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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Warning over cannabis cafes
BBC Online Wednesday 04 Feb 2004 The prime minister has been urged not to let drug dealers use the downgrading of cannabis as an opportunity to set up cannabis cafes. The plea from Glasgow Cathcart MP Tom Harris followed arrests last week over alleged drugs offences at Scotland's first cannabis cafe in Edinburgh. Mr Harris told Tony Blair in the Commons that cities like Glasgow needed "more jobs, not more drugs". Cannabis has now been reclassified from a class B to a class C drug. That puts it in the same category as tranquillisers and steroids. The changes mean penalties for possession will be lessened but dealers could face up to 14 years in jail. Mr Harris told the Commons: "A number of drug dealers are using the recent reclassification of cannabis as an opportunity to open up cannabis cafes in various parts of the country - I understand that one is also planned for Glasgow." Criminal offence He asked Mr Blair: "Will you agree with me that what Glasgow needs is more jobs, not more drugs and will you commit the government to using all of its resources to make sure that these cannabis cafes do not proliferate?" Mr Blair replied: "Yes, which is why we've taken action against such cafes and I think it's important that we continue to do so." He added: "The possession of cannabis remains a criminal offence. "The purpose of what we have done recently, however, is to make sure that the police can, where they need to do so, target their main resources and activity on dealing with hard drugs. "But all of these things are important to deal with." On Thursday, three people were charged with allegedly possessing cannabis at the Purple Haze Cafe in Edinburgh. The cafe, a former greasy spoon, was opened as a private members' club. Cafe owner Paul Stewart said that cannabis would not be on sale. However, Mr Stewart said members would be able to use cannabis on the premises. He said the cafe would be "tobacco free" but anyone wishing to take cannabis would be able to use a vaporiser machine, which eliminates 99% of the carcinogenic substances of the drug. Mr Stewart said he wanted to highlight the discrepancy between the way that the reclassification of the drug was being implemented on different sides of the border.
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