Cannabis campaigners roll up to Nimbin's MardiGrass Festival, seeking relaxation of laws

The MardiGrass Festival has been attracting visitors to Nimbin since 1993. (ABC North Coast: Bruce MacKenzie)

There is always something in the air around Nimbin during the annual MardiGrass Festival, but this year it's combined with a sense of optimism.

The president of the village's Hemp Embassy said after 30 years of campaigning for drug-law reform, the time was right for meaningful change.

"There's quite a bit of excitement in the air," said Michael Balderstone who, true to his name, is both bald and often stoned.

"I think our little lobby thing, cannabis law reform, has got to the top of the pile.

"You know the law hasn't really changed, but a lot of people have got legal medical weed now like I have."

 Michael Balderstone says people are excited cannabis law reform is on the agenda. (ABC North Coast: Bruce MacKenzie)

Voice in the house

The responsibility for that change will sit largely on the shoulders of Jeremy Buckingham, recently elected to the NSW upper house on the Legalise Cannabis Party ticket.

"It's a single voice but it's a very powerful voice because the movement to legalise cannabis is big and growing," he said.

"It's going to be there day-in day-out pushing the case in person to the most powerful decision makers in the state."

Legalise Cannabis MLC Jeremy Buckingham at the Nimbin MardiGrass. (ABC North Coast: Bruce MacKenzie:)

Mr Buckingham said changing drug-driving laws to recognise impairment, rather than just the presence of cannabis in saliva, would be a top priority.

"It's important that we have safe roads, and I understand the motivation for the police in having their roadside drug testing regime," he said.

"But the key thing is: Is it actually making our roads safer, is it a waste of money and is it an overreaction?

"I want to push, as they are in Victoria, for a trial of medicinal cannabis patients who are legally prescribed cannabis to see if they are over represented as a cohort in driving crashes."

Police blitz

The Acting Commander of the Richmond Police District, Guy Flaherty, said people driving to and from Nimbin over the MardiGrass weekend could expect to be drug tested.

There were a number of roadside drug-testing sites set up around Nimbin during MardiGrass. (ABC North Coast: Bruce MacKenzie)

"It's no secret that we will have extra police up in the area to make the area safe, to ensure that there is compliance and safety for the greater community," he said.

"There will be a proactive road-policing operation in relation to drug and alcohol driving."

Mr Balderstone said MardiGrass organisers had a team of volunteers, dubbed "doober drivers", to ferry people to and from the festival.  

"We've got quite a few of those drivers," he said.

"It's good to know not everyone in Nimbin is a stoner."