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Surry Hills artist Jesse Willesee launches pro-marijuana campaign on social media
"MARIJUANA is not a crime", says Jesse Willesee, who has been attempting to prove his point by being photographed in front of six police stations smoking weed in a brazen daylight stunt.
Willessee, 27, said he was "fed up with feeling like a criminal for something I don't believe should be a criminal act" and posted the images as part of his Marijuana is Not a Crime Facebook campaign launched yesterday.
The self-styled conceptual artist said he launched the campaign to protest the NSW government's recent rejection of marijuana use for medicinal purposes.
The protest has been condemned as juvenile by police.
A NSW Police spokesman said: "The alleged behaviour depicted in the posts is irresponsible and illegal. Anyone who breaks the law can expect to receive a knock at the door by NSW Police."
However, he said he was "not aware of any formal investigation taking place".
Health Minister Jillian Skinner was contacted, but declined to comment.
Is Willesee making a valid point or has he gone too far? Tell us what you think about the campaign below
The son of former Sky News journalist and presenter Terry Willesee garnered national attention last year for his controversial work titled 22 Girls Smoking Weed.
The exhibition, based in Surry Hills, included videos and photos of women smoking the illegal drug and was eventually shut down by police.
While his father said he admires and respects Jesse's "courage in standing up for something he believes in," he said, "I disagree with him on the issue of smoking pot. I see it as unhealthy, non productive, and a cop out for daily users".
"I have seen talented people's careers go sideways because of their pot smoking.
"It may be fun, but it ain't harmless.
"And a campaign such as this should be targeting the lawmakers, not the police who are simply doing their job."
Jesse Willesee engaged newspaper freelance photojournalist Lidia Nikonova to document his protest as he consumed marijuana outside Surry Hills, Bondi, Waverley, Randwick, Glebe and Kings Cross police stations.
He says marijuana had helped treat his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
"I used Ritalin for many years, which worked, but had shocking side effects. I had horrible insomnia and a complete loss of appetite," he said.
"No therapy worked for me. Weed changed that - it changed my life. It not only managed my ADD and ADHD symptoms, helping me to focus and to be productive, but also helped with sleep and obliviously, gave me appetite," he said.
Willesee said he was never stopped or even questioned while smoking marijuana in front of police stations.
"A few officers saw me posing around in front of a female photographer and pointed at me and had a laugh, " Jesse said.
"I couldn't help thinking that in a few days they would see these images and realise what I was up to.
But the Surry Hills resident stressed this was not about raising his middle finger to the police.
"I have no problem with them at all. I have a problem with the laws they are enforcing ... the laws that make me a criminal," he said.
He has spent extensive time in Los Angeles, where medicinal marijuana is legal and "is not looked at like some dirty, junkie drug", which helped to shape his views.
"For me to have this thing that improves my quality of life ... for people to tell me that it is a criminal act, it's frustrating," Willesee said.
"It is upsetting for me, imagine how upsetting it is for people who it helps with seizures or helps with their chemotherapy; it is just inhumane."
The Australian Medical Association recently told the inquiry that while it acknowledged there was benefit for some conditions such as multiple sclerosis, it did not condone the use of cannabis for non-medical purposes as it was a drug that caused a range of health and social harms.
The results of long term medical use were not currently understood and taking the drug could lead to psychosis and depression, he said.
"At this point in time the AMA NSW believes further research should be carried out, given the recognised harmful effects of cannabis, to validate these medical benefits," he said.
Willesee said he hoped his work would spread the word that marijuana should not be a criminal issue.
"You might consider it a moral issue, but I don't think the criminal justice system should be dealing with any of this stuff," he said.
"Say your kid was involved in a hit and run or a violent crime you would probably turn them in ... if you found weed in your kids sock drawer they won't drag you down to the police station.
"I just think all of the hours, money, resources, time of the officers, could be better spent."
Facts on cannabis from the National Cannabis Prevention and Information centre:
● Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia
● Long term effects include increased risk of respiratory disease, decreased memory and learning ability and decreased motivation and concentration.
● There is much concern about the link between cannabis use and mental health problems and the risk of dependence.
● Contact the Cannabis Information and Helpline for more information
With user comments -
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-on-social-media/story-fngr8h22-1226779780877
"MARIJUANA is not a crime", says Jesse Willesee, who has been attempting to prove his point by being photographed in front of six police stations smoking weed in a brazen daylight stunt.
Willessee, 27, said he was "fed up with feeling like a criminal for something I don't believe should be a criminal act" and posted the images as part of his Marijuana is Not a Crime Facebook campaign launched yesterday.
The self-styled conceptual artist said he launched the campaign to protest the NSW government's recent rejection of marijuana use for medicinal purposes.
The protest has been condemned as juvenile by police.
A NSW Police spokesman said: "The alleged behaviour depicted in the posts is irresponsible and illegal. Anyone who breaks the law can expect to receive a knock at the door by NSW Police."
However, he said he was "not aware of any formal investigation taking place".
Health Minister Jillian Skinner was contacted, but declined to comment.
Is Willesee making a valid point or has he gone too far? Tell us what you think about the campaign below
The son of former Sky News journalist and presenter Terry Willesee garnered national attention last year for his controversial work titled 22 Girls Smoking Weed.
The exhibition, based in Surry Hills, included videos and photos of women smoking the illegal drug and was eventually shut down by police.
While his father said he admires and respects Jesse's "courage in standing up for something he believes in," he said, "I disagree with him on the issue of smoking pot. I see it as unhealthy, non productive, and a cop out for daily users".
"I have seen talented people's careers go sideways because of their pot smoking.
"It may be fun, but it ain't harmless.
"And a campaign such as this should be targeting the lawmakers, not the police who are simply doing their job."
Jesse Willesee engaged newspaper freelance photojournalist Lidia Nikonova to document his protest as he consumed marijuana outside Surry Hills, Bondi, Waverley, Randwick, Glebe and Kings Cross police stations.
He says marijuana had helped treat his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
"I used Ritalin for many years, which worked, but had shocking side effects. I had horrible insomnia and a complete loss of appetite," he said.
"No therapy worked for me. Weed changed that - it changed my life. It not only managed my ADD and ADHD symptoms, helping me to focus and to be productive, but also helped with sleep and obliviously, gave me appetite," he said.
Willesee said he was never stopped or even questioned while smoking marijuana in front of police stations.
"A few officers saw me posing around in front of a female photographer and pointed at me and had a laugh, " Jesse said.
"I couldn't help thinking that in a few days they would see these images and realise what I was up to.
But the Surry Hills resident stressed this was not about raising his middle finger to the police.
"I have no problem with them at all. I have a problem with the laws they are enforcing ... the laws that make me a criminal," he said.
He has spent extensive time in Los Angeles, where medicinal marijuana is legal and "is not looked at like some dirty, junkie drug", which helped to shape his views.
"For me to have this thing that improves my quality of life ... for people to tell me that it is a criminal act, it's frustrating," Willesee said.
"It is upsetting for me, imagine how upsetting it is for people who it helps with seizures or helps with their chemotherapy; it is just inhumane."
The Australian Medical Association recently told the inquiry that while it acknowledged there was benefit for some conditions such as multiple sclerosis, it did not condone the use of cannabis for non-medical purposes as it was a drug that caused a range of health and social harms.
The results of long term medical use were not currently understood and taking the drug could lead to psychosis and depression, he said.
"At this point in time the AMA NSW believes further research should be carried out, given the recognised harmful effects of cannabis, to validate these medical benefits," he said.
Willesee said he hoped his work would spread the word that marijuana should not be a criminal issue.
"You might consider it a moral issue, but I don't think the criminal justice system should be dealing with any of this stuff," he said.
"Say your kid was involved in a hit and run or a violent crime you would probably turn them in ... if you found weed in your kids sock drawer they won't drag you down to the police station.
"I just think all of the hours, money, resources, time of the officers, could be better spent."
Facts on cannabis from the National Cannabis Prevention and Information centre:
● Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia
● Long term effects include increased risk of respiratory disease, decreased memory and learning ability and decreased motivation and concentration.
● There is much concern about the link between cannabis use and mental health problems and the risk of dependence.
● Contact the Cannabis Information and Helpline for more information
With user comments -
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-on-social-media/story-fngr8h22-1226779780877
