Cannabis advocates told, ‘stay off the grass’

ADVOCATES for cannabis reform say they have been asked to stay off the grass in the Octagon in Dunedin.

The lower Octagon will be used on Saturday for J Day, described by reform group Norml as an event celebrating New Zealand cannabis culture and protesting against prohibitionera laws.

The upper Octagon lawn would be offlimits because the Dunedin City Council had asked the group to ‘‘stay off the grass’’, a press release from Dunedin Cannabis said. It was to be used by another group, the council said.

Grass in the Octagon was damaged by a twomonth occupation this year by people protesting against Covid19 vaccine mandates.

The turf had to be replaced and the final cost of that, set to be covered by ratepayers, was yet to be confirmed.

J Day in Dunedin would feature music, protest, provision of information and friends reconnecting after Covid19, Dunedin Cannabis said.

‘‘The community can’t wait to get back out into the public and keep pressure on the Government for meaningful action on drug law reform.

‘‘With election year coming, the Dunedin cannabis community hopes that Covid, inflation and identity politics don’t drown out the conversation that 48.4% of the population want to see purposeful change on.’’

A referendum in 2020 showed 48.4% of New Zealanders who voted wanted cannabis legalised.