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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Progress Report - Oct 2001 Alun Buffry LCA Thursday 01 Nov 2001 ACTIVITIES Manifestos were sent to more MPs. PRESS and LETTERS During October 2001: Candis Magazine debate "You the Jury" pitted Alun Buffry against Peter Stoker and was followed by an on-line and telephone vote (which runs until November 5) - for text and details see http://www.buffry.connectfree.co.uk/candis.htm 16th October, Oxford Union debate on legalisation. The motion was proposed by Jenny Twite of St Anne's College and opposed by Fraser Campbell of Pembroke College. Speakers for the motion: "This house would legalise cannabis" were Peter Lilley MP, Alun Buffry (LCA), Jon Owen Jones MP and Professor of Pharmacology Leslie Iversen author of 'The Science of Marijuana'. Speaking against the motion were Dr George Rae (BMA), Dr Tom Stuttaford (ex MP and ex GP and now a Times columnist), Kevin Saahet of Lady Margaret Hall and Peter Hitchens (a right-wing journalist for the Mail on Sunday). Commander Brian Paddick who took a neutral position and related of his experience during the Lambeth experiment. After an enjoyable debate with some verbal abuse from Dr Stuttaford and particularly Mr Hitchens, the motion was CARRIED by approx 193 to 125. A major success. October 23: after Home Secretary David Blunkett's proposal to reclassify cannabis as a Class C drug during his oral evidence at the Home Affairs Committee enquiry into Government drugs policy, LCA HQ and individual candidates were inundated with calls from the press. These included BBC 6 O'Clock News, BBC News On-Line, Channel 4 News, Cactus TV in London, The Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Western Daily Press in Bristol, the London News Network, Radio Cambridge, The Manchester Metro and the Evening News of Norwich, The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation. October 23: Don Barnard did a telephone interview with ITV Teletext. October 23: Alun Buffry did a telephone interview for the 'Sonya and Henry Show' on Radio London. October 23: Alun Buffry took the legalisation side against Lesley Green from Mothers Against Drugs in a telephone radio debate on Radio Birmingham. October 24: Alan Mason had an article printed in the Carlisle News and Star - "Mind if I smoke?" http://www.lca-uk.org/newsite/displayitem.php?articleid=528 October 24: Marcus Davies (Peterborough) was quoted in an article in the Peterborough Evening News, "MP's fury at cannabis moves", commenting on reclassification of cannabis. http://www.lca-uk.org/newsite/displayitem.php?articleid=527 October 24: Carl Wagner (Hull North) did an interview with the Hull Daily Mail. October 24: Mark (Penrith & The Border) and Lezley Gibson did an interview about reclassification of cannabis on Border TV October 24: Mark Gibson took the legalisation side in a for-and-against article printed in the News & Star, Cumbria (SIDEBOX: The Cannabis Debate). Lezley Gibson was quoted in the same paper in the article "New Cumbria debate follows law change." October 24: Linda Hendry (Edinburgh South) - 12noon to 2pm Wednesday BBC radio phone in - "I corrected her idea that Blunkett had already achieved the change to C. Also countered against a Drug Families Speaker that if she did not want the category change why did she want working class youths to go to jail. She wanted diversion." October 25: Steve Pank did a telephone interview with Radio Derby October 25: Alun Buffry had a letter printed in the Daily Telegraph. http://www.lca-uk.org/newsite/displayitem.php?articleid=526 October 25: Alun Buffry and Derek Williams were quoted in an article in the Evening News, Norwich - "Is the country going to pot?" http://www.lca-uk.org/newsite/displayitem.php?articleid=529 October 25: Tina Smith (Treasurer, CLCIA) was quoted in the Eastern Daily Press article "Still legal but it could all change." http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01.n1824.a04.html October 25: Alun Buffry (LCA), Steve Pank (CLCIA) and 'Jack' in Norwich did interviews with Channel 4 news. Some of this was shown on Channel 4 News on October 27th October 26: Don Barnard (ESSEX), Patman (Milton Keynes) Jerry Ham and several other met with Jon Owen Jones MP at the House of Commons to discuss cannabis and the law in reference to his doomed but brave cannabis legalisation private Member's Bill that day. A transcript of the debate is at http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/c m011026/debtext/11026-19.htm#11026-19_head0 October 26: Alun Buffry was quoted in the Guardian's section "The Editor" under "Labour turns a new leaf on cannabis" October 27: Patman Denning (Milton Keynes) landed safely after his fundraising parachute jump. October 27: Linda Hendry did an interview on BBC Radio - We do not know what of the few minutes recorded the previous day he used. He was aiming for a couple. October 28: Biz Ivol talked about her experiences and what she wants Blunkett to do. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1617000/1617949.stm October 28: Linda Hendry - STV Seven Days - "3 minutes of me speaking against a cardboard background of buildings and a Tory MSP who also got 3 mins after a fair intro piece." October 29: Alun Buffry did a telephone interview with the Czech section of the BBC World Service. COMING MONTHS Friday 2 November toThursday 8 November 2001: Cannabis Film Week at the Cromwell Cinema, Huntington, UK. This event will be largely geared around the local schools. There will be limited places available to the public. The films will still go ahead in the evenings - please note: the owners of the cinema have voiced concern about the audience 'sparking up' during the films, "we are a no-smoking cinema". There is a very big park 200 meters down the road! Contact: n_haddon@yahoo.com Tuesday November 6th, 10.30 AM: Alun Buffry (LCA), Roger Warren-Evans (Liberty) and Danny Kushlick (TRANSFORM) will present oral evidence on Government drugs policy before the Home Affairs Committee. This will take place inside the Houses of Parliament and members of the public will be admitted to observe. Tuesday November 13, 6 to 7 pm: Alun Buffry will speak in favour of legalisation at the University of the West of England's student union. Thursday November 22: John Ramirez will be contesting the Ipswich by-election on behalf of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance. He needs all the help he can get both financially and campaigning. Contact John on 01473 425628. Sunday November 25 for one month: Jeremy Crisp will be presenting an exhibition of his work along with a display "The many uses of hemp" at St Margaret's Church, St Benedicts Street, Norwich. Keep up-to-date with events at http://www.ccguide.org.uk/events.html LCA gained 18 new endorsees in October bringing the total to 1172 ACCOUNTS Expenses: Cost of stock £ Stationery £38 Postage £17 Transport £44 Wages £0 total spent = £99 Income: Donations £321 Sales £304 total income = £625 4U2 do soon: ** Collect endorsements for the LCA. See http://www.lca-uk.org ** Collect signatures for the on-line petition, now numbering over 5,000. see http://www.ethical-business.com/allpets.asp ** Help raise funds - without financial support we can do little. Just £1 a week from a large number of people would work wonders. ALL funds are spent on campaigning - we pay no wages!
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