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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Re Vote On EU Drug Strategy (15 Dec 04)
Don Barnard Open Letter to MEPs
Friday 10 Dec 2004 Subject: Your vote on EU Drug strategy (Wedenesday 15 December 2004} Importance: High OPEN LETTER' FOR THE URGENT ATTENTION OF:- [UK] Member of the European Parliament, Legalise Cannabis Alliance (Cyfathrach Cyfreithloni Cannabis) PO Box 198, Norfolk NR3 3WB http://www.lca-uk.org/ Reference: VOTE ON APPROVAL OF THE EP REPORT ON DRUGS! (15 December 2004). Dear [UK] Member of the European Parliament, For expedience I address you all at the same instant - My apologies if you think this rude of me! I despair of Labour and the Conservatives at Westminster, both of whom announced 'new' tough-on-drugs policies this month. I wouldn't mind so much were these genuine attempts to deal with a serious issue. But they're not, they're blatant attempts to win votes through fear. What Westminster politicians misjudge is the solutions they seek. To be sure, many believe only draconian measures will do. Most, however, are ready for a new approach - Are you! As you are all aware! On 15 December 2004, you will be asked to vote on the Recommendation to the Council concerning the European strategy on fighting drugs (2005-2012). This recommendation (report of Mr. Giusto CATANIA MEP) was approved by the Committee of Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on 2 December 2004. The final version of the report can be found http://www.encod.org/ReportOnDrugStrategy.pdf The Legalise Cannabis Alliance [LCA] http://www.lca-uk.org/ (A Registered UK Political Party), as a member of ENCOD the European platform of organisations representing health practitioners, researchers, drug users, human rights activists and drug policy experts. We wish to ask you approve this report? A list of ENCOD Members can be seen here: http://www.encod.org/ The Drug Strategy of the European Union can thus far be characterized as an incoherent set of measures that intend to fight a social and public health issue out from a law enforcement perspective. The results of this strategy have been extremely poor. The official evaluation made of the former EU antidrug Action Plan (2000-2004) clearly demonstrates that in none of the objectives established at the start of this strategy has there been achieved any positive results. As citizens who are confronted with the cannabis issues on a daily base, we strongly believe that the goals of drug policies need to be realistic. As long as the overall objective of these policies is to obtain a drug-free world, they will fail. These policies themselves have become a major cause of harm to public health and safety, sound economy, national sovereignty etc. Therefore, we believe the European Parliament should insist on the urgent need for a coherent strategy concerning the drug issue. Co-ordinated efforts at Community, national and regional level are necessary in order improve the lives of millions of people who are affected by drug policies in the European Union. Consultation of civil society organisations {NGO's] and experts working on the ground level is crucial to the success of this strategy. The recommendations in the Catania report are useful suggestions to start implementing a coherent strategy on drugs, aimed at reducing harms and increasing benefits. Therefore we wish to express our support to the report and ask you to approve it in its current version. During the days of the Strasbourg session on 14 and 15 December, a small delegation of ENCOD members will be present in the Parliament to give additional information. In the mean time. Please do not hesitate to contact Joep Ommen and/or Andria Efthimiou-Mordaunt [UK ENCOD Spokesperson] with any question or suggestion you may have. Joep Ommen Tel. 00 32 (0)3 237 7436 Fax. 00 32 (0)3 237 0225 E-mail:encod@glo.be Andria Efthimiou-Mordaunt A.Efthimiou-Mordaunt@lse.ac.uk The John Mordaunt Trust (JMT) Web Site: www.usersvoice.org.uk [IF] I have still got your attention you may wish to check out the links to some weighty correspondence between the LCA and Caroline Flint MP (Home Office minister responsible for drug misuse), and related matters - See overview Extraneous notes [1] We look forward to the result of your debate on the 15/12/04 and to your comments on the latter, with interest. Yours sincerely Don Barnard Executive Member (Press Officer) Legalise Cannabis Alliance 07984 255015 donbarnard@lca-uk.org Notes: OVERVIEW - EXTRANEOUS NOTES Correspondence between the LCA and Caroline Flint MP http://www.lca-uk.org/challengehomeoffice.php Letter to approx 50 UKMP's http://www.lca-uk.org/challengempletter.php UKMP's who replied http://www.lca-uk.org/challengempreplies.php We can only hope to find your name here! http://www.lca-uk.org/phPetition/ END Published and promoted by Don Barnard < pressoffice@lca-uk.org > on behalf of Legalise Cannabis Alliance, PO Box 198, Norfolk, NR3 3WB http://www.lca-uk.org
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