First they came for the botanists...

[Gob]

A CONTROVERSIAL proposal to ban many familiar backyard plants and trees, including angel's trumpet and a large number of wattles, has outraged gardeners and nursery owners.

The federal government says the plants should be prohibited because they could be used to make illegal drugs.

Among the species on the blacklist are many common cactuses containing tiny amounts of mescaline, leading some hobbyists to fear they could be charged under drug laws.

"In our cactus clubs probably 50 per cent of our members are 50 or 60 years of age," said April Hamilton, the secretary of the Cactus and Succulent Society of NSW. "We grow these plants because we love them, not because there is some mystical meaning in them. Some of our members are worried that they are going to end up going to jail over this."

The dramatically widened list of controlled plants, contained in a discussion paper issued by the Attorney-General's department, would put widespread species such as the leopard tree and the gossamer wattle in the same category as cannabis and magic mushrooms.

"This is a stupid, broad-brush, knee-jerk piece of legislation made by people who have absolutely no idea of botany and who have done no research into the incredible spectrum of plants that would be affected by it," said Robyn Francis, a permaculture expert and author.

Many of the critics argue the schedule is framed too widely, particularly where it seeks to ban any plant containing Dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, a psychedelic drug used in rituals by some South American tribes.

DMT occurs in small quantities in a vast number of plants, particularly wattles, but it is far from clear which individual species are affected.

"There is not a lot of scientific evidence out there on what plants contain nasties such as DMT," said Anthony Kachenko, the national environmental and technical policy manager at Nursery and Garden Industry Australia.

"If they are wanting us to pinpoint what plants to remove from sale or from gardens or cultivation, we wouldn't know where to start.''

"This is a blanket ban that captures a whole swag of plants commonly grown in nurseries across Australia and also sold in retail outlets. They have gone about it the wrong way without any thought for the ramifications."

A spokeswoman for the Justice Minister, Brendan O'Connor, said claims that plants could be banned or growers prosecuted were "ridiculous".

"However, the Commonwealth's drug laws target people who are involved in the illicit drug trade and that will continue to be the case," she said.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/steps ... 1c0lh.html

[The Hen]

I've just been reading this morning that the floral emblem for South Australia, the Sturt Desert Pea may also find itself on to this list.


Complete load of hysterical botanical bollocks in my opinion.

Some of these plants would require you to have mountains of the raw material to get anywhere close to a high from the plant.

Next they will be banning poppy seeds, nutmeg and bananas.

[Andrew D]

As well they should.

Those plants can be used to make illegal drugs!

As we all know, the patriotic thing is to drink ourselves to death.

[Gob]

Some of us are doing our best...

[Timster]

Well it is "legal" Andrew... As long as one doesn't drive... unless one lives in Texas... ReallY! Who the fuck are they?!!

No seriously. That is some straight up bullshit! No doubt!@

Ps: And that Stuart Pea is a most lovely flower! Can we smoke it? Or do we shoot it? I caught a buzz just admiring its beauty. Is That legal? . . .hmmm

[Gob]

Sturt's Desert Pea has appeared in several releases of Australian postage stamps depicting Australian floral emblems (issued in 1968, 1971 and 2005

So first they push this drug, then they want to ban it!

[loCAtek]

OTOH


"This here's the wattle, the emblem of our land, You can stick it in a bottle, you can hold it in your hand."

[Timster]

Well...wow ...ok Fuck all that too. Bruce's and Shela's, and Republicans also into the mix?

Sorry, but even Monty Python couldn't write this shite. Truth IS stranger than Fiction.

Sack the lot of them I say.

Ps: I thought a "wattle" was that flappy thing under an old bird's chin...

[Gob]

It is

The Red Wattlebird is a large, noisy honeyeater. The common name refers to the fleshy reddish wattle on the side of the neck. The plumage is grey-brown on the body, with prominent white streaks and yellow on the belly. The face is pale and the tail is long with a white-tip. Young Red Wattlebirds are duller than the adult and have a brown, rather than reddish, eye. The wattle is also very small and pale.

[rubato]

This thread would have been a lot better if you had said "First they came for the Horticulturists".


Much better that way.


yrs,
rubato