Bond University Paul Wilson and Dr. Alex Wodak from St. Vincents Hospital in Sydney, to inform us of the latest in our hopes for cannabis law reform. Dr Andrew Katelaris will conduct a workshop on the wonders of hemp seed.

MardiGrass opening ceremonies begin at sunset on April 30th in Allsop Park. There, visitors will enjoy music with a sing along as the Hemp Olympix Torch makes its way from the South with the Eternal Flame for the Victims of Prohibition, followed a moment of silence. Fire dancing in the park will conclude the evening.

On May 1st, not only will there be a large gathering at Nimbin, but at 4:20 p.m. around the world people will be marching together for the decriminalization of marijuana.

The Global Marijuana March is expected to have over 1 million cannabis law reform activists marching in over 200 cities.

Max Stone said, "The MardiGrass and the Global Marijuana March are gatherings of people who want to CHANGE the cannabis laws, not as police seem to think, gatherings of people who want to BREAK the law."

Photo courtesy: Enlightenment Today

Peace Park is to be the main center of attraction with 3 big gigs there on a new stage. Confirmed music includes Anarchist Duck, Marshall and the Fro, Pagan Love Cult, A French Butler Called Smith, Fyah Walk, Groove Foundation, Drunken Munk, Red Belly Black, 50 Bags, A Little Province in China, Diana Anaid, Imandan, and there will be more.

On Sunday, May 2nd, beginning "Yarndi Yarns” will be hosted by Koori and other Grandmothers and Grandfathers who are unafraid to tell their stories of why yarndi is good for them and prohibition is not.

Visitors will also enjoy the Fifth Hemplore Pro Pot Art Tattoo Show, featuring local band The Antibodies, Pot Art, Hemp Rope Tug-O-Peace, the Hemp Olympix, and a Comedy Café.

The Cannabis Law Reform Parade begins at 2:30pm and makes its way to the Rally in Peace Park. Sometimes the parade might stop while the Ganja Faeries up front do a brief performance.

This keeps the parade from being too hasty and allows the crowd a better opportunity to take it all in. Everyone waits behind the BIG JOINT until the procession continues. No rush.

This is not your average parade, the floats are expected to sport the ever-popular anti-prohibition theme; and they must be peopled or green powered.

“These floats are our opportunity to present a powerful message to the outside world of both celebration and/or protest. Your float can express whatever you feel or want to share. The floats and displays reflect our area, our people, our pride and desires for the future, our fun and festivity,” said a festival organizer.

The parade procession will make its way to the Rally for Cannabis Law Reform in Peace Park, at 3:30 p.m. There, winning Cannabis Cup raffle numbers will be announced and Parade Float prizes awarded before the MardiGrass Harvest Celebration takes over the stage.

Sunday after the Rally festival-goers at Mingle Park will settle in around the BlackYard Stage for Open Mic, songs and poetry, and an afternoon concert.

“For over three decades they have been picking on the pot smokers in Nimbin with very expensive operations which have made little or no difference other than to create more young people with criminal records for life. Building more jails is clearly a primitive approach to what is obviously a health and social issue,” noted Michael.

While Australian Prime Minister John Howard was staunchly against drug reform, the "Conservatives" were defeated: John Howard lost in 2007 to Kevin Rudd, who has similar views to John Howard, but "smiles more often and expresses more horror at disasters".

The Australian federal government's "tough on drugs" strategy could actually go by the wayside, like Spain's Popular Party, which was defeated in elections, likely because a party that hews to an arch-conservative drug policy is positioned to fail specifically because of its prior support of President Bush's invasion and occupation of Iraq.

“There is little public support left in Nimbin for their hollow justifications for over policing cannabis. Surely by now they must realize there are more important things for them to do with their time,” Michael added.