[Sativa]

AUSTRALIA'S cannabis capital Nimbin, in northern NSW, is celebrating its 34th Mardi Grass festival this weekend under the banner 007-Licenced to Mull.

Police arrested 15 people there yesterday, on day one of the three-day festival that attracts 10,000 tourists each year to the small but lush Northern Rivers town west of Byron Bay.

Ten charges related to possessing prohibited drugs, warrants and unlicensed driving were laid yesterday, as well, six cannabis cautions were issued.

The largest seizures of marijuana were 400g of cannabis and 159 cannabis cookies.

In NSW, the cultivation, selling and possession of cannabis is illegal.

In Nimbin, however, all three activities continue unabated under a high tolerance for cannabis, with the open buying, selling and consumption of the locally grown weed.

"We're here to support the Nimbin community hold this annual event by making it safe for everyone," local area commander Superintendent Bruce Lyons said ahead of today's bong throwing competition.

The main aim of Mardi Grass is to campaign for the legalisation of cannabis, as well as being an important community event.


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Source: The Australian
Author: Paul Carter
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Copyright: 2007 The Australian
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