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Canada goes to pot and the UK wants to locks us up - who is right?

Don Barnard

Press Release

Friday 06 Sep 2002

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LEGALIZE AND REGULATE CANNABIS SAYS CANADIAN SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE

Please help distribute the following report and encourage a cross
political party discussion - Thank you.

For further information:

CANADA:

The Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs - committee press officer:

David Newman Jean-Guy Desgagne
Phone: (613) 836-6039 Phone: (613) 791-7936
Mobile: (613) 795-1739 Fax: (613) 836-5370
E-mail: dnewman@sympatico.ca

UK COMMENT:

"Legalise Cannabis Alliance spokesperson Don Barnard said: "LCA referred
this report to Iain Duncan Smiths' office on August 3 and again on September
03 for comment.[note ] - we have not received a reply.

"Canada appear to have taken the progressive attitude of regulating and
controlling cannabis - LEGALISATION favoured by the Legalise Cannabis
Alliance.

"New Labours FUDGE appears to be one of detect and prevent possession of
cannabis on the street by threat of criminal sanctions - coercive
abstinence.

"Everyone involved in formulating UK Anti-drug policy or who are concerned
about drug misuse policy should be forced to read this honest forthright
report.-
Especially those involved in the UK Governments current consultation
procedure - hopefully they will take a "leaf" out of the Canadian report.

"It's time we had cross party agreement on cannabis control rather than
"no policy" Tories sanctimoniously condemning New Labour "fudges."

"Let's start with a simple question - Should we punish people who use
cannabis? or, put another way - Justify punishing people who use cannabis?

Kind regards
Don Barnard
LCA Press Office
07984 255015
REPLY TO:
Press@barnard.lca-online.net


NOTE 1: LCA - Source: The Media Awareness Project of DrugSense Wed, 4 Sep
2002 Website: http://www.mapinc.org/

NOTE 2: See summary of the committees recommendations (attachment).

NOTE 3: The entire 600 page report is available in English by looking for
committee reports at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/ or by going through
http://www.parl.gc.ca/illegal-drugs.asp >>>
http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/Committee_SenRecentReps.asp?Language=E&Parl=37&
Ses=1

NOTE 5: To follow news articles and opinions on this story, use the
following links:

http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
AND
http://www.drugsense.org/dsw/2002/ds02.n266.html#sec5


NOTE 6]: To: IainDuncanSmith'sOffice@conservatives.com
Subject: No Drugs Policy - Would you like our help?

August 03 2002

Dear Sir

During your visit Sweden to evaluate Swedish Drug Policy on Monday 22 July.
You were quoted in the Times as saying:

YOU were impressed by the Swedish "zero tolerance policy on cannabis" and
would consider offering it to young people as part
of your party's drug policy.

I find it incredible anyone would seriously consider proposing to tighten
the law against cannabis which involves compulsory rehabilitation for all
found using cannabis, rather than backing sensible reforms such as legal
control.

The question is, are you actually daft enough to try the Swedish all out
repression of cannabis which involves; the police standing in and outside
festivals, bars, pubs and clubs shining flashlights in peoples eyes to test
pupil reaction and marching them off to the police station for compulsory
blood and urine tests?

In the same article you were quoted as saying: The Conservatives had yet to
decide on a drugs policy!

I find this an amazing statement to make - how on earth can you dare to
ridicule the government policy without having an alternative strategy?

That said, I would respectively suggest that apart from "reclassifying
cannabis" one could not get a cigarette paper between your party's drug
policy and those of the control freaks in government.

I now refer you to a comment made by Mr philips conservative correspondence
office to: derek@paston.co.uk
Subject: Drugs Policy
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 14:50:56 +0100

"...what is now required is a serious review of all the available evidence
and research, so that we can formulate a drugs policy which will genuinely
reduce the dependency of our young people on drugs. This will be the guiding
principle behind Conservative drug policy.

I could not agree more - the Legalise Cannabis Alliance and its associates
have a raft of research and evidence which we feel would be invaluable to
your party in formulating your policy on cannabis control.

You have been submitted to a load of hogwash from the Home Affairs Select
Commit on drugs, been to Sweden and going to Holland.

I now invite you to check out what is happening in Canada:

http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/ille-e/library-e/dis
cussion-e.pdf

If you want our help or discuss any issues on cannabis please feel free to
ask. If we do not know the answer we probably know someone who does.

Finally. I appreciate you are very busy, however, I would appreciate a
personal reply rather than the formal don't call us we will call you.

Don Barnard

NOTE 6a: RESUBMIT September 03 2002

To: IainDuncanSmith'sOffice@conservatives.com

Subject: RESUBMIT: No Drugs Policy - Would you like our help?

FOR THE ATTENTION OF MR. DUNCAN SMITH

SIR

DOES THE DELAY IN REPLYING MEAN; DON'T RING US WE WILL RING YOU!

Don Barnard,

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