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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Tory Councillor Wants Cannabis Made Legal
Marc Horne Press & Journal, Aberdeen
Monday 22 Jul 2002 Conservative councillor and JP Sandy Wallace is an unlikely drug dealer. Mr Wallace, 39, has never smoked cannabis due to his asthma. But the law-abiding dad freely admits that during his student days he obtained a quarter ounce of the substance at a party and passed it on to a mate. "No money changed hands but, from a legal perspective, I have been involved in the supply of drugs," he said. "To all intents and purposes I would be regarded as committing a serious offence." This experience helped the Deeside resident to conclude the war on pot is unwinnable. And the former Parliamentary candidate believes the time is right to legalise the drug - and sell it in chemist's shops and bookmakers. He blasted Government plans to reclassify cannabis as: "The worst of all possible worlds." Speaking out on a personal basis Mr Wallace feels a major re-think on drugs policy is necessary. "About a quarter of people in our society are going to try cannabis at one point in their lives," the drugs and alcohol worker said. "It is neither possible nor acceptable to arrest and convict all these people - most of whom are otherwise upstanding, law-abiding citizens." The policeman's son claims the conflict against cannabis has turned into a futile war of attrition. "If it is clear you are going to lose a war, then I think you should get out of it," he said. "This would free the police to concentrate on tackling drugs like heroin and crack cocaine." He claimed Home Secretary David Blunkett has made a big mistake in moving towards effectively decriminalising dope. "The supply of cannabis will remain entirely in the hands of criminals - while police will have even less leverage," he said. "It is the worst of all possible worlds." The Aberdeenshire Tory is keen to end the stranglehold of the "violent criminal thugs" who import and organise the distribution of drugs. He feels legalisation is the best way to achieve this. "It would finally break the link with criminals and hard drugs," he said. "Currently people are forced to seek out dealers -who may also offer more dangerous substances." He feels legalisation would allow the state to weed out super-strength, hallucinogenic "skunk" cannabis - and would also strip away the drug's forbidden fruit appeal. Mr Wallace also believed a state monopoly of cannabis distributed through pharmacies and betting shops would boost the Exchequer. "It would bring a minimum of at least 2 billion pounds every year," he said. "This is money which could be ploughed into the health service." The outspoken Conservative said the current laws infringe on civil liberties. "I believes smoking cannabis is foolish and risky and I would not recommend it," he said. "But it is certainly no more dangerous than alcohol or cigarettes." He added: "If adults are allowed to climb Munros on misty days and go hang-gliding then surely they should have the right to smoke cannabis."
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