Date: January 18, 2001

Source: Widnes Weekly News (UK)

Author: Simon Drury

Emma takes pot luck in election

STUDENT Emma O'Neil has high hopes of upsetting Widnes's political scene when she stands for a place on the council under the legalise cannabis banner.

Twenty-four-year-old Emma has decided to come clean and admit to the world that she enjoys smoking cannabis.

But she says she's no dope and aims to make a serious political stand when she challenges for a seat in the town's Appleton ward in the May election.

Emma, of Peelhouse Lane, Widnes, is standing as a candidate for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance in the seat currently occupied by Labour trio Stan Broome, Eddie Jones and Ged Philbin.

Multi media student Emma bebelieves it is high time cannabis was legalised and says the drug should be sold openly in special cafes, similar to the system in Amsterdam.

And she claims anti-drug campaigners are wrong when they claim dabbling with cannabis can lead to a dependency on harder drugs.

She told the Weekly News: 'I have been smoking cannabis since I was 16 and it has never done me any harm.

'It is wrong that so many people are regarded as criminals just be-cause they enjoy smoking cannabis recreationally. If the drug were legalised, it would mean young people would not have to come into contact with drug dealers and, so, would be far less likely to move on to other drugs.

'I hope people will vote for me because they would like to see a change in this ridiculous law.

'By standing up to be counted. I have nothing to fear. I want to go to university and I know everyone will now know that I smoke cannabis, but everything will be out in the open and I can never be thought of as a hypocrite.'

Emma also believes cannabis has great medicinal powers and should be legalised so patients suffering from multiple sclerosis can take the drug to ease pain and muscle cramps.

She said: 'I don't think there is any doubt any more that cannabis has dozens of beneficial powers.

'It is time there was a serious debate into the issue of drugs. Alcohol and tobacco cause far more problems than cannabis and are far more addictive.'

But Emma's stance looks certain to attract criticism. A fortnight ago the Weekly News revealed that children in Halton are at the mercy of the biggest rise in drug use in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Shock figures showed the borough had registered more new users than North Liverpool, Bootle, St Helens and the Wirral put together.

But last week the green light was given to a £26,000 cash injection from Cheshire Constabulary to go towards funding a substance misuse worker to liaise between Halton Borough Council and drug and alcohol agencies.

Appleton ward councillor Ged Philbin said: 'I do think that there. is a lot of evidence to prove that cannabis is of medical benefit for some ailments, but at the same time we all have to act within the constraints of the law.

It will make the election very interesting and it will allow us to gauge the level of support for legalising cannabis.'