Cannabis cafe bid for HULL city centre (UK)

CANNABIS CAFE BID FOR CITY CENTRE

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Source: Hull Daily Mail, UK

Pub Date: Tuesday, 30 April 2002

CANNABIS CAFE BID FOR CITY CENTRE

Hull: A city market trader hopes to put the city on the map as only the third place in the country to have its own cannabis cafe.

Carl Wagner, who runs the Divine Herb stall in the city's indoor market, hopes to open the venue in February next year to cater for people who want to buy cannabis without going to a dealer.

He says he has a number of investors willing to back the project and already has an address in High Street earmarked.

Mr Wagner says he will go ahead with the venture irrespective of any opposition. But he is calling for a meeting with Humberside Police and Kingston upon Hull City Council to try to reach a "sensible agreement".

He said: "The idea is to open a cafe where registered medical patients can come and take cannabis in a comfortable environment. The focus will be on medical use.

"I am inundated with inquiries from people with multiple sclerosis and arthritis who want to know where they can get cannabis without having to go to street dealers.

"We need to take this out of the hands of criminals so people are guaranteed a good quality product."

Mr Wagner's outlet would also sell food and coffee.

Cannabis cafes have previously been opened in Bournemouth and Stockport.

Mr Wagner is also calling for a radical rethink of the Government's policy on illegal drugs.

One 36-year-old Hull woman, who did not want to be identified, uses cannabis to relieve pain caused by spondylosis and supports the proposed cafe.

She said: "I've been prescribed morphine but the after-effects are terrible.

"I've been using cannabis for years now. It helps me to sleep and I don't have side effects. I think the cafe is a good idea."

The Government has to reclassified cannabis, but has so far resisted calls to legalise the substance.

Mr Wagner is one of the organisers behind a legalise cannabis march called Free The Medicine, due to take place on Sunday.

The march will assemble in Queen's Gardens at 1pm to Pearson Park.