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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis Cafe Plan Is 'Potty'
Daily Echo, Southampton
Thursday 19 Sep 2002 CONTROVERSIAL plans to open a cannabis cafe on the Isle of Wight have today been unveiled for the first time. It is the idea of businessman Phil Murray, a former independent parliamentary candidate, who wants to develop his shop in Church Street, Ventnor, so that cannabis users can smoke the drug in peace. His idea has already met with outrage and Island police have dismissed the plan of opening the cafe as a "joke". But speaking yesterday, Mr Murray, who campaigned for a fixed-link to the Island during the last general election, said he was serious about the scheme. He said: "It is not a joke. This is a serious idea that is being progressed through its opening stages." Councillor Buster Bartlett, who represents Ventnor West and is the vice- chairman of the Isle of Wight Council, today condemned the scheme. Cllr Bartlett said he had already received many letters of complaint from residents of Lowtherville in upper Ventnor about drug problems in the town. He said he had been in contact with Hampshire police because of the problems and they had promised to monitor the situation. He said: "I think opening a cafe would be detrimental to a place like Ventnor. "It would be detrimental to the whole community. I have received many letters, particularly from people in the Lowtherville area. I think opening a cafe will encourage cannabis smoking. "I think the whole idea is absolutely ridiculous." But Mr Murray, who said he was neither for or against cannabis smoking, defended his scheme. He said he had written to the Isle of Wight Council's licencing department to see if there were any legal problems to prevent him opening a cannabis cafe. He said: "I would be pleased to be of service in any way that to stop children, and indeed anyone, from becoming reliant on drugs and drug pushers. "It seems that any form of transparency in this area will help. If this cafe idea contributes to an end to back-street drug dealing, alcoholism and drug subsequent or related crime, then we will all benefit." He added that he had always campaigned against the use of drugs - particularly in his self-help book You Can Always Get What You Want. He said: "The concept is at present that the cafe would not actually sell cannabis, but that people would be allowed to smoke it during the course of their meal, snack or drink. The premises will not have an alcohol licence. "Further, it is important to note that I do not use drugs of any description myself, including those available for general medicinal purposes." Suggested names for the dope cafe so far include WH Spliffs, Phil's Hash House, Murray's Marijuana Magic Cafe, Cannabistro and Chill Out. Chief Insp Paul Clark of the Island's police force said: "We have had no hard intelligence to suggest that a cannabis cafe is to be opened in Ventnor but we are aware that a joke has been spread round the Island that one will be. It is an offence to possess and supply cannabis and it is our duty to enforce the law."
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