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Don't be a dope, vote for a smoke
Reuters
Friday 18 May 2001 Don't be a dope, vote for a smoke By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Britons are being urged not to be dopes when they vote -- and to back the party that wants to legalise cannabis. The Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) is making its first appearance at a national election, fielding 14 candidates ranging from veterans of the drug-fuelled "flower power" campaigns of the 1960s to a 75-year-old grandmother. The party insists it is not a haven for washed-out hippies, but carries a serious message that cannabis has benefits, both environmental and medical, and that a ban on using the drug infringes human rights. "We feel that somebody has to stand up for the five million or so smokers in Britain," said Alan Buffry, spokesman for the LCA and a candidate for the Norwich South seat . "We actually had about 150 people wanting to stand but because of a shortage of funds it's been limited to the 14 of us. "Some have campaigned since the 1960s and particularly in the last 10 years, and we haven't managed to get any of the politicians to open their doors to us for either a discussion or a debate." The party, which has legalising cannabis as its one and only policy, was formed in 1999 to try and get the public and mainstream politicians talking about the subject. "Without our candidates I doubt whether there's going to be much discussion about cannabis in the other constituencies," he said. "At least where we are standing, we will be able to make it an issue, and not just an issue regarding the medical benefits, but the benefits of using cannabis to make more environmentally friendly-products from plastic to fuel." NO ILLUSIONS Buffry has no illusions about the party winning any seats. The LCA's first appearance at a parliamentary poll in the Kensington and Chelsea by-election in November 1999 saw their candidate Colin Paisley earn just 141 votes. The winner, Conservative Michael Portillo, recorded 11,004. "We'll be happy to get our deposits back," he said referring to the five percent of votes needed if candidates are not to forfeit the 500 pounds they must put up to stand in an election. "But what we have discovered is there is a lot more support out there than the votes we get." Previous surveys on the issue suggest he is right. An ICM poll commissioned by the Guardian newspaper last year found 80 percent of Britons thought the drug should be decriminalised while two- thirds of 18-34 year-olds considered smoking a joint to be no worse than smoking a cigarette or drinking alcohol. In 1997, The Independent on Sunday, backed by former Beatle Paul McCartney and entrepreneur Richard Branson, became the first national newspaper to call for the legislation of cannabis, running a year-long campaign on the issue. But, although some high profile figures -- such as Cabinet Minister Mo Mowlam -- admitted to have smoking the drug, Labour has said it has no plans to decriminalise cannabis. Conservative Ann Widdecombe went even further last year when she called for stiffer penalties including a 100 pound fine for first time offenders caught in possession of the drug. However, she was accused of making a hash of Tory policy and the party was forced to make an embarrassing U-turn.
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