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UK: SSP backing for Scotland's first cannabis cafe

William Lyons

The Scotsman

Wednesday 28 Jan 2004

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SCOTLAND'S first cannabis cafe will open in Edinburgh this week, after the
drug is downgraded tomorrow to class C status.

Launching its campaign to create a network of cannabis tolerance zones
across Scotland, the Scottish Cannabis Coffee Shop Movement (SCCM) said
people would be allowed to use the drug in the Purple Haze cafe in Leith,
when it is reclassified from class B.

Kevin Williamson, the drugs spokesman for the Scottish Socialist Party, who
is spearheading the SCCM campaign, said he wanted to build a network of
tolerance zones across Scotland.

Mr Williamson said: "We want to expand it across the whole of Scotland,
with the objective of calling on the Executive, the police forces and the
local authorities to create Scottish-wide cannabis-tolerant zones until our
parliament has the powers to change the law."

He said the campaign also wanted to turn the zones into cannabis
information centres and monitor arrests for personal possession of cannabis.

However, the cafe looks set to be closed within minutes of it opening, as
the police and deputy justice minister, Hugh Henry, confirmed there would
be no change in practice, and anyone possessing cannabis could still face
prosecution.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed all offences would be
reported to the procurator-fiscal.

He said: "The possession and supply of cannabis is illegal. It is also
illegal for the occupier or any person concerned in the management of the
premises to knowingly allow any person to smoke or supply cannabis."

There are more than 500,000 cannabis users in Scotland. Patrons of the
Purple Haze cafe will have to bring their own drug, as it will not be on sale.

Paul Stewart, 37, the owner, said Purple Haze would be run with a
responsible attitude, placing an emphasis on drug education. The shop will
be tobacco-free, but anyone wishing to take cannabis could use a vaporiser
machine, which eliminates 99 per cent of the carcinogenic substances in the
drug.

Frances Curran, an SSP MSP, who is backing the campaign, said she had not
smoked the drug, but her party fully supported the cafe and wanted to see
cannabis legalised.

She said: "We are opposed to criminalising a layer of young people, and
although we might not be partaking ourselves, we are definitely in favour
of it being licensed and young people being able to smoke it if they decide
to.

"Why not legalise cannabis now and stop another 100,000 young people going
through the criminal justice system? It would save a fortune in the courts."

But the scheme was criticised by other politicians. Annabel Goldie, the
Scottish Tories' justice spokeswoman, said: "These developments are a
result of muddled thinking and mixed messages coming from the government.

"The SSP are backing the setting-up of illegal drug dens across Scotland.
Those who make the laws of the land should not be encouraging others to
break them."

 

 

 

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