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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis group outraged
Canna Zine Friday 22 Aug 2008 The e-petitions were hosted on the Downing Street web site. The petitions read: 1. “to remove cannabis and cannabis products from the Misuse of Drugs Act and associated laws and thus enable some form of consumer protection.” 2. “to safeguard the public from the risks of inappropriate use of cannabis by bringing its control and sales within the law.” 3. “to initiate a trial program whereby cannabis users may purchase up to 5 grams in a “coffeeshop” or other regulated and licensed premises, to reduce the flow of funds to organised criminal gangs.” Which are all perfectly reasonable requests in light of the evidence we have to prove these initiatives are reducing harm in other European countries. But clearly this government doesn't want to reduce the harm caused by drugs or else they would be receptive to ideas which have proven time and again, they work and work well. Quotes from government responses to these petitions; “The Government has no intention of legalising cannabis. We do not accept that legalisation and regulation is now, or will be in the future, an acceptable response to the presence of drugs.” A comment former senior government drugs advisor Julian Critchly disagreed with recently in the national press. A recent World Health Organisation report which listed the United States, with almost 50% of the population claiming to have smoked marijuana, as head & shoulders the largest marijuana smoking country in the world, would suggest punitive measures just don't work. Holland in comparison only shows 19% of the population have ever tried cannabis even though its available on every street corner in licensed "coffee-shops". “The Government has no intention of legalising cannabis and regulating its control.” The government is "in bed" with the alcohol industry. An accusation made recently by a leading British Alcohol charity. Certainly in the United Kingdom, and as its this industry particularly which stands to lose the most if people are going to choose cannabis for their intoxicant of choice over alcohol, its hardly surprising the government, and the Prime Minister, refuse to listen to science, to facts and to reason. “The Government's message has always been that cannabis is a harmful and illegal drug that should not be taken.” No-one doubt's that cannabis, as does alcohol, tobacco (and peanuts), bring with them a health risk and in certain people who are pre-disposed to a nut-allergy for instance, the advice is, stay well clear at all cost, and its a message we broadcast to every school child. But with cannabis we are unable to give this advice to people who may have had psychotic episodes in the past, or who have a family history of mental health issues as there is no means of regulating (and educating) the public whilst cannabis is kept locked in a cupboard under the stairs. The only time a cannabis story sees the light of day is to expose another "health issue", like the (disproven) cannabis psychosis stories or the (disproven) "cannabis 20-30 times stronger" stories which the Daily Mail published with absolutely no thought for the veracity or the factual content of the story. In short, they are lies, created to sway the "middle-england-daily-mail reading population of decision makers into supporting Gordon Browns frantic efforts to stay Prime Minister. “The Government has no intention of legalising cannabis and regulating its control.” Because the government has no way of gaining the permission of the alcohol industry, which would be needed for cannabis decriminalisation to occur. The cannabis industry bank-rolls the United Kingdom by way of its taxes, and the alcohol lobby spends millions of pounds every single year, sweetening MP's at fully expensed functions and junkets, just to make sure cannabis is kept outside the law. Meanwhile on our housing estates, alcohol use continues to kill, but drugs are more widescale than ever before. And its not just cannabis anymore. Heroin and cocaine now rule the streets, available for the first time ever in "pocket-money" priced deals starting from only £5, and its as a direct result of Labour policy over the last ten years of government. “The Government's message has always been that cannabis is a harmful and illegal drug that should not be taken.” There's no doubt cannabis brings with it certain health risks to certain members of society. But to use this as a reason to send people to jail is simply ridiculous, inhumane, and must be stopped immediately. Tobacco and alcohol together account for over 90% of British drug related deaths, yet cannabis never killed a single person in over 5000 years and for some people who chose to consume cannabis, they went on to run countries. People like Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Home Office minister for drugs Vernon Coaker, former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt and leader of the Conservative opposition David Cameron. Mayor of London Boris Johnson took a similar route to George W Bush when he admitted he once experimented with cocaine so you see, it would appear they're all at it. So it can't all be bad news regarding drugs can it? Dilys Wood, spokesperson for the LCA said: “The attitude and similarity of these responses highlights the futility of e-petitions and the lack of respect shown by this Government to the members of the public who raise them.” The Legalise Cannabis Alliance believes that cannabis prohibition is a crime against Human Rights, illogical and unworkable. The "UN Declaration of Human Rights" preamble makes it clear that the Rights were acknowledged in order to stifle the need for rebellion. Unfortunately the Government's continued refusal to accept the Rights of Privacy and Freedom of Belief for it's citizens who are otherwise law-abiding and tax-paying citizens but who wish to use cannabis means that rebellion may once again be the only option. Dilys Wood said: "Rebellion against this unjust law is already happening in a peaceful way. The Home Office has estimated that some 4 million regularly use cannabis in the UK - we suspect the figure is much higher - and they are unjustly being criminalised despite doing no harm to others. "Prohibition has failed to control the use of cannabis and has created many problems of its own, not least a blatant and illegal disregard for the Human rights of cannabis users, their safety or even their opinion". Legalise Cannabis Alliance PO BOX 2883 STOKE ON TRENT S74 9EE http://lca-uk.blogspot.com http://www.lca-uk.org/ 07984 255015 pressoffice@lca-uk.org http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/content/view/547/27/
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