|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: Campaigners vow cannabis cafe will open
Steve Bargeton, political editor Dundee Courier & Advertiser
Wednesday 28 Jan 2004 PRO-CANNABIS campaigners yesterday said they would defy the law and open a cannabis cafe in Edinburgh when the drug is reclassified this week, writes Steve Bargeton, political editor. The Scottish Executive has warned that anyone found in possession of the drug is liable to prosecution when it is reclassified from Class B to Class C. Police made it clear yesterday that action would be taken against anyone breaking the law. Nevertheless at the Scottish Parliament yesterday the Scottish Cannabis Coffeeshop Movement said the drug would be in use in the Purple Haze Cafe in Leith when it is opened on Thursday. At a Press conference Scottish Socialist Party drugs spokesman Kevin Williamson said the law as it stood was 'dishonest and hypocritical' and 'has to be challenged. 'We want to build a network of cannabis-tolerant zones across Scotland beginning with the Purple Haze Cafe and expanding it across the whole of Scotland with the objective of calling on the Scottish 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. Purple Haze owner Paul Stewart said people would have to bring their own cannabis to the cafe because the drug would not be on sale. SSP MSP Frances Curran said she had not smoked cannabis but her party fully supported the cafe and wanted to see cannabis legalised. '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,' she said. 'It's going to come. Why wait another five years? Why not legalise cannabis now and stop another 100,000 young people going through the criminal justice system? It's an absolute nonsense and it would save a fortune in the courts. Lothian and Borders Police said they have warned campaigners that action will be taken against them if they break the law. 'We have spoken to them directly and told them they will be breaking the law,' said a spokesman.
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!