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Weeding out a real debate

Alun Buffry

Letters, The Big Issue in Scotland

Thursday 22 Feb 2001

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Parliament's rejection of the important parts of
the Police Foundation's Independent Inquiry into
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 - "Drugs and The Law" (The
Runciman report) comes as no surprise to supporters
of the legalisation of cannabis.

Tony Blair's Government have already dismissed the
House of Lords Report, the suggestions from the BMA
and have refused to hold a Royal commission on the
grounds that they would not listen if it called for
a change in the law. This echoes the refusal to heed
the previous Royal Commission, The Wootton Report of
the late Sixties.

In fact, every major empirical study into the use of
cannabis and its effects has been ignored by
successive UK governments for the last 30 years. That
is because if they accepted the recommendations of
even one of them, they would have to change the law.

The adamant support for a policy of prohibition that
has not only failed but created a social disaster
cannot be without motive, yet clearly that motive is
not connected with any harm cannabis may or may not
do. One should hardly put either safe or dangerous
commodities with such commercial appeal into the
hands of criminals, and one can hardly justify
punishing someone for their own use of a plant.

So what are the real reasons behind this prohibition?
I would happily debate the issue with Jack Straw,
Keith Hellawell or anyone else - in public and on
TV. I imagine that will also be rejected.

Alun Buffry
Prospective Legalise Cannabis Alliance Candidate for
Norwich South

 

 

 

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