May. 6, 2004 22:00
TA celebrates Marijuana Day
By MARION FISCHEL
The seventh annual International Marijuana Day, a protest against laws restricting marijuana that is being held in more than 150 countries on May 8, will be marked in Tel Aviv by a picnic and trance party.
The event at Hayarkon Park will feature nine top DJs specializing in reggae, hiphop, trance, dance hall, roots, and ragamuffin music.
Started by the New York organization Cures, Not Wars in 1998, and picked up by Nimrod Kerrett, head of the local Legalize chapter, that same year, the Israeli version is now hosted by a coalition of drug reform organizations.
Meretz MK Roman Bronfman is to speak at the event, which will host short speeches at one hour intervals between changes in DJs. Bronfman is an independent candidate for Democratic Choice, and the issue of marijuana is one of many on his civil agenda, says Dan Goldblatt, former leader of Alei Yarok, the pro-legalization party, and now Bronfman's political adviser. Goldblatt also plans to attend the event.
Legalization of cannabis is not possible because of a UN convention that Israel has signed in aid of the ongoing international war against drug trafficking. Nevertheless, the fight is to recognize the right of hundreds of thousands of Israeli cannabis users, say the event organizers.
The decriminalization of cannabis would wipe out the smuggling of this drug, because users would be allowed to keep one or two plants at home, says Goldblatt.
In addition to receation, marijuana is also used to relieve certain illnesses, in particular the side effects caused by radiation treatment of cancer patients and pain management.
"The most important and pressing issue at the moment," says Goldblatt, "is that of medical marijuana. It is allowed, but due to heavy bureaucracy, people in terrible pain with nausea and vomiting often have a long wait before they are legally entitled to relief."
Members of the public at the event wishing to light up will probably not be disturbed by the police, who traditionally appear to have a non-intervention policy.
While a trance picnic party on Shabbat may appeal to those in their 20s and 30s, older members of the population may find it hard to identify with such an event as an opportunity to create change. Nevertheless, the picnic is only a piece of the picture, and the issue of decriminalization is not expected to go away.
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