Possible activist idea ...

[JimmyPage]

One for non-smokers, smokers, growers alike.

1) Pick a charity for a month. I propose the MS Society to start with (vested interest)

2) Knock up a viral marketing campaign - 30 seconds on YouTube is priceless

3) Encourage people (smokers and non-smokers) to donate £1 to charity in that month

4) wait for charity to announce jump in donations of x%.

5) Stick it to the Daily Mail

6) Goto 1 (suggest cancer charities, and ones that might benefit from legal cannabis)

of course the trick is in (2). But "A pound against prohibition" could almost be it's own slogan.

I'll get my coat

Edited October 3, 2008 by JimmyPage

[Guest roger]

how about sticking a pool at the top of this, to guage opinions?

[Hostile]

Well you've got my vote. I'm all for donations and viral marketing.

[Guest]

Great idea Jimmy, If Joolz and the team were to send a link to the Your Tube page to all the 28,572 members here asking the to send it on to all their addy book contacts I'm sure it would explode big style.

A pound against prohibition,

Great tag line

Scroggy

Edited October 6, 2008 by scroggy

[O.G.]

Great idea Jimmy, If Joolz and the team were to send a link to the Your Tube page to the 28,572 members here asking the to send it on to everyboddy in their addy book I'm sure it would explode big style.

A pound against prohibition,

Great tag line

Scroggy

Would'nt work that way mate,I don't think I've ever looked at my email address since I opened it and TBH its probably defunct now anyway.

The basic idea is'nt too bad,just needs working on?

[JimmyPage]

Been thinking about this in a bit more detail.

Overall it could cost anyone who wanted to support it £12/year.

The list of charities could be drawn up in one hit - and therefore publicised up to a year in advance.

It would be the charities who would be contacted by the press in the first instance - at the end of the day, whatever their political leanings, they can't really turn around and say "don't donate to us because you support cannabis legalisation". And I can just see some news footage of a little old lady saying "well I may not agree with drugs, but it's thanks to those people I have my new blanket" (with the subtext being the government is crap).

Above all though, it's a safe way for people who want to do something, but aren't able to (got a grow on ?), to make a mark. And as far as I can tell, it can only generate positve publicity - anyone who disagrees would run the risk of appearing to be anti-charity. I suspect even our Mel dare not print one of her ignorant rantings headed "DON'T GIVE TO CHARITY - LET THEM STARVE" .........

[RollItRight08]

Been thinking about this in a bit more detail.

Overall it could cost anyone who wanted to support it £12/year.

The list of charities could be drawn up in one hit - and therefore publicised up to a year in advance.

It would be the charities who would be contacted by the press in the first instance - at the end of the day, whatever their political leanings, they can't really turn around and say "don't donate to us because you support cannabis legalisation". And I can just see some news footage of a little old lady saying "well I may not agree with drugs, but it's thanks to those people I have my new blanket" (with the subtext being the government is crap).

Above all though, it's a safe way for people who want to do something, but aren't able to (got a grow on ?), to make a mark. And as far as I can tell, it can only generate positve publicity - anyone who disagrees would run the risk of appearing to be anti-charity. I suspect even our Mel dare not print one of her ignorant rantings headed "DON'T GIVE TO CHARITY - LET THEM STARVE" .........

thanks for putting it that way - it sounds more achievable than the original post, so it may have just been the way I was reading it! Sounds like a plan - I'm all for it!

[smokey_hotbox]

sounds good

[Guest nigfis]

Well, I can't say I understand the in's and out's of viral marketing but it sounds a good idea to me.

Oddly enough, back in the early days of CB radio, before that was legalised, we used to do a similar thing. Hold big meetimgs and collecting (lots of) money from all kinds of activities and donating to local charities. It really did change people's perception of CB'ers and helped charities at the same time.

I'd do this JP, and gladly.

[JimmyPage]

here's an off the wall idea ...

suppose enough support could be raised to pay for a wing in a hospice/childrens hospital, on the proviso it be called the "Legalise Cannabis wing" ?

I wonder if there is anyone with the balls to go on TV and say "we'd love to help the children, but we don't like the name" ?

[Guest roger]

Maybe it could be like comic relief, or rag week?

eta: is adding www.nacro.org.uk to the list an idea?

Edited October 8, 2008 by roger

[sittingrelaxing]

something about the idea of trying to gain publicity through giving to a charity,makes me feel uncomfortable and uncharitable....

[Guest roger]

It could be altruistic support for charities that deal with the effects of prohibition as we see them - there is nothing saying that it would have to be publicity seeking. Maybe asking the members of any new group if they wanted to make a donation to a fund for that purpose would be a way to go.

[sittingrelaxing]

i can see what you mean rog, something about it jsut dont seem right,that's just me though.

[JimmyPage]

something about the idea of trying to gain publicity through giving to a charity,makes me feel uncomfortable and uncharitable....

Unfortunately, the powers that be have no such qualms about sending people to prison and ruining lives and families in pursuit of their prohibitionist failure.