reprinted from NORML NZ Forums - Posted by potshots

Here's the ODT J Day LTE. It was published but I'm not sure when or if it was abridged:
Submitted 16th May 2001
On May 1st, the Otago Daily Times sported a special wrap-around to celebrate the 125th birthday of the Speight’s brewery, complete with a coupon for a free sample of the sponsor’s product. This promotion was later reported to have been a great success (3.05.01). Ironically, adjacent to the latter article was the obligatory warning from the police to pro-cannabis law-reform J-Dayers that cannabis smokers risked arrest because "unfortunately for these people, cannabis is still illegal".
Then on Saturday May 5th just after 2pm, those present in the Octagon were able to compare the decorum of the J-Day protest with the debauchery of the student capping parade. Any whiffs of cannabis smoke were quickly overwhelmed by the stench of stale beer, and the civilised celebrations of the cannabis ‘criminals’ were temporarily upstaged by the riotous drunken excesses of the paraders.
At least the editorial Hemp on trial (7.5.01) showed that cannabis law-reform is making some progress. Unfortunately, however, the ODT still advocates the "humane and intelligent policy" of education (sic), drug testing, community surveillance and strict law enforcement, outlined in its editorial response to J-Day 2000 (11.5.00), as the ‘solution’ for cannabis use. Unwittingly that editorial did contain the solution to all drug abuse, of which alcohol abuse is currently the worst problem: Drug abusers should "be held accountable for their actions and offered treatment to help change destructive behaviour". Only then will good citizens be safe from the boorish behaviour of those abusing a legal drug, and only then will good citizens be safe from the tyranny of an Establishment that still cannot accept any use of cannabis.