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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: The Drug Laws That lead to a State of Confusion
Emma Cooney & Tom Bradshaw Bath Chronicle
Tuesday 09 Mar 2004 A shop selling magic mushrooms, cannabis seeds and growing kits exposes the inconsistencies in the drugs laws and throws up a host of questions about the fine line between what is legal and what is not. The shop is totally legal, but could it encourage people to sample cannabis, which is viewed by some as a gateway drug leading to harder substances? Emma Cooney went to investigate The best way to describe it is to try it, said Bob Holland, handing me samples of mind- altering substances in typical drug pusher fashion. But the owner of Bath's novelty shop Appy Daze was not convincing me to try hard drugs, but offering me a hit of laughing gas. Sucking the gas through a party balloon gave me a 30-second head rush, which made me giggle for a few seconds. He also showed me bottles of herbal liquid ecstasy, which he said was the equivalent of taking your first ecstasy pill, and a small tube-shaped container of a derivative of the mint plant, which has intense hallucinogenic qualities. He offered all with the same recommendation: "The best way to describe it is to try it." Most surprisingly of all, was a refrigerator stocked with magic mushrooms for sale at prices ranging from UKP8 to UKP15 in 10g or 15g bags. Some of the mushrooms can provide hallucinogenic experiences lasting for up to ten hours. A huge selection of pipes - or bongs - for "decorating the mantelpiece", a wide range of hemp products, cannabis cultivating kits, including cannabis seeds "for novelty purposes only", and books and videos on how to grow the drug "for information purposes only", are also on sale at the Walcot Street shop. Mr Holland uses legal loopholes to sell cannabis seed, growing kits and magic mushrooms - which are legal as long as they are not dried out. Legalise cannabis campaigner Chris Jones, who has his headquarters in the store and openly promotes cannabis use, agreed the situation was laughable. Mr Jones, 37, was arrested for smoking a hand-rolled cigarette containing cannabis outside No 10 Downing Street last month. It was part of a protest to legalise the drug and he advises people to grow cannabis and smoke it in the safety of their own home. Mr Jones started smoking cannabis when he was 14 and began growing the drug soon after. He is campaigning to become Bath's MP and sees legalising cannabis as a battle for civil liberties and personal choice. His campaign platform is legalise cannabis and utilise it. He said: "If there were coffee shops selling cannabis for recreational use, the trade could be regulated, as could the age of people coming into the premises and the quality of drugs sold - and it would keep dealers out. "Some people do not enjoy the pub lifestyle and their recreational use of cannabis could fund people who need it medicinally, who could be registered as patients." The mind-bending logic of the law states is not illegal to sell cannabis seeds, but it is illegal to grow them. And, despite the law being changed in the past few months, it is still illegal to possess or sell cannabis. Also curious is that magic mushrooms, which grow wild in many parts of the world, can be picked and sold freely if they are fresh, but it is an offence to sell them dried. The Home Office says it is difficult to make something illegal that occurs naturally. Police in Bath are not happy about the shop, which some might say adds to the confusion about the cannabis laws and makes a novelty of a drug that can be harmful. But police officers would be powerless if hordes of 16-year-old children came out of the store with grow kits or bags of hallucinogenic mushrooms. Bath sector inspector Paul Mogg said: "The sale of these items in an unprepared or uncultivated state is not a criminal offence. "We are far from happy with the business in question but there is no action we can take at present. "We will, however, continue to monitor the situation." But Mr Holland is adamant he operates responsibly and will not sell to youngsters in school uniform or to 16 year olds with no clue about what they are buying. He is aggrieved by the inconsistencies in the law, which make alcohol and tobacco, from which hundreds of people die, acceptable, but cannabis, which he argues is less harmful, illegal. He believes cannabis would be safer if legalised, stopping dealers mixing the drug with more harmful substances such as heroin to get smokers hooked. Drug legislation is in place to stop people harming themselves at a cost to society, but critics argue this impinges on personal choice. But for alcohol and tobacco the balance falls the other way. Bath Alcohol and Drugs Advisory Service chief executive Vicki Morris said: "The shop is controversial because it is trying to legitimise something which can be used without any harm involved, but which can get people into problems if they do not have any information on the risks. "There is a lot of confusion around cannabis. Alcohol is legal and causes more people problems than any of the soft and hard drugs put together and with tobacco smoking, hundreds of people die of heart disease and cancer. "All substance use is likely to be harmful if it becomes substance misuse. "Anything can be a gateway drug if people are vulnerable. People need to understand the risks. "BADAS does not endorse people selling drugs because there is room for people to be very irresponsible. "Equally, we would not endorse the sale of drink to people who are very intoxicated." She added: "We do not do a lot of work with people who are using cannabis or magic mushrooms. That is not our standard client base, but people do get into mental health problems with heavy cannabis use. "Cannabis is not just one substance. There are different types of cannabis and long-term use of stronger substances can lead to problems, the same as with alcohol and tobacco." The shop also sells a range of hemp products. Hemp is cannabis grown specifically for industrial use and contains very little tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) - the chemicals that affect the brain. It has virtually no intoxicating effects when consumed. It is illegal to grow hemp without a licence and very few licences are given out. But Mr Holland is able to sell a wide range of hemp products such as fruit bars, teas and fizzy drinks because they do not contain THC. Anyone concerned about drugs, or wanting more information, should contact national drugs helpline FRANK on 0800 776600 or visit www.talktofrank.com . e.cooney@bathchron.co.uk
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