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Parliamentary candidate to campaign from his prison cell LCA LCA Press Release Friday 18 May 2001 Chris Baldwin, Legalise Cannabis Alliance candidate for Worthing East & Shoreham, faces a custodial sentence on Monday 21 May when he goes to Lewes Crown Court on a charge of possession with intent to supply seven and a half kilos of herbal cannabis. Chris, 51, has been disabled since the age of 8 and has used cannabis for 32 years. If he is sent to prison on Monday, as he expects, he will be deprived of the one medicine which he finds useful - cannabis. "Cannabis has undeniable medical benefits for many users," says Chris in his election leaflet. "I can speak of this personally. I have spastic legs and when I try to sleep they twitch and jerk about making it impossible. I have had medication from the hospital but the side effects were dreadful. Cannabis calms my legs and allows me to function normally. Many other people who suffer in many ways have claimed relief from cannabis, but this can never been studied properly so long as the plant remains illegal. Instead, we criminalise users." In the latest edition of 'cc:news', the monthly cannabis news bulletin, Chris writes: "A few months ago I was caught with a sports bag full of herbal cannabis. I am now facing a charge of possession with intent to supply 7.5 kilos of cannabis and a probable jail sentence - "Quite right too", you may say... If that is your reaction then this article is written specifically for you - Perhaps, just maybe I can change your mind and maybe I can't, but if you're up for a challenge then please read on... "I have researched The Queen's Award for Enterprise, covering the last 5 years (1996-2000). "In those five years there have been 17 awards for alcohol production and supply and one for the manufacture of cigarettes and packaging machinery. "My point is, alcohol and tobacco are known to cause health problems and kill. In the year 2000 there were an estimated 400,000 deaths attributed to tobacco and 110,000 deaths attributed to alcohol in the USA alone. How many of the above products were exported to the USA? Yet despite the total 510,000 deaths these companies receive awards from the queen. "Before anyone tries to sue me, I'm not saying that these products are alone responsible for these deaths (how could I?) but the fact remains that people are dying from these type of products and the companies that supply them are rewarded for "Enterprise" by the queen. "In the year 2000 how many deaths were attributed to cannabis use in the USA? - NONE. How many deaths have been attributed to cannabis use in the world? - NONE (in any year). "Now while these companies are supplying ship loads of a product that's known to kill, the cannabis I was caught with just about filled a sports bag and it's never been known to kill anyone - So as I've said I'm now facing a probable jail sentence. "After reading this do you still think it's 'Quite right too'? - If you do, then one more question: Do you think these companies deserve The Queen's Award for Enterprise? - If you answer "Yes" to that then I'll just go to prison quietly but I still think that I'm a 'Victim of Society's Hypocrisy'." Notes for Editors: N.B. - The last chance for press interviews will almost certainly be on the morning of Monday 21st May at Lewes Crown Court. Before Monday, Chris can be contacted on 01903 538126. Chris Baldwin@lca-uk.org The full text of Chris Baldwin's letter in cc:news is available from cc:news, PO Box 2700, Lewes BN8 5AQ. Tel 07788 724 852. Website: www.ccnews.org.uk The text of Chris Baldwin's Election Communication is available at: http://www.lca-uk.org/candidates/chris-2001.htm The Legalise Cannabis Alliance is fielding 14 candidates in the general election and 3 in the local elections. Details of all candidates are available at: http://www.lca-uk.org/candidates/ Alun Buffry, Nominating Officer, Tel 01603 442215 Hugh Robertson, Treasurer, Tel 01603 629119
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