anyone willing to do on-camera interview about ayahuasca?

[Bread Filter]

One consolation is that it is on Monday and not Sunday night at least.

[Ethos]

Is it Wanjina gardens that is shown in the ad?

if so Therefore has a very good point.

I originally joined this forum to find out about psychedelic drugs, but to my surprise I became even more interested in learning about these plants called entheogens and how they were used for thousands of years amongst cultures around the world.

My respect for these plants had grown so much that I would choose to research and learn about these plants rather then actually consume them, I believe by having things like this forum it actually makes it harder for people to gain information from here as most members wont reply to a neewb asking for ayuwaski, and if they do it is usually telling them to read the rules.

Since then I have gained a couple of friends, met a couple of members face-to-face, asked for advice, offered advice and have seriously learned a lot from the people here and will be very saddened if a butt-load of negative attention is generated as a result of the today tonight story.

Edited August 5, 2012 by Ethos

[space cadet swami]

The problem is, once it goes to air, whether it's factual or not, it's too late after the fact.

It needs to be stopped before it goes to air.

People have pre-conceived ideas regarding drugs & it's "too late to shut the gate once the horse has bolted"...as the saying goes.

It's not about whether it's true or not...it's all about perception.

Here comes the propaganda machine, whether we like it or not..

Thank you channel 7 for fucking up an excellent community of brothers & sisters.

[tronica]

While all this has been going on, I was looking at new alerts for journal articles and saw this one:

Harris, R., & Gurel, L. (2012). A Study of Ayahuasca Use in North America. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 44(3), 209-215.

Abstract Eighty-one subjects who used ayahuasca at least once in North America answered a lengthy set of open-ended questions and completed the 81-item After the Spiritual Experience Questionnaire. An additional 50 ayahuasca users were interviewed in person. The data for this study represent ayahuasca experience based on more than 2,267 ceremonies. A comparison group of 46 people attending a Catholic spiritual retreat weekend also completed the After the Spiritual Experience Questionnaire. A factor analysis of this questionnaire yielded three factors: Joy in Life, Relationship to the Sacred and Toxic Feelings. Although the ayahuasca users had significantly higher scores on the first two factors, the two groups had modest mean differences indicating a similar response to two very different spiritual experiences. This key finding strongly supports the view that ayahuasca users are engaged in an authentic process as spiritual in nature as that of the retreatants. The qualitative data revealed that ayahuasca users reduced their alcohol intake, ate healthier diets, enjoyed improved mood and greater self-acceptance and felt more loving and compassionate in their relationships. Seventy-four percent of the ayahuasca users said they had a relationship with and received ongoing guidance and support from the spirit of ayahuasca.

If only this was the story destined for prime time TV tomorrow night...

[glimpse]

I hope theres a day in the future when I am old and grey, and I am sitting in circle with my grown-up kids and their grown-up kids and I can tell the tale from before 'the great enlightenment' when the corporations evil media propoganda machine attacked a little defenceless community of enlightened people and the great-grandkids will roll their eyes at another one of funny ol' grandpas stories of the old days when "plants" were illegal...."as if grandpa", they would say "why would sacred plants that help us to connect to our divine energy ever be outlawed grandpa, ya silly old duffer!!!

[Stillman]

..but why the cactus. Now I have visions of my yard being raided in the middle of the night by teenagers wildly stumping my favourite ornamentals.

[solomon]

Wow, just saw the ad for this in the other thread.

So over the top, i didn't expect it to be that bad.. fucken media stirring, wish they would use their brains and not just go just churn out sensationalist garbage.

hope this isn't the shape of things to come.

[whitewind]

^^ We might just have to learn how to wield a keyboard and start writing lots I reckon. We all need to stick together, if the pollies get hold of it we might have to start making petitions and try and get GetUp back on board. I don't think they will make a hatchet job on SAB personally, just attack "freely available drugs".

I do wonder whether Channel 7 are in cahoots with some pollie wanting to make a name for him/herself by being "tough on drugs".

[whitewind]

Best thing to do is keep calm, keep informed and get your pen ready.

[TheExplorer]

This is the sort of high-quality journalism we are dealing with: http://www.mediaspy.org/2010/09/29/sevens-duffy-suing-media-watch-for-defamation/ .

[Torsten]

I have reminded the reporter that he had no permission to record on our property and that because the plants are all legal he can't use the 'public interest' exemption. I've also informed him that he broadcast footage of a private residence from within the property boundary. I am pretty sure both of these are illegal. I also told him what I thought of his journalism - based purely on the promo.

I am tossing up whether it is better to have a really busy day on monday to try and get an injunction or whether I should just let it play out and then sue them and get a restraining order. As I am in no shape to drive yet I might have to opt for the latter, but will discuss with solicitor in the morning.

[apothecary]

Dear Seven West Media,

I'd give a shit if it wasn't so apparent to everyone how irrelevant and un-watched your "programming" is, judging by the ongoing de-rating of your companies common stock to the value of -62% in less than 6 months.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

[Torsten]

 

wow, now I almost feel sorry for them. LOL. It's a pretty good indication that no one watches 7 news and that this is probably the least problematic network to have picked up this 'story'.

[DarkSpark]

I have reminded the reporter that he had no permission to record on our property and that because the plants are all legal he can't use the 'public interest' exemption. I've also informed him that he broadcast footage of a private residence from within the property boundary. I am pretty sure both of these are illegal. I also told him what I thought of his journalism - based purely on the promo. I am tossing up whether it is better to have a really busy day on monday to try and get an injunction or whether I should just let it play out and then sue them and get a restraining order. As I am in no shape to drive yet I might have to opt for the latter, but will discuss with solicitor in the morning.

As wa stated above once the message is out there it is too late. Odds are you wouldn't be able to get the injunction in time though ? oh well a law suit could help you fund the finishing of the greenhouses and whatnot around the nursery

Dear Seven West Media, I'd give a shit if it wasn't so apparent to everyone how irrelevant and un-watched your "programming" is, judging by the ongoing de-rating of your companies common stock to the value of -62% in less than 6 months. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Funny thing is that they advertise how they have 19 of the 20 most popular tv shows and all that jazz. I look forward to this story with my notepad prepared to take notes and laugh at it all. Maybe even see some familiar faces / sights ?

Just watched the ad and smiled. the whole flashing from plant to plant is very fancy looking. I am noticing already that there are an increase in the searches for the terms listed in that ad now. Like my site is getting hits for things that it never did before the term "plants with drugs" and so forth. All i know is that typically the people that come in from "those searches" are not the clients that i really want, but the other good thing is that they are typically not green thumbs so they can kill the plants and buy more and repeat as many times as they like.

edit: and T, now the question i have is how log till the other networks jump on the bandwagon ?

Edited August 5, 2012 by DarkSpark

[goneski]

if I can locate the tv antenna port in my new house, I'll record it with my capture card.

Should be both hilarious and scary.

[Yeti101]

I wonder if they will tell us whose website was featured in the ad? (Don't answer if you know, please!)

I guess it had to happen eventually. And it's a pity it is this sort of journalism and on Ch 7. On the other hand, it is the perfect timing for everyone to be otherwise occupied with the Olympics. I'm also hoping that any politicians are too risk-averse to seriously take this on at the moment.

It would be good to have some contingencies in place though.

[whitewind]

"So why is this drug being sold in Australia"?

It's not. Plants are being sold. I take it they didn't do a story on why the opiate containing lettuce can be found in every supermarket, why Bunnings sells dodgy cacti and why Torsten has such a fascination with the psychotropic Valerian and Rosemary which can be bought in every pharmacist in the country?

Why don't channel 7 do a shock story on how the global pharmaceutical corporations control herb trade, and how all drug legislation in Australia is created by people who don't want the individual to be able to self-medicate?

This story is so far away from the real news I am shocked and disappointed that they even bothered to look at it, maybe it does have something to do with ratings?

If channel 7 had any ounce of integrity they would run a story on the persecuted people who need to use marijuana to dull the pain of chronic disease, including cancer, and if they had bothered to research these forums carefully they would clearly see the responsible attitude of the people who grow and use these plants for healing purposes, spiritual and otherwise.

They are slandering all of us by creating a shock news story that is so completely out of proportion to the reality it makes me question the veracity of any "news" report they make.

I really do hope they give Torsten the opportunity to sue.

[Anodyne]

I am in two minds as to whether there is any point in getting on the 7 website much to respond to the fallout. yes, some well placed facts would be good, but having lots of people go there just seems to legitimise 7 as an actual news source. I just can't take them serious.

 

Please please please can everyone calm down. THIS GUY IS TROLLING YOU! Seven is a sensationalist station, they are just trying to provoke a response - they really don't care who it comes from. If this story gains momentum & the attention of TGA/law enforcement/real journalists, then that would be the time to get involved. In the meantime, any response made to this kind of story (well, the kind of story we're all assuming it will be - have to wait and see how it actually goes) will not only legitimise them as a news source, but also lend weight to their claims, i.e. "after this story was released, we received hundreds of responses from dirty hippies who are clearly involved in trying to sell our children drugs". There is pretty much no response that you can make to these sorts of people that won't be used by someone as ammo to support their anti-drug message. Reasonable arguments are wasted on Channel 7 - save them for the time when this story gets picked up by a reasonable network.

Just treat this story as you would any other trolling attempt. Don't give them any more fuel.

[Bread Filter]

Wouldn't it be better if this was all in the one thread?

[Yeti101]

That's why I wasn't focusing on the poll thread.

[Torsten]

Case law indicates that injunctions are rarely granted and unlikely in this case. However, there are steps that can be taken to make sure that the network is aware of the likelihood of future proceedings. My barrister is sorting this out now.

I have been advised that the footage they have taken is most likely illegal. Will know more in an hour.

[myco]

Just posted this in the other thread thought I'd repost here incase no ones using the other thread anymore

Just my 2 cents

My real worry with this whole thing is

For one thier big headline at the start of the promo

" IT'S LIKE THE DRUG LSD "

Clearly they plan on making everything look bad

First we have them trying to bring in laws on banning alot of the plants we all know and love

Now we have the media jumping on the band wagon and trying to expose these " DRUGS "

As they call them

I worry it's only a matter of time before more of the media start pumping this bullshit out

And the bannings begin to come up again and possibly go alot further than wat they had before

It's easily possible when you think about the complete blanket banning on RC's

Simply because of effects they can cause

Now they are comparing cacti to LSD

It wouldn't surprise me if they say well it gives the effects of a banned drug so it will now be banned to

I will do watever is possible to help fight against these kinds of laws coming in if they decide to go to that extent

But I worry that unfortunately we don't have the power needed to do any real good in stopping any kind of bannings

[gtarman]

Good point Anodyne (re: channel 7 is a troll), I hadn't thought about it that way...perhaps we are jumping the gun a bit here.

In this light, I'd say it's probably best to avoid any direct contact or feedback with Channel 7 (ie no commenting on their website or complaints).

I also agree it would be wise to wait and see the initial reaction and fallout (if any) before doing anything. Best case (and probably most likely) scenario, the @#!*% get sued and their "big story" is forgotten after a day. If the wrong people see it and start kicking up a fuss, we can always cross that bridge when we come to it.

[apothecary]

Now we have the media jumping on the band wagon and trying to expose these " DRUGS "

As they call them

It was bound to happen sooner or later, so there's no point getting in a huff over it. The only surprise to my mind is that it took so long.

These guys are simply seeking another "them vs us" frameup because all their usual crap has been re-hashed and played out a million times. If we want society to become more accepting of this topic at least to the point of sensible debate, we have to accept beatups like this will come and it's on us to work through it.

As a community we don't want kids going out and doing Aya irresponsibly either. We don't want people to buy plants from SAB just to substitute their Friday night trip to the pub without having done the appropriate research and due diligence. These are valid points which we were claiming before anyone else and we shouldn't let them get lost in our instinct to defend.

Frankly, if a piece of puff journalism can knock us off our stand then we have a lot of work to do anyway. But the point is that it can't. Our position is the stronger, we were here befoe TT was doing plant-head beatups and we will still be here long after some Korean megacorp absorbs the (again) failed Seven media for pennies on the dollar.

[qualia]

i wonder if the channel seven newsroom has a white board with a list titled "things we haven't had banned yet".