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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Police waste public resources by raiding Worthing Coffeeshops
Don Barnard Press Release
Tuesday 17 Dec 2002 On Wednesday November 27th, 2002, 35 members of West Sussex Police Force, (by legal obligation), wasted thousands of pounds of Worthing tax payers money by raiding the Quantum Leaf Coffeeshop, Rowlands Road, Worthing which is run by the Legalise Cannabis Alliance 2001 Parliamentary Candidate, Chris Baldwin.  The Legalise Cannabis Alliance, a registered UK political party that fielded 13 candidates in the 2001 General Election, condemn this raid and ask the people of Worthing how the law can justify this action when recorded crime rates are rising in the area while detection rates are falling. for details check out http://www.sussex.police.uk/performance_info/pdfs/highdown/highdown_total .html  (Sussex’s Police’s own web site). “How can society justify the cost of this raid when there is more justification in raiding most public houses in the town†says Phil Lockwood, the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (Sussex and East Worthing) spokesman. “There’s more harmful substances available in your local pub than at the Quantum Leaf and people don't leave the QL, go home in a drunken rage and beat their partners senselessâ€, declares Phil, The Quantum Leaf Coffeeshop operates under a strict rules policy which are basically :- No admittance to under 18s. (Photo i.d. is strictly required until staff are familiar with customers. The minimum age on the streets is £5.00 for many street dealers, whatever the age of the £5.00 holder). No hard drugs or alcohol. (Anybody found with, using or under the influence of hard drugs, including alcohol, will be refused entry or asked to leave and in the case of class a or b drugs, other than cannabis, the police will be called). No Dealing. (Understandably). No Soapbar. (Soapbar is a substance sold openly on the “market place†as cannabis which research has shown contains as little as 5 % actual cannabis resin and is generally contaminated with addictive drugs such as opiates, amphetamines + cacogenic plastics, henna, faceis, both human and animal, check out www.ccguide.org.uk/badsoap  for details of research carried out). No *ucking About. (The QL does not apologize for it’s language, antisocial behavior of any kind will not be tolerated. Mr Alun Buffry, National Coordinator for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance spoke up for Mr Baldwin saying: “The Legalise Cannabis Alliance is fully behind Chris and the Quantum Leaf and is backing him at a national level on thisâ€. Support for Chris is high in the town with customers talking about organizing protest marches similar to those seen in Stockport, Greater Manchester after the arrest of Colin Davis who opened his Dutch Experience Coffeeshop in the town in September of last year. The events surrounding the Dutch Experience and Colin’s arrest are chronicled in Green Britain a 2 ½ hour video pack filmed over a 2 year period by Paul Dooner, an independent film producer. The Video, which heavily focuses on Chris attending the Willie Wortle’s Coffeeshop Course in Harlem, Holland, (available at Bongchuffa’s and online at www.lcashop.co.uk), shows many of the real issues behind the legalise cannabis movement in the UK and is a must for anybody with any interest in the cannabis issue. www.greenbritain.com Legalise Cannabis Alliance in Worthing As from Saturday December 7th 2002 the Quantum Leaf Coffeeshop, Rowlands Road become the official headquarters of the spokesperson for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (Worthing Central) and the Good Buddy Coffeeshop, Borougham Road, Worthing become the official headquarters of the spokesperson for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (Sussex and East Worthing). The Legalise Cannabis Alliance, which is a registered political party in the UK, and, with the level of support as it is in Worthing, intend to make significant inroads into the majorities of other political candidates in any forthcoming local and general elections. Chris Baldwin, owner of the Quantum Leaf and the LCA parliamentary candidate in the 2001 general election for Worthing Is even talking of the possibility of an election victory should a local council bi election occur in the near future. “With people signing up for the LCA running at up to 100 persons per day, victory certainly looks like a possibility†exclaimed Chris, clearly happy at the possibility. Look out all you other party's !  The Coffeeshop Keepers Prayer “Forgive us Father for we have sinned, For we have given the tokers of Worthing a place of sanctuary and helped the sick. Even worse O’ Father, in doing so we have deprived the pharmaceutical companies out of the blood money they make from these sick, and, woe O’ woe, talking of blood money O’ Father, we have deprived the licensees and breweries out of the revenues they make from the misery they pedal in the form of alcohol. Forgive us our sins O’ Lord, for risking 14 years imprisonment to give the tokers of Worthing a safe place to score, a place where he won’t be offered smack, crack, acid ecstasy and that stuff called soapbar that street dealers pretend is cannabis but contains poisons. We know all about that Lord, for we have been there, to the local pubs. Lastly O’ Lord, forgive us for trying to protect our children from the misery caused by the 1971 Misuse of Drugs act, you know the one we mean O’ Lord, the one that gives our once great country one of the worst hard drug problems in the world, for we are truly sinners.†Quote from Chris: “If that’s the case I don’t want to go to heaven.† ---------- (Note: Legalise Cannabis Alliance (Sussex and East Worthing) and Legalise Cannabis Alliance (Worthing Central) are both independent of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance.) THC4MS 'Doing today for free what the pharmaceutical companies will make millions out of in the future.'  THC4MS is an organization, supported by the Herb Connection (Worthing), The Quantum Leaf, Good Buddy’s and the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, that supplies cannabis chocolate free of charge to people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. All work carried out for THC4MS is done by volunteers with all ingredients being donated by the Cannabis Community with many growers considering their donation a form of self taxation, supporting our own alternative health system you could say. Since an article in the Multiple Sclerosis Society magazine about THC4MS they have been inundated with enquiries and since the police raid the Quantum Leaf has not been able to give THC4MS the level of support and donations we have given prior to the raid so if there are any growers out there reading this please check out www.thc4ms.org To see how you can help. Urgent help is required, several regular donators have had a pithium outbreak which has disrupted supply as well as the raid on the QL.. STATE INTERFERANCE DENIES THE SICK OF THEIR MEDICATION The Quantum Leaf Coffeeshop was set up to subsidize The Herb Connection, (Worthing) an organization formed to supply cannabis to medicinal users, people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, the Pain of Cancer and effects of Chemotherapy, sufferers of Arthritis and other debilitating health problems, problems which scientific research has shown, many times over, can be relieved by cannabis. “Sick people should not have to buy their medication on the streets with it ’s associated dangers†said a Herb Connection (Worthing) spokesman sadly, “and the police action last Wednesday, and any further action they take will be forcing sick people back to thisâ€. The Legalise Cannabis Alliance actively support the work carried out by The Herb Connection (Worthing) and ask the people of Worthing to support this worthwhile project that does so much to help the sick. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL COFFEESHOP Many of you have been asking how you can help Chris and the Crew running the Quantum Leaf and Good Buddy’s and basically it’s easy, keep on supporting the Coffeeshops, keep on enjoying what Chris and his crew have given to the tokers of Worthing and most important tell others what the Coffeeshops in Worthing have contributed to your life and how you feel they are contributing to the Community of Worthing. Even more importantly write to, phone or fax the Worthing Herald, Worthing Argus and – If, and it’s a big if, the Crown Prosecution Service can be convinced that it is not in the public interest to prosecute Chris, Winston, Mark and Sara then they have the power not to, so get your pens out, bang your drums and make sure that everybody you know that matters, knows what you know, that the Coffeeshops in Worthing are an advantage to the town and in the public interest. Tell people about the children's party that’s been organized, tell them about their intention to feed the homeless on Christmas Day. Tell them what it means for you. If you all shout loud and clear enough Chris, Winston, Mark and Sara might not end up facing a possible 15 year prison sentence for doing exactly what ? Giving You the Toker of Worthing what they want, that’s what. Don’t let the authorities take all this away from you. Take heart from the DE in Stockport. They had been busted on their opening day and kept open for more than 13 months. What are you going to let happen, Stockport beat Worthing. The fight is only just starting so get out there and start doing something if you want to keep Coffeeshops in Worthing. NO VICTIM — NO CRIME
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