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I wish someone would tell me

Don Barnard

Press Release

Tuesday 14 Dec 2004

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IDEA/PRESS RELEASE from the Cannabis Alliance

I wish someone would tell me - What will it take to get government and
politicians of all political persuasion to have transparent consultation
with the public!

I invite you to bring on the debate:

Make Tommorrow (Wednesday 15 December) "Talk Frankly" about cannabis (some
drugs) day for politicians?

Press release planning idea follows.

Don

Don Barnard
Press Officer
Legalise Cannabis Alliance

Bringing it all together

LCA invite you to use the European Parliament vote on "Recommendation to the
Council concerning the European strategy on fighting drugs (2005-2012)"
(Wednesday 15 December) to widen the debate (Bring it all together) to
involve all the main players (and the public) throughout the UK and the EU.

"There does come moments, when a particular combination of circumstances
calls for deeper investigation of all the factors involved."..."We seem to
have reached one of those moments in the cannabis debate!" Says, the
Legalise Cannabis Alliance [LCA].

" Legalise Cannabis Alliance member Don Barnard said: "Not talking is folly?

"No good reason has be given or can be given for continuing punish cannabis
users or those who grow a few plants for whatever purpose".

"Can we please get on with what needs doing, namely - Seek a better way
founded in: common sense, science, compassion, health and human rights"

"LCA http://www.lca-uk.organd ENCOD http://www.encod.org willing to support
any policy-making process towards a coherent strategy.

We can only hope you will consider this of sufficient import to bring it to
the attention of (everyone) and allocate a few column inches/pages/air time
to their
responses!



First Europe - Editors notes:

The LCA has emailed EU political Group leaders asking them to support the
bill in its present form. See letter open letter:
http://www.lca-uk.org/displayitem.php?articleid=1072 [Note]: This was
copied in to Tom Dick and Harry including the; Home Office, Mr. Howard's,
Office's] of Green Party, Liberal Democrats, and many other political Groups
at Westminster.

LCA has emailed the majority of [UK] MEP's asking them, to support the bill
in its present form. See open letter
http://www.lca-uk.org/displayitem.php?articleid=1074

The final version of the report concerning the European strategy on fighting
drugs (2005-2012) can be found http://www.encod.org/ReportOnDrugStrategy.pdf

For expedience you can read an overview concerning the European strategy on
fighting drugs (2005-2012) on the European Coalition for Just and effective
Drug policies (ENCOD) website at www.encod.org

ENCOD is lobbying the MEP' From Tuesday 14 December 15.00 until Wednesday 15
December 14.00.

EU member states Cannabis control policy - See, "The Grey Zone"
http://www.encod.org/rap-kaarteuropa.html

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United Kingdom.

UK perspective/extraneous notes on cannabis - See [1]

See, also Wednesday 08 Dec 2004 weighty press release "Planning idea from
the Legalise Cannabis Alliance" at:
http://www.lca-uk.org/displayitem.php?articleid=1073

"LCA http://www.lca-uk.organd ENCOD http://www.encod.org willing to support
any policy-making process towards a coherent strategy. We can only hope you
will consider this of sufficient import to bring it to the attention of
(everyone) and allocate a few column inches/pages/air time to their
responses.

Everyone has an important part to play, but only if YOU (the media) are
prepared to "bring on the debate" by asking some tough questions.

**You might Ask the Home Office, Westminster MP's (aspiring politicians for
the next General Election) just what it will take to get them to have
constructive dialogue.

You could if you are minded! Ask for their comment on the LCA Challenge at
http://www.lca-uk.org/challenge.php

Your audience can support LCA Challenge at http://www.lca-uk.org/phPetition/

Don Barnard
Press Officer
Legalise Cannabis Alliance,
(Cyfathrach Cyfreithloni Cannabis)
PO Box 198,
Norfolk
NR3 3WB
http://www.lca-uk.org/"
07984 255015
donbarnard@lca-uk.org

Notes:

1] UK perspective on cannabis

In the past decade there has been a limited debate on cannabis such as
'medical use', 'reclassification', 'decriminalisation" and a legal
regulated supply. However, it has not been as clear as what would be
desirable or what Government's intentions are.

"No good reason has be given or can be given for continuing punish cannabis
users or those who grow a few plants for whatever purpose". Can we please
get on with what needs doing, namely - Seek a better way founded in: common
sense, science, compassion, health and human rights"

Cannabis Laws, are like a jigsaw puzzle with the linking pieces missing,
being regularly added by the Home Office with little or no parliamentary
debate, let alone public discussion. This is not surprising. The "War on
some Drugs" has evolved into a complex and complicated system, misunderstood
by most people, including many of those responsible for formulating and
implementing Government Anti-Drugs policy!

To increase the public understanding of the cannabis and the controversy
surrounding it, the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA), a registered UK
political party http://www.lca-uk.org Challenge the public, (Westminster)
MP's and, (MEP's) to participate in a open and honest dialogue regarding the
future of cannabis control policies in which fear, prejudice and punitive
prohibition yield to common sense, science, public health, human rights and
practicality.

We do this in the confidence that a transparent debate will strip away many
of the misconceptions about cannabis hemp, demonstrate the cannabis hemp
plant is so much more than a recreational substance, and show that many
long-term social, ecological and economical benefits can be reaped by
rescheduling the substance.

In the past decade there has been a limited debate on cannabis such as
'medical use', 'reclassification', 'decriminalisation" and a legal
regulated supply. However, it has not been as clear as what would be
desirable or what Government's intentions are.

"Over the past 35 years successive UK governments has spent Billions
policing prohibition of cannabis, an abstinence - only, curriculum in our
schools and public education campaigns in the media."" Despite these
spending levels, these programs fail to deter experimentation/regular use of
Marijuana!"

"Teenagers today in the UK have had more drug education than any generation
in history. The majority were exposed to "just say no" public education
messages for more than a decade. Yet, they still use more cannabis than
teens a decade earlier!

The UK tops the poll for highest rate of cannabis use in The EU chart with
9% The Netherlands is fifth with 5.24%?
The UK is forth in the world charts. The public are forced to guess or rely
on chat show hosts and media hype to form opinions as to what the
legislators has in mind when they resort to punishment for cannabis
offences... This has resulted in the general public becoming confused and
insufficiently informed.

The LCA emailed the Home Office to get them talking to the people about
their drug strategy - - See overview and weighty correspondence between LCA
and the Home Office at http://www.lca-uk.org/challengehomeoffice.php

SADLY! The Home office has ruled out any kind of debate on rescheduling
cannabis ... Abstract from letter (14 September 2004) from Caroline Flint
MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
http://www.lca-uk.org/challengehomeoffice.php "Government does not accept
that legalisations and regulation is now, or will be in the future, an
acceptable response to the presence of cannabis. unauthorised production -
including cultivation, supply and possession are and will remain illegal for
all purposes."

Abstract from LCA Open Letter (5 December) to Caroline Flint MP
(Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
http://www.lca-uk.org/challengehomeoffice.php "This seems to rule out any
kind of discussion between your department and Non Government Organisation
[NGO's]? "

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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