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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis Demo Goes to Pot Near Cop Base.
Birmingham Mail Sunday 01 Sep 2013 Around 80 people, of all ages and walks of life, descended on Birmingham's Cannon Hill Park – a mere smoke-ring from West Midlands Police training headquarters – to call for the drug to be decriminalised. Organiser Greg Dehoedt, principal of the UK Cannabis Social Clubs, said the peaceful rally was aimed at highlighting awareness of the drug's debated medical benefits. The 25-year-old clothes maker from Worcester also said making the drug legal would help cripple violent gangs which profit from pushing cannabis on the black market. Mr Dehoedt, who uses cannabis to ease the pain from Crohn's diseases, said: “I've tried all sorts of things to control my immune system, yet cannabis is the only that works and keeps me normal. I'd end up bedridden without smoking cannabis. We just want to make pe0pel aware it's not a bad thing. “Smoking cannabis does not lead people to other drugs, it's the dealers on the black market that do that.” Mr Dehoedt said he has held similar events across the country, but only in Birmingham had police threatened to arrest activists. “We've held a couple in London, one in Reading, Exeter, Southampton and even in the Malvern Hills,” he said. “We did a march in Cardiff and 10,000 people attended our event in Hyde Park. “I've not heard any negative comments and no one has said that what we are doing is wrong. “Even those that don't smoke it have said they support us because of the impact the illegality has on the criminal underworld. “A PC said to me if anyone's seen consuming (cannabis) they will search people and arrest them, not even caution them first. He also told me the fine for possession has gone up to £90. “It's the first negative response we've had from any police force in the country. The police in Exeter actually walked us around.” No one from West Midland's Police was available for comment yesterday. Cannabis is a Class B drug alongside amphetamine.
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