DOPE PROTEST ROLLS INTO TOWN

Maryjane the Cannabus rolled into Nelson yesterday, and its occupants
had one simple message: "Stop locking our people up."

The Cannabus is on a 42 day tour of 42 New Zealand towns and cities,
promoting cannabis law reform ahead of this year's general election.

National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws member and bus
driver Ken Morgan, also known as "Dakta Green", said the group was
holding protests at 4:20pm every day to complain about cannabis users
being "locked up for being part of the cannabis culture".

A small group of Nelsonians joined NORML members at Anzac Park for a
short protest.

Mr. Morgan said 4:20 was an international code word for cannabis.
"It's also a good time of day to have your first smoke."

He said NORML was not in favour of decriminalising cannabis, as that
would still give the wrong impression that smoking cannabis was wrong.
It was strongly in favour of restricting cannabis so that only those
aged over 18 could smoke it.

Mr. Morgan said the reaction the Cannabus had received from police
throughout the country had been varied.

In Paeroa, the passengers were presented with a "lovely young female
plant" that they dubbed Lady Conan. It took pride of place on the
dashboard until they arrived in Picton, where it was confiscated by
the police.

Mr. Morgan said this was heavy-handed considering that when the bus
was on Parliament grounds on Friday, they were simply asked to remove
the plant from view.

He said the public had been overwhelmingly in favour of their message,
with only a handful of people opposing them.

The Cannabus was in Motueka today.