This weed isn’t evil it’s good
Source: News and Star, Carlisle, UK
Pub date: Wednesday August 25, 2004
Subj: Opinion: This weed isn’t evil it’s good
Author: Alun Buffry, Legalise Cannabis Alliance
Web: http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/opinion/viewarticle.aspx?id=127748
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THERE are many reasons why cannabis should be legalised not least that
millions of ordinary people are criminalised for using it.
Court appearances, prison sentences, including those for non-payment of
fines, and press coverage can lead to family break-ups and all the problems
associated with imprisonment. Most of those so-called criminals have no victims
and did no harm.
Juveniles and adults alike become alienated and disillusioned with a law
they cannot comprehend. A law justified by less than credible claims of danger
originating from authorities they see as hypocritical.
Millions also risk their health by consuming cannabis of doubtful purity
because there is no quality control.
No adequate research can be conducted on the therapeutic uses of natural
cannabis. Seriously ill people are prohibited from a beneficial medicine and
risk arrest.
People requiring a relaxant can only choose alcohol, which is far more
dangerous than any amount of cannabis.
The illegal cannabis market mixes it with the supply of hard drugs.
The law invades people’s privacy and prevents them from their pursuit of
happiness, freedom of religious practice and freedom of lifestyle granted under
the United Nations Human Rights Charter.
The government receives no revenue. The ‘criminals’ make all the
profits. Legal cannabis would make the profits taxable.
The industrial uses of cannabis are virtually ignored at great cost to
the environment. The world starves because the seed cannot be legally grown. We
are exhausting fossil fuels and using dangerous radioactive materials to
produce energy and run cars, which could be done by the eco-friendly cannabis
plant.
Factories pump chemicals such as dioxins into our land in order to
produce paper from wood pulp; this could be stopped by using cannabis instead
of trees. The plant is quick-growing, which would help to counteract the
greenhouse effect.
When cannabis biomass fuel is burned, it releases only the carbon
dioxide that it absorbed while growing, unlike fossil fuels.
Alun Buffry is national co-ordinator of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance