Floodlight

Australia has one of the highest rates of Cannabis use in the world, and has recently opened up medicinal, industrial and commercial avenues for production and medicinal consumption. Cannabis is increasingly being accepted for its healing properties, and research continues to reinforce is the minimal nature of its harm; especially when compared with alcohol, tobacco and many prescription pharmaceuticals. However, strong stigmas surround those who use cannabis, alienating and categorising them while also paradoxically encouraging use of more harmful substances. We will deconstruct those stigmas, tracing the path that Dr Towpik took from reinforcing the stigma to educating to remove it.“About a year ago I used to hold very, very biased and limited views on cannabis,” she said, describing herself as almost “brainwashed” by prevailing attitudes to the subject.She thought it was dangerous and addictive and in her mind equivalent to heroin. But when she started to investigate more closely, her views changed.“I star