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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin MP asks Legalise Cannabis Alliance for opinion!
Don Barnard Press Release
Monday 18 Nov 2002 Conservative Party approach Legalise Cannabis Alliance for opinions on: Conservative Policy Unit: "The Conveyor Belt to Crime. Moving the next generation away from crime" by Mark Reckless and Greg Clark Briefing Note on Crime (1) Targeted Support for Parents with Troubled Children Briefing Note on Crime (2) Targeted Mandatory Treatment for Young Heroin and Cocaine Addicts Briefing Note on Crime (3) Longer Rehabilitative Sentences for Persistent Young Offenders SEE ATTACHED - Letter from Oliver Letwin. Anyone wanting a full copy of the Suggested strategy should write to: Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin MP Conservatives 32 Smith Square Westminster London SW1P 3HH Or their can go straight to the top: IainDuncanSmith'sOffice@conservatives.com Don't hold your breath for a reply from IDS - I have sent the same email [which is relevant to the subject matter] several times [SEE 1]. But still no response - Unless of course Mr Letwins letter was the response but I rather doubt this or he would have asked about cannabis? Rt Hon. Oliver Letwin MP letter is also posted on the LCA Home page http://www.lca-uk.org to invite LCA endorsees/others to respond. LCA welcome peer critique. Anyone can have their say at http://www.lca-uk.org/comments.php NOTE: Appreciate a mention of the Online legalise Petition [target of 10,000 by January 1 2003] now 9899 - The petition is at: http://www.ethical-business.com/petitions.asp?pet_id=34 LCA COMMENTS Alun Buffry LCA National Coordinator said: "I'm intrigued that Mr Letwin has asked the advice of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance on the Conservative Party's proposed policies on tackling youth crime, because the plant is not mentioned once. Maybe he recognises that flaw." "The law against cannabis alienated many young people who see it as a tyrannical limitation on personal choice and freedom, the evidence used to support the ban is seen as dubious and incredible and young people distrust authority and rebel." "It is often greedy and unscrupulous drugs dealers that entice young people on to the 'Conveyor Belt of Crime'." "It is not cannabis that is the gateway to hard drugs and crime, it is the dealers that are the result of the huge profits enabled by the ban. They are often the cause of entry on to the Tory Party's "Conveyor Belt of Crime'." "No educational policy on drugs and crime can be complete unless it seeks to regain the trust of the young. One step is to tell the truth about cannabis - it is a part of the lives of a high percentage of young people and most of them are either criminalised themselves or know someone who is, by a law in which they see no sense." "Legalisation of cannabis will halt the criminalisation of young people and gain their attention. Contact details for Alun Buffry alun@ccguide.lca-online.net 01603 442215 Kind regards Don Barnard Phone 07984 255015 NOTES 1] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Barnard" To: Sent: Saturday, August 03, 2002 1:15 AM Subject: No Drugs Policy - Would you like our help? FOR THE ATTENTION OF MR. DUNCAN SMITH Don Barnard, Press Officer LCA, PO Box 198, Norwich, NR3 3WB 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 Press officer Legalise cannabis alliance http://www.lca-uk.org/ 07984 255015 ________
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