HEMP Party
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The Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party is an Australian political party which advocates the legalisation of cannabis.
The group was founded in 1993 by Nigel Quinlan, who ran as a candidate under the name Nigel Freemarijuana. In 2001, Freemarijuana's name was assessed by the Australian Electoral Commission as to whether it was suitable to be added to the electoral roll – the Commission found that it was, meaning Freemarijuana could run as an electoral candidate under the name.[1]
HEMP is based in Nimbin, New South Wales, the centre of Australia's cannabis culture. HEMP has unsuccessfully stood candidates in several federal and state elections, but has struggled to maintain the membership and regulatory requirements for party registration in Australia.[2]
In 2007, prior to the 2007 federal election, the group was de-registered as a political party by the Australian Electoral Commission after a random audit of its membership received only seven responses.[3]