Drugs laws have just gone potty: published letter
Source: Evening News, Norwich, UK
Pub Date: Wednesday July 7 2004
Pub LTE: Drugs laws have just gone potty
Author: Alun Buffry, Legalise Cannabis Alliance, http://www.lca-uk.org
Web: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/
Contact: EveningNewsLetters@archant.co.uk
Ref:
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n954/a05.html
I wholeheartedly agree with Karl Minns' column "Drug laws are a
joke but police don't help" (Evening News, 2 July) and must congratulate
him for his bravery in saying what many of us see as obvious: the laws banning
cannabis yet taxing the supply of alcohol is ridiculously hypocritical in this
day and age.
Over the last few weeks, I have read reports of a licensee in Great
Yarmouth losing his liquor license because he allowed cannabis to be used in
his Gallery Bar, a man fined £100 for growing cannabis to ease his pain and
suffering and another jailed for nine months for growing it and sharing it with
some sort of cannabis church members.
All now have criminal records, but where are their victims? As Karl Minns said "no victim, no
crime." The implications of a
criminal record means that they are barred from entering certain
professions or entering certain countries like the US (not that they'd be
advised to go there).
Meanwhile, as was pointed out, many of us are too frightened of drunken
yobs attacking us to venture into our "fine" city in the evenings at
the weekend, some too frightened to go out at all.
The cost of our police force is increasing annually: major political
parties call for more police, more sniffer dogs, more police weapons - to do
what?
Certainly it appears that it is more about controlling people's personal
and private choices than keeping our streets safe.
What would readers prefer: a city full of out-of-control drunks or quiet
houses or even private bars full of peaceful stoners?
How would you like to see police resources used - preventing violence on
the streets or capturing cannabis plants?
Alun Buffry
Legalise Cannabis Alliance
PO Box 198
Norwich