Get involved in this historic opportunity for
legal recreational cannabis!

Drop them a comment (feel free to borrow from our suggested talking points below) telling them why you want to see cannabis finally legalised.

Find your MP's Parliamentary Office email

Your email can outline why you support the Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023, and any personal reasons you have to legalise it.

Email Tips:

• Keep it short and sweet. 
• You don’t need to be an expert to email your MP. You just need to be positive and speak from the heart. 
• Remember to include your name and number and let them know you are a genuine constituent.

Find your MP's Parliamentary Office telephone number 

You can use any of the above talking points, or, you can use our suggested script below. It’ll only take a minute!

Tips for your call:

• Again, you don’t need to be an expert to call your MP. You just need to be positive and speak from the heart. 
• Remember your MP might not be available. You might speak to a staffer or have to leave a message. 
• Remember to leave your name and number and let them know you are a constituent.

Hello, my name is [name].

I am calling you to ask you to support the Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023 when it comes to parliament later this year.

No one benefits from the endless war on cannabis. I am asking you to vote for a national, regulated legal cannabis industry. 

Cannabis is consumed each year by millions of Australians. [If you’re comfortable disclosing your/your family’s/your friend’s use, this is your chance.] I encourage you to stop thinking of people who want to consume a plant as criminals.

This bill is a chance for you to show you really listen to your constituents, that you’re willing to work across traditional divides to act in everyone’s interest. 

We all know it’s not a matter of if cannabis is legalised in this country, it’s a matter of when. I encourage [MP’s name] to vote alongside millions of Australians just like me who want to finally legalise it.

I encourage [MP’s name] to listen to the evidence and vote for this important change! 

If your friends and family are a little more… high and mighty, consider this challenge mode.

Here are our best tips on having dope conversations ➡️

Stay positive, calm, curious and respectful.

Believe you can succeed. This is especially important if you’ve had difficult conversations with them about the need to legalise cannabis in the past. 

If you see the other person as your enemy — you’re right and they’re wrong — you make it difficult to share ideas. No one wants to feel ignorant or defeated.

Without empathy and compassion for them and their point of view, it’s going to be hard for them to lower their defences and really hear and consider what you’re trying to say. 

Ironically we’d all probably find this part a lot easier if we could share some gummies while we had this conversation!

Know your audience.

Who is this person? What are their goals, interests, and concerns? How do they perceive you (and cannabis)? 

Adapt your approach and language to match their needs and expectations, and avoid potential misunderstandings or conflicts. 

If your dad is pissed about the Stage 3 tax cuts, he’s probably going to like to hear about the $28 billion of public revenue legalising cannabis will bring in. Your clubbing friends, however, might be more persuaded by the possibility of switching to a cheeky brownie on a quiet Friday night in a legal cannabis cafe, or the price of retail cannabis halving once we legalise it, because of cozzie livs.

Have the conversation.

Don’t spend your time just waiting for the other person to stop talking so you can say what you want to say next.

Stay curious, and don’t assume bad intent. They could surprise you! 

Be ready to adapt your approach based on what they are telling you verbally and non-verbally. Are they following what you’re saying or do they seem confused? What is their body language and tone of voice telling you? Are they giving THC or CBD?

Build rapport and trust.

This is a joint conversation, and you can’t persuade someone if they don’t trust you or if they’re not willing to listen to you. 

Keep your emotions in check and be genuinely curious about their opinions on the bill. Acknowledge and respect their opinions, even if you don’t agree with them. 

You also need to demonstrate your credibility and competence. Be ready to answer their questions about the bill (our FAQ here). Share your experiences with cannabis, whether it’s your own or someone else's. Acknowledge your limitations or weaknesses and be willing to follow up with them if they ask you a question you’re not sure about. 

Address objections and concerns.

This can be the toughest part of the conversation. Anticipate the reasons someone may disagree with you, doubt you or the benefits of the federal model, or reject the proposed bill. 

You can try brainstorming a list of questions from the other person as well as your best answers beforehand. Make sure you listen actively and ask open-ended questions during the conversation. Think of them as a budding supporter. 

Avoid arguing with them or criticising them. Clarify any misunderstandings and focus on providing counter arguments or alternative perspectives. Use examples and highlight the benefits or consequences of the bill (see our suggested talking points above!).

Reflect.

You can’t expect to persuade someone completely in one conversation. If you can rotate the blunt even partly, then that’s a win — that’s progress.

As soon after the conversation as possible, reflect on it. Maybe take some notes on the discussion you had. Were you successful in persuading them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Then, plan out the next conversation you could have with them.