Subj: Cannabis Campaign - Thousands march for cannabis law reform

Date: Mar 29, 1998

Source: Independent on Sunday

Thousands march for cannabis law reform

A crowd of than 16,000 people gathered in
London yesterday to give massive and vocal
support to the Independent on Sunday's cannabis
campaign, write Graham Ball and Clare
Garner.

In a carnival atmosphere the demonstrators -
many in wheelchairs - gave an unmistakable show
of growing national support for the
decriminalisation of the drug.

Although a large number openly smoked cannabis
on the march, police made no arrests during the
demonstration. Two people were detained for
drugs-related offences later.

Rosie Boycott, editor of the IoS, which launched
its campaign last September, said she was
"thrilled" by the turnout.

"There was every age group, every strata of
society, and it was very well-behaved. Nobody
flouted the law and nobody was arrested during
the march. The police were incredibly helpful and
full of jokes," she said. "We want politicians to
see that it isn't going to lose them votes to look at
the issue."

In the biggest march of its kind for 30 years,
protesters met at Reformer's Tree in Hyde Park
and walked down Park Lane and Piccadilly to
Trafalgar Square, where campaigners, including
Labour MP Paul Flynn and veteran cannabis
campaigner Howard Marks, called for the drug to
be decriminalised.

Some estimates put the turnout at well over
16,000, possibly up to 25,000. Scotland Yard,
more cautiously, put the figure at around 11,000.