In speaking with a prominent activist in the cannabis community I asked; do you think
thereʼs been a change in attitudes towards cannabis in Australia? “I have found there are
far more of our senior citizens prepared to at least think about it [cannabis use]. 10yrs ago
there was no way, but now as society ages and experience is gained, along with the
medical profession and only after their experience, yes there are more listening now. On
the other hand I attended a hearing a few weeks ago where a middle aged officer and her
colleagues vehemently disagreed stating the gateway propaganda. I actually said the
elderly arenʼt crackheads and pharmaceuticals must be the gateway drugs, so there is
certainly a lot of the middle age ground that needs catching up! The stigma will never go
unless cannabis is fully legalized! Pharma Medical Cannabis will leave the same bad taste
as methadone 4 heroin addicts. Until cannabis is recognized and used as food, a herb & or
vegetable the stigma will always be there for quite a few generations to come! Its time for
Acceptance! I'd like to also add as the elderly have their experiences, so do some of the
young, many I've met in their early 20s to mid 30yr who were fed Ritalin as young children
and teenagers describe their experiences as pure hell, they reached adulthood ditch their
ADHD pills for cannabis and now lead productive lives in the community, with lovely
families of their own. Again the middle area needs educating to understand these types of
issues and realise those kid grew up with a stigma attached of its own.”
(Ray 16th August 2015)
In closing, we have to consider
the aspect of the impact of
cannabis stigma on peopleʼs
lives. Whether we are using it
medicinally, as a herbal option,
socially, or all three; we need to
get the broader community to
realise that it is not something to
fear. More so we need the
government to realise we are not
giving up on our quest to lega lise
cannabis thereby removing the
stigma from the shoulders of
good people seeking basic
health care.
Every workshop, every rally,
every letter to the editor, every
signature on petitions does count
and does go a long way in
counter acting the lies that have
been embedded by the
Governmentsʼ over the past
century. We have come a long
way, but we have a way to go
yet.
Susie J & the Raw Cannabis
for Health Team