 Young people weren't the only ones lighting up in Auckland today, but grandparents too.
A group of seniors headed to Albert Park to celebrate J-Day, an annual celebration where cannabis users smoke up in public. Pearl Schomburg, 64, wanted to educate those at the event about the potential health benefits of the drug. "We want the young people to learn that it's also about medicine, not just about smoking," she said. Schomburg is keen to dispel myths about the kinds of people who use cannabis. "We want to get rid of that whole stereotypical stoner image," she said. Schomburg is a founding member of Auckland Patients Group, which supports medicinal cannabis users across the city. The group had an information tent at J-Day to network and provide information for those who are recreational users. "We'd like to present ourselves as informed older people that the young-uns can learn from," Schomburg said. "They can come and ask us questions about anything they like." Schomburg was joined in her campaigning by Joan Cowie, also 64, and 81-year-old Tony Green. Cowie began using medicinal cannabis products after being told there was nothing more that could be done to cure her lung cancer. She said that cannabis had proven much more effective at reducing her pain than the medicines she had been prescribed. "I tried some of the pain medication, and it just made me vomit," she said. "Whereas the cannabis makes me calmer, and it really takes that sharp nasty pain away." Cowie said her family was surprised when she began speaking out in favour of cannabis, but has been supportive. "My four-year-old granddaughters, they call it nanny's green medicine," she said. Green said seniors who campaigned for cannabis could face negative reactions from those of their generation who remembered the drug hype of the 1960s. "Some of my friends at the cafe I go to in the morning don't approve," he said. "They've made it very clear they don't approve of my campaigning for cannabis, even for medicinal reasons." Green said he had always believed banning cannabis was a stupid idea. "The more I think about it, the more unjust I think it is," he said. Hanna Klos started using medicinal cannabis after her husband died of cancer. "We're all at death's door, but it makes it nicer. I would like to have a nicer float off than my husband," she said. Schomburg said medicinal cannabis users were forced to live under a cloud, knowing they could be targeted by police at any time. "I don't really know why they would be worried about us old folks, or why they would see us as a challenge," she said. Schomburg said the recent police raid on tetraplegic Ben Clifford showed police were not exercising discretion in their handling of medicinal cannabis users. Chris Fowlie had organised J-Day in Auckland for 26 years and said it was like the Big Gay Out for people in the cannabis culture. "It's a day they can not be fearful or paranoid and can enjoy like it's legal for a day." Fowlie said the turn out so far was good, but expected a lot more people later on in the day. J-Day was underway at Albert Park from 12pm on Saturday. Those attending the R18 event were asked to leave pets at home, and to refrain from drinking alcohol in the park. - Stuff |
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