From the Seki (LI75)

At the beginning of 2016, 25 years had passed since 1991, when five people on the Limmat decided to found an association for hemp legalization - I have been a board member since then. August 8 was the 25th anniversary of the first signing of the statutes, and at the end of October it was also a quarter of a century since our founding celebration.

In September 2016, we launched the 10th edition of our Shit happens, in time for the 20th anniversary of our legal aid brochure, which we first produced in 1996. In the same year Fabian had also joined the association and with him I have been active for 20 years, of which we will soon be solely responsible for 15 years.

Sometime in October 2016 I still noticed that this was my 250th month as secretary of our association. We had started in January 1996. And now the 75th issue of our Legalize it! is also before you.

There just seems to be no end to the round numbers…. These anniversaries have kept me very busy. Such a long time. So many different projects, so many people. For me, I celebrated these anniversaries in silence, but we didn't manage a big celebration. It was too tight this year - time-wise, money-wise, just with all the resources.

That's a shame, but it's also an expression of the fact that we're skating on thin ice, that our continued existence has to be secured every month, every quarter.

We have been able to realize many interesting and beautiful projects. I am pleased about that and proud to have lasted a quarter of a century. We have done a lot, tried a lot. But we have not been able to change the reality of the ban, the prosecution, the repression. And there is still no quick solution to this.

What now? Or more concretely: What to do in 2017? We have become more, our association now has around 500 members (again). In addition to the board, we have eight active members, two even very active members. That is more than we have had for years and requires new arrangements, new forms of decision-making, an adjustment of our structures.

We now have to re-bunch some things over the turn of the year 2016/2017, so that we can continue to work on this larger level. More about this on the next two pages. I hope for your support in this.

Hanfig greets your secretary Sven Schendekehl