NORML presents J Day, the international day of cannabis liberation!

Free events (R18) are happening around the country. All events start at high noon and go til about 4:20. Strictly R18 – No alcohol – No dogs – Good times!

Check out our Events Page for more J Day details.

What J Day is about?

J Day is an international celebration of the cannabis culture and protest against prohibition, now happening in over 200 cities around the world, on the first Saturday in May every year.

Most J Day events feature music from supportive bands and DJs, guest speakers, market stalls, cannabis information and activation. But entertainment is not really the point: come to J Day to show your support for sensible drug law reform.

J Day is a positive, happy, celebration.

How you can help

• dress to impress
• don’t bring any alcohol or dogs
• bring placards & signs
• wear your fave pot t shirt or badge
• learn your Civil Rights before you go (see http://norml.org.nz/topic7.html)
• help spread the word
• help us put up posters and distribute fliers
• call gig guides & talkback radio
• help us find food & market stalls
• help us clean up after the event

Thanks to all our helpers, supporters, musicians, stall operators, and our sponsors:

• The Hempstore
• Space V2
• The Daktory
• Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP)

If you thought M*A*S*H* ran for ages, the war on drugs continues at triple the running length with no end in sight. Over 36 years and we’re no closer to a ceasefire from the state than we were in Muldoon’s day. The police continue to wield the Misuse of Drugs Act as a tool of oppression and collateral damage.

What’s a pacifist to do in a war zone? Render aid.

The Compassion Tour kicked off Friday morning. It is on the way to Timaru in support of Peter Davy, a cancer survivor who is facing unjust imprisonment as well as losing the support for his partner who has advanced Multiple Sclerosis. Peter is determined to go on hunger strike if he is imprisoned. It’s the only tool he has left, the tool of the political dissident.

Peter Davy is due to be sentenced at Timaru Court House next week. Dakta Green and a team of volunteers from The Daktory are on their way down to gather people for a candlelight vigil outside Timaru Courthouse next Tuesday 15th, the night before Peter is sentenced on Wednesday 16th.

It would be remiss to avoid Christchurch in its time of need as well. Everyone at The Daktory was speechless the night of the earthquake. Hillary Barry’s staunch and professional marathon frontage on TV3 sunk into us all. Searching for a way for us in Auckland to help those in Christchurch, I contacted a mate working in the Civil Defence Beehive Bunker:

Me: We have a bus and a bunch of volunteers keen to help with ChCh in any way. You looking for any help?
Them: LOL thanks we’ll keep it in mind. Shall I tell the boss that a bunch of stoners wants to help?
Me: Paula Rebstock would approve. Welfare to Work indeed!
Them: Offers of help: emergency.management@dia.govt.nz

There was no way I was contacting the Department of Infernal Affairs. I have an axe to grind with them. And I’m sure no offence was meant by the “bunch of stoners” jibe as well, but this is the same dreary stereotype that really pisses me off (Andrew Sullivan shares this sentiment). We are not all Cheech and Chong idiots incapable of action or organisation. We are a social club stitched right through the fabric of NZ society, as valid as Ratana, Black Seeds and Bro Town.

After many joint conferences in smoke-filled clubrooms, we decided to do what was in our power to provide for the people of Christchurch; medicine and humanitarian supplies.

Assorted survival supplies have been donated by our hundreds of Daktory members including cash, blankets, cans, baby supplies, water, chemical toilets and gas stoves. These will be handed over to the Christchurch Mayoral Fund.

The Compassion Tour will also be helping salve the psychic injuries and chronic medical conditions of the Christchurch residents who can’t or won’t leave their quake ravaged city. The team will be handing out donated medicinal cannabis supplies at Switched On Gardener Linwood on Monday. Here’s a few photos of the Daktory members preparing the rescue kits:

We wish the Compassion Tour all the best on their trip, and the very best of outcomes for Peter Davy and Christchurch.

Cross posted from here.

A by-election will be held on November 20 in Mana electorate. Maryjane represented at the TVNZ7 Back Benchers by-election special.

Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party candidate Julian Crawford launched his campaign with an appearance on the Dakta Green hour and later on Back Benchers.

Despite mechanical breakdowns we commenced our tour on time at 11am August 11th 2010 at Cape Reinga. There is no mobile internet or phone access at Cape Reinga so we were unable to broadcast live via the internet but we did record the 11am statement. Here is the raw footage.

Recently, Cannabis Culture announced a worldwide rally to support the Canadian Prince of Pot, Marc Emery, who is being extradited by the Canadian government to the US. We have decided to show our support for him this weekend outside the American Embassy in Auckland.

Dakta Green will be taking down Mary Jane the Cannabis in support.

The rally will also be held in support of those who have been caught in Operation Lime, or the Lime Raids as some are calling it. The media used this operation to water down the coverage of thousands on J Day who smoked openly, which included 300 smokers marching to Parliament, lead by Dakta Green.

The Auckland Rally will be held at:
2pm Outside the American Embassy
(Citigroup Centre, between Esquires and NZ Post)
23 Customs St. East
Auckland CBD

We also have a Facebook event going for this, if you need to update your social calendar.

A small clip from early in the day at J Day Wellington NZ before we marched on Parliament.

Tomorrow, May 1st, is the biggest day in New Zealand Cannabis culture, where smokers from around the country and other parts of the world, come together for one hell of a session.

There are now also planned protest marches for all those who would like to show their support for the Switched on Gardener, and others who have been effected in operation lime.

Wondering where the closest J Day to you is?

The weather last year didn’t treat us as well as we could have hoped, but here is what the Metservices says we should expect, which is sadly not all good :/

• Auckland – Few showers, fine spells. Fresh southwest winds.
• Hamilton – Few showers and fine spells. Fresh southwesterlies.
• Palmerston North – Showers clearing afternoon. Winds tending southeast.
• Wellington – Showers, risk hail. Fresh cool southerly winds.
• Christchurch – Cloudy and showery. Keen cold southwesterlies.
• Dunedin – Showers easing. Cold southwesterlies easing.

Hope to see you all their, let’s make some noise and end prohibition!

by Redeye101

Maryjane the Cannabus and the intrepid trio of Dakta Green, Dakta Baza and Dakta T make a whistlestop at iconic Heartland venue Taumarunui tomorrow (Tuesday April 20) in the latest leg of their Armistice Tour.

The intrepid Daktivist trio are raising awareness that everyday Kiwis can have their say on cannabis law reform by making submissions to the Law Commission by April 30.

They are drawing strong support from rural New Zealanders as he spreads awareness of drug law changes and the right of ordinary people to have their say. The trio raised 420 submissions at Paeroa, Thames, Waihi, Tauranga, Te Puke and Rotorua and have also marshalled community support for his ethos of “live like it’s legal”.

Today’s results are not yet available.

Prominent and respected cannbabis law reform campaigner Dakta Green is on the road gathering Law Commission submissions so tour venues and precise times are very much a work in progress.

Maryjane will park in a central Taumarunui venue and the Daktivists will speak to local people about having their say on the current drug law revamp.

Dakta Green is encouraging submissions to the Law Commission before the April 30 deadline and will personally deliver them to the Commission offices in Wellington.

His two-week cannabis law reform is already off to a triumphant start, with early interest from rural people.

“Every day we park up and talk to people about what they can personally do to help change New Zealand’s unjust drug laws that are tearing apart Kiwi families,” said Dakta Green.

“It’s time for a change, and we have a golden opportunity for ordinary New Zealanders to have their say on updating our cannabis laws. We’re calling for commonsense, justice and compassion.”

For interviews and more information; Please contact Dakta Green directly on the Cannabus hotline – text only – 021 213 6646