Donald James MacIntosh aka ‘Mack’, is an integral part of the New Zealand Hemp
Industry landscape. If it wasn’t for early pioneers like Mack, willing to sacrifice
their time and personal comfort, there might not even be a hemp industry in New
Zealand.
Memorable Moments
during my 30yr
Hemp Involvement
1988 I read the book “The
Emperor Wears No Clothes” by
Jack Herer. I couldn’t believe
that the government had
classed all cannabis including
hemp as a drug with no medical
benefit. It blew my mind that
government’s around the world,
vilified hemp when it was such
a useful plant with such a rich
and forgotten history. Why
would they do that?
1989
On a visit to Tasmania I
was completely gob smacked by
the research of Patsy Harmeson
and Dr Andrew Katelaris. Again,
I was shocked to learn that this
plant had been made illegal for
all the wrong reasons.
1990 I formed the NZHIA with 15 mates in
the Owaka Valley with the mandate "You get it
legal Mack, and we'll grow it" they said.
1994 The Australians made a movie called
‘Billion Dollar Crop’ by Barbara Choboky. I
met her in Sydney. Barbara was a huge source
of early info around the 1990’s. This got me
thinking about New Zealand's feast or famine
approach to primary industries.
1995 We the NZHIA started posting stuff on
the internet which was new in the mid 1990’s.
Richard Barge turned up
wanting to also start something.
So he ended up joining the
association too.
1996 I started visiting
councils and writing to
everyone in parliament. After
the election I thought I’d be
best to move to Wellington,
so I could actually speak to
the policy makers. I gave
myself two years and then
nine years later... we finally got
somewhere.
I was assisting two advisor
scientists re: Taupo Council
on the waterways around the
lake. I kept sending them data
at all hours, prompting them
to ask me if I ever slept, as I seemed to be at it
constantly.
1999
It was Sweetwaters (the concert) in
Auckland. Richard asked me up to it and I
reluctantly went. I met and assisted Phillida
Bunckle MP to get signatures for free breast
screening. She stated that if she were ever in
a position to assist with our cause, she would.
Which was great, because she did.
Six months later she was Minister of Customs
and she rang me and offered funding for the
‘Interagency Working Group on the Cultivation
of Cannabis for Industrial Purposes’. Phillida
is the real heroine in this story. Meanwhile
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