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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Mind If I Smoke
ccguide Friday 26 Oct 2001 Pubdate: Thu, 25 Oct 2001 Source: News & Star (UK) Copyright: 2001 News & Star Contact: Website: http://www.news-and-star.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/797 Cited: Alan Mason, http://www.free2toke.net MIND IF I SMOKE? A Carlisle drugs campaigner claims the Home Secretary's decision to relax the law on cannabis has "burst the dam" - and full legalisation is now in sight. Alan Mason, 40, of Stonegarth, believes public opinion forced David Blunkett to announce on Tuesday that he intended to downgrade the drug from class B to C. The move, Mr Mason claims, has broken the commercial stranglehold which for decades has frightened successive governments into taking a tough anti-drugs line. He is currently using human rights legislation to fight a conviction at Carlisle Crown Court for cultivating cannabis. He admits that the plant can cause psychological problems. But he argues that, locked within its leaves, are a host of benefits which are far more worthy than merely "getting stoned." Its other, less well-known qualities include being an excellent substitute for oil, paper and cotton, as well as having a wide range of medicinal uses. But he claims that powerful lobbies, including petro-chemical firms and the pharmaceutical industry, felt threatened by the "wonder herb" and used their influence to ensure it remained underground. Brave Mr Mason said: "The authorities have known for years that prohibition was wrong. But they have had their hands held up their backs by big business." Complimenting the Home Secretary, who is blind, he referred to him as "a man of vision." "It was very brave of Mr Blunkett," he said. "The government probably hopes all the activists will step back and say 'That's good enough,' but it's only the first step." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth
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