Sick of Suffering
-by D. Nentwig

 This was our first time of campaigning for Medical Cannabis to be re-instated as a legal medicine (re-instated, because it was used extensively in the past 7,000 years as a medicine). Many people walked past and casually glanced over at the posters and kept walking, quite a few actually came over and read what was written, and some even stopped to have a chat to us. This was the first time anybody had seen anything like this in our Mall. Due to it being our first time and not being too sure how the rangers might react if they walked past, we only stayed a few hours.

     This time we had 3 1/2 days of campaigning in the Mall. The half day being because one woman (out of thousands who walked past and hundreds who stopped to chat) decided to call the Ranger. The ranger himself was very respectful and even said that he had to move us on because we had no license, but that really it didn't bother him. We didn't argue, we just packed up to leave. As we were packing up, another lady who had been watching us came over and invited us to come and set ourselves up at the Markets she ran the following Sunday! Of course, we took her up on the offer.

    It was amazing how many people we met - of all ages ranging from 16 to 84 - who were very positive towards Cannabis being used as a medicine. These included people who either used it themselves as a medicine (which included a 76 year old man in a wheelchair and an 84 year old man with a walking stick), were caring for someone who used it, knew someone who used it as a medicine or had read about it and saw nothing wrong with people choosing to use it, and nurses and ex-nurses doing palliative care.  

 We set up (in the heat) for the day, and at the end of the day the lady who had invited us asked if we wanted to come back the following week (suggesting we get ourselves a shade of some sort). We were a bit concerned how the other stall holders would accept us, but there were no negative responses from them. 

 We ended up being at the markets for 5 Sundays (the longest time she could give us as we were not being charged for the site). It was certainly an eye-opener to see just how many people were not only interested in the subject of Medical Cannabis, but actually agreed with it either fully, or the concept. Our display boards were covered in quotes, studies, poems, statistics and testimonies as well as some pictures. All in all, for the 8 1/2 days of campaigning we only had 3 people approach us who were really negative. Even people who were against the recreational side of Cannabis use understood the concept of Cannabis as a medicine. Of course, some thought that it should be a Pharmaceutical pill, potion or whatever else the Health Dept. would try to make it into, but many felt it was okay as it was, especially once they realized that it doesn't have to be smoked it can be vapourised, cooked/baked, made into a tea or a tincture.  

Some advice on holding an 'open' campaign.

1) Know the local laws. We didn't know we couldn't just set up shop in the Mall like that. We thought it would be okay as we had seen buskers there and also we weren't selling, but it turned out that we still needed a license. Thankfully, we got 3 1/2 days in before we got sprung.

2) If you're asked to move on, it's best to do so and don't try and argue it out with them. Don't make enemies of the locals and the ranger. Don't forget, there are many, many eyes watching how you react, and will form an opinion of you there and then.

3) Take time to make your display informative, interesting, and keep it tidy. We started off with a small display that was not so informative and wasn't that neat looking in 2007, but improved on it in 2008 and found people were more attracted to something that was well put together and easy to read. 

4) Wherever you set up, make sure you are not encroaching on someone else's space, or are blocking walkways, shop ways etc and that you have room for people to stop and look at your display without stopping the flow of traffic wanting to pass by.