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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Howard's way
The Citizen (Lancaster) Tuesday 06 Nov 2001 "Sorry, I'd just nipped out for a quick one," said a voice so deep it seemed to echo from the bottom of Rhonda Valley mine shaft. Howard Marks, Mr Nice, the former dealer who used to sell cannabis by the ton, who dodged the CIA, dealt with the Mafia and now makes a living talking about the controversial "herb," is notoriously courteous. He was apologising for being a minute late for our interview. He had been outside breaking the law. His euphemistic "quick one" was a joint, reefer, spliff, a hand-rolled cigarette containing cannabis indica, an innocuous-looking, psychotropic plant extract used by human beings across the globe for thousands of years. And thanks to David Blunkett's re-classification of cannabis to class "C" - the maximum penalty for a "quick one" is now just three years in prison instead of five. But the law rarely searches Howard's pockets these days. In fact, Lancaster City Council have booked him to appear at the Platform. The council leader had best watch out the local Constabulary doesn't feel her collar for permitting the use on council premises! But to arrest Howard Marks is to court controversy and bring the hypocrisy of drugs law enforcement before the incredulous scrutiny of an increasingly "switched on" public. "The drugs laws are horrible, a mess. "There are over 1,000 people in prison just for possession of cannabis," says Howard, who despite being supposedly "stoned" remained remarkably coherent and astute. "The pilot scheme in Brixton, where you don't even get a caution for possession, really surprised me. It's a big leap in the right direction. But in lots of places around the country they are still keen to prosecute. It makes you wonder about equality before the law which is something campaigners could take up. From my years of experience I know that, on the whole, most of the police are for decriminalisation but they have a job to do and are put in a very difficult situation. The politicians have spouted such preposterous rhetoric over the years that I don't think they can now turn round and say 'sorry we were taking rubbish.' I always thought it would be 10 years before we see legalisation but with the recent changes it could be earlier than that. Then again it might not, while it remains a criminal offence, it can still get pretty nasty." There's not much Howard Marks doesn't know about cannabis and the drugs debate. He's campaigned for years, met MPs and senior policemen, he regularly writes for newspapers and magazines, he can reel off studies and statistics, he's an author, a spokesman and has what you could describe as an "informed opinion." And still, after all these years, this Cambridge graduate still loves nothing more than to smoke the herb, marijuana, Mary Jane. "What harm am I doing?" he asks. In Morecambe on November 23, he'll be bringing a multi-media show to the Platform where he plans to regale the audience with stories, jokes and anecdotes about his amazing life. He's very personable, thoughtful of others ("Smokers should always show courtesy to non-smokers," he says) and difficult not to like. I guess that's why he's known as Mr Nice.
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