Terence McKenna talks of the testing on Cannabis
Tuesday 18 December 2007
Saturday 15 December 2007
Thursday 22 November 2007
The L.C.A. Responds To Parliament And The Police
After a meeting called 'Cannabis And Children' followed by the recent call by ACPO, an L.C.A. spokesperson, Mark Palmer, gives his opinion
Tuesday 20 November 2007
Former CoffeeShop Owner On Meridian TV
Chris Baldwin, former Cannabis CoffeeShop Owner joins the panel on 'Am I Bothered' shown last month on Meridian T.V.
Wednesday 14 November 2007
Tuesday 13 November 2007
Contributors wanted!
We are currently looking for people to contribute towards this blog by providing news, stories and articles around Cannabis.
If this is something you are interested in then please leave a comment in this post with your email address or visit the LCA forums and volunteer yourself.
If this is something you are interested in then please leave a comment in this post with your email address or visit the LCA forums and volunteer yourself.
Friday 9 November 2007
Chris Baldwin
Chris Baldwin, born 1950, suffered from severe crippling injury as a child, has shown the courage of a lion in his fight about the repressive cannabis prohibition laws in the UK.
For many years Chris used cannabis to ease the spasms in his legs that his injury caused, get a better nights sleep and ease the pain. Although he felt the law against cannabis and the punishment of users was totally unjust, he, like most of us, did little about changing it.
Then Chris came across a Legalise Cannabis Alliance flier at a Howard Marks gig in his area and realised that he was not alone, there was a serious political party that he could work with.
In 2001, Chris represented the LCA in the General Election, contesting Worthing East and Shoreham and gaining a very impressive 920 votes (2.1%) .
Wanting to more to help the cause, in particular to bring attention to both the general injustice of the law that punishes victimless cannabis users AND interferes with the supply of a highly effective medicinal plant, Chris decided to open a cannabis cafe in his home town, Worthing.
At the front of the premises in Rowlands Road which he leased, Chris opened a shop selling cannabis paraphernalia and magazines, behind which and through a monitored door he opened one of the UK's first cannabis cafes. The shop was called 'Bonchuffa' and the cafe was 'The Quantum Leaf'.
Already there had been two attempts at opening public cannabis cafes in England. The first, 'The Dutch Experience', was opened in Stockport and led to the eventual imprisonment of Colin Davies for three years. The second was "Dutch Experience II' opened in Bournemouth for Jimmy Ward. Jimmy eventually received a suspended sentence.
Yet Chris, on his crutches and through his own pain, pushed on with his plans and made no secret of it, voluntarily going to the police to discuss his venture.
The cafe was so successful that Chris opened a second place, Buddies, on the other side of Worthing.
He also set up The Herb Connection, a source of cannabis for those in urgent medical need.
The story continues through a series of police raids on both cafes. Bongchuffa was closed after the landlord withdrew the lease. Buddies was "voluntarily" shut down after police continued their presence outside, harassing customers and searching them.
Below is a series of newspaper articles, followed by a Court Report of the sentencing of Chris Baldwin to SIX MONTHS of agony in prison. The judge's comments about Chris - his description of him as an "honest" and "sincere" man with a genuine medical need and belief in the use of cannabis in treating pain - a man who was politically motivated, not financially - a man who ran the cafes responsibly - and the judge's "reluctance" that in the interests of law he was forced to give an immediate custodial sentence, demands questions be asked about the obvious conflict between law and justice.
Who will stand up and point the accusing finger at CHRIS? Only those paid by the state to do so.
Here is a statement made by Chris just before his court appearance:
The Cannabis Café Guru (Chris Baldwin):
Pre Sentencing Interview Wednesday 7th January 2004
Chris Baldwin opened Worthing's first Cannabis Café in June 2002, he later acquired a second café, together they ran for over a year. His last cafe closed August? 2003.
Q: "Aims?"
CB: "The coffeeshop had three purposes;
"1: To push the political issue for legalisation.
"2: As a social experiment to prove that cannabis doesn't hurt society and there is a need for coffeeshops.
"3: To subsidise the medical supply to make medical cannabis affordable for patients."
Q: "What spurred the idea into action? "
CB: "Everything - I'd stood for parliament, written letters and articles, attended rallies, protests and meetings. We even went to Stockport to support the coffeeshop and got ourselves busted on purpose.
"The idea was finally spurred into action when I attended a 'coffeeshop course' in Holland. This was a five day course to teach people how to run a 'Dutch-style' coffeeshop. The course was set up and run by experts in the trade. "
Q: "Bongchuffa Headshop and Quantum Leaf Cannabis Café. Why the two names?"
CB: "Bongchuffa was the headshop. Quantum Leaf was the coffeeshop. I wanted to keep both entities separate. Bongchuffa didn't sell cannabis, only cannabis requisites which are completely legal.
"I thought if I kept them separate the law wouldn't be able to touch Bongchuffa. This didn't work, the Bongchuffa stock was all confiscated during a later raid. The police still have all my stock despite the fact that it's legal.
Q: "So the premises were intended as a political hub, was this with the support of the LCA?"
CB: "The LCA were not involved with the financing, setting up or the running of the coffeeshop but they were supportive of our political campaigning. We had LCA collection boxes on the counter so we donated money to them."
Q: "As a social experiment did the cannabis cafes work?"
CB: "Yes - In my opinion they did. Coffeeshops offer adults an alternative to alcohol, this can be valuable to recovering alcoholics.
"We also helped a couple of recovering heroin addicts to stay off the nasty stuff. We offered good quality cannabis instead of the rubbish that's often available.
"The popularity of the place proved there was a need for coffeeshops in Britain. "
Q: "When you say rubbish, what do you mean?"
CB: "Prohibition creates a situation where the product has no 'quality control', so as with alcohol prohibition in the 1920's in the USA. People are forced to buy and consume an inferior and sometimes dangerous product.
"In Britain the most common type of cannabis resin used is known as 'soapbar'. This is a type of hashish that has been adulterated with various nasty things, sometimes dangerous chemicals.
"This results in the ridiculous situation that a law created to protect people actually does them more harm than good.
Q: "These different varieties of cannabis, do they have different effects?"
CB: "Yes - We offered a variety of weeds and hashes.
"Some people like to smoke strong weed like 'Skunk', while others prefer something milder like 'Thai' or 'Swazi'. Some preferred hash to weed.
"Pub's offer a choice of drinks because that's what people want and the cannabis trade is no different."
Q:" So can different varieties help medical users in different ways?"
CB: "Yes, to a degree but it's more a case of some types of cannabis are better at dealing with pain and spasms."
Q: "How did you subsidise medical supply, what supply?"
CB:" We had been supplying medical cannabis about a year before the coffeeshop, our problem was the price.
"Cannabis is expensive and some patients just couldn't afford it so coffeeshop profits subsidised the medical supply.
"We actually sold medical cannabis for less than we paid for it, this was only possible with the coffeeshop continuing to run."
Q: "You attempted to set up a controlled environment with quality cannabis; did the criminal element of our society appreciate this?"
CB: "Some criminals like to smoke decent pot and some like to sell dodgy pot.
"We did receive threats from some 'soapbar' dealers but we were printing and giving away 'anti-soapbar' leaflets so I suppose we did annoy them a bit."
Q: "So you had threats from villains, you must've had pressure from the police as well?"
CB: "No, we had very little contact with the police in the beginning.
"Just after we opened two uniformed cops came in and had a look. There wasn't much going on at the time apart from Alan the artist was rolling a joint in the corner and a couple of bongs on a table so they went away, apparently happy."
Q: "You sound quite relaxed about it all now, but you were busted after 5 months, the pressure must have been intense?"
CB: "The pressure of not getting busted was massive.
"We opened day after day expecting the cops to turn up and bust us every day. When it finally happened it was quite a relief.
"It was what we fully expected to happen but we expected it sooner. What did the other shopkeepers and local inhabitants think, were you accused of lowering the neighborhood?
"Most of the other shopkeepers warmed to us straight away. We were polite, friendly and helpful but most of all we brought lots of people to the area and that meant more trade for them.
"Some didn't like us but we were doing something a bit radical, so there's bound to be some critics. As far as lowering the tone of the area, our shop was so beautifully painted that other shops started to get new coats of paint. I think we brightened up the area rather than lowering it."
Q: "What is the feeling amongst the founders of Quantum Leaf and Bongchuffa?"
CB: "Pride, we were all very proud of what we'd achieved.
"After a while the place was looking good and feeling good. It was working just the way we'd hoped."
Q: "Finally, would you do it again?"
CB: "Yes but not in the same way.
"We were a bit too open about what we were doing and I'm not sure society was ready for that sort of smack in the face.
"The smack in the face was totally intentional and necessary.
"Britain needs coffeeshops, I am convinced of that.
"Now it's just a matter of convincing the 'anti-cannabis' brigade.
"Attitudes to cannabis have changed massively in the last thirty years and this will continue. The 'anti-cannabis' brigade will one day go the same way as the dinosaurs.
"One thing I am certain of is that cannabis prohibition will one day be repealed."
Sam Sage
http://www.ccguide.org.uk/chrisbaldwin.php
For many years Chris used cannabis to ease the spasms in his legs that his injury caused, get a better nights sleep and ease the pain. Although he felt the law against cannabis and the punishment of users was totally unjust, he, like most of us, did little about changing it.
Then Chris came across a Legalise Cannabis Alliance flier at a Howard Marks gig in his area and realised that he was not alone, there was a serious political party that he could work with.
In 2001, Chris represented the LCA in the General Election, contesting Worthing East and Shoreham and gaining a very impressive 920 votes (2.1%) .
Wanting to more to help the cause, in particular to bring attention to both the general injustice of the law that punishes victimless cannabis users AND interferes with the supply of a highly effective medicinal plant, Chris decided to open a cannabis cafe in his home town, Worthing.
At the front of the premises in Rowlands Road which he leased, Chris opened a shop selling cannabis paraphernalia and magazines, behind which and through a monitored door he opened one of the UK's first cannabis cafes. The shop was called 'Bonchuffa' and the cafe was 'The Quantum Leaf'.
Already there had been two attempts at opening public cannabis cafes in England. The first, 'The Dutch Experience', was opened in Stockport and led to the eventual imprisonment of Colin Davies for three years. The second was "Dutch Experience II' opened in Bournemouth for Jimmy Ward. Jimmy eventually received a suspended sentence.
Yet Chris, on his crutches and through his own pain, pushed on with his plans and made no secret of it, voluntarily going to the police to discuss his venture.
The cafe was so successful that Chris opened a second place, Buddies, on the other side of Worthing.
He also set up The Herb Connection, a source of cannabis for those in urgent medical need.
The story continues through a series of police raids on both cafes. Bongchuffa was closed after the landlord withdrew the lease. Buddies was "voluntarily" shut down after police continued their presence outside, harassing customers and searching them.
Below is a series of newspaper articles, followed by a Court Report of the sentencing of Chris Baldwin to SIX MONTHS of agony in prison. The judge's comments about Chris - his description of him as an "honest" and "sincere" man with a genuine medical need and belief in the use of cannabis in treating pain - a man who was politically motivated, not financially - a man who ran the cafes responsibly - and the judge's "reluctance" that in the interests of law he was forced to give an immediate custodial sentence, demands questions be asked about the obvious conflict between law and justice.
Who will stand up and point the accusing finger at CHRIS? Only those paid by the state to do so.
Here is a statement made by Chris just before his court appearance:
The Cannabis Café Guru (Chris Baldwin):
Pre Sentencing Interview Wednesday 7th January 2004
Chris Baldwin opened Worthing's first Cannabis Café in June 2002, he later acquired a second café, together they ran for over a year. His last cafe closed August? 2003.
Q: "Aims?"
CB: "The coffeeshop had three purposes;
"1: To push the political issue for legalisation.
"2: As a social experiment to prove that cannabis doesn't hurt society and there is a need for coffeeshops.
"3: To subsidise the medical supply to make medical cannabis affordable for patients."
Q: "What spurred the idea into action? "
CB: "Everything - I'd stood for parliament, written letters and articles, attended rallies, protests and meetings. We even went to Stockport to support the coffeeshop and got ourselves busted on purpose.
"The idea was finally spurred into action when I attended a 'coffeeshop course' in Holland. This was a five day course to teach people how to run a 'Dutch-style' coffeeshop. The course was set up and run by experts in the trade. "
Q: "Bongchuffa Headshop and Quantum Leaf Cannabis Café. Why the two names?"
CB: "Bongchuffa was the headshop. Quantum Leaf was the coffeeshop. I wanted to keep both entities separate. Bongchuffa didn't sell cannabis, only cannabis requisites which are completely legal.
"I thought if I kept them separate the law wouldn't be able to touch Bongchuffa. This didn't work, the Bongchuffa stock was all confiscated during a later raid. The police still have all my stock despite the fact that it's legal.
Q: "So the premises were intended as a political hub, was this with the support of the LCA?"
CB: "The LCA were not involved with the financing, setting up or the running of the coffeeshop but they were supportive of our political campaigning. We had LCA collection boxes on the counter so we donated money to them."
Q: "As a social experiment did the cannabis cafes work?"
CB: "Yes - In my opinion they did. Coffeeshops offer adults an alternative to alcohol, this can be valuable to recovering alcoholics.
"We also helped a couple of recovering heroin addicts to stay off the nasty stuff. We offered good quality cannabis instead of the rubbish that's often available.
"The popularity of the place proved there was a need for coffeeshops in Britain. "
Q: "When you say rubbish, what do you mean?"
CB: "Prohibition creates a situation where the product has no 'quality control', so as with alcohol prohibition in the 1920's in the USA. People are forced to buy and consume an inferior and sometimes dangerous product.
"In Britain the most common type of cannabis resin used is known as 'soapbar'. This is a type of hashish that has been adulterated with various nasty things, sometimes dangerous chemicals.
"This results in the ridiculous situation that a law created to protect people actually does them more harm than good.
Q: "These different varieties of cannabis, do they have different effects?"
CB: "Yes - We offered a variety of weeds and hashes.
"Some people like to smoke strong weed like 'Skunk', while others prefer something milder like 'Thai' or 'Swazi'. Some preferred hash to weed.
"Pub's offer a choice of drinks because that's what people want and the cannabis trade is no different."
Q:" So can different varieties help medical users in different ways?"
CB: "Yes, to a degree but it's more a case of some types of cannabis are better at dealing with pain and spasms."
Q: "How did you subsidise medical supply, what supply?"
CB:" We had been supplying medical cannabis about a year before the coffeeshop, our problem was the price.
"Cannabis is expensive and some patients just couldn't afford it so coffeeshop profits subsidised the medical supply.
"We actually sold medical cannabis for less than we paid for it, this was only possible with the coffeeshop continuing to run."
Q: "You attempted to set up a controlled environment with quality cannabis; did the criminal element of our society appreciate this?"
CB: "Some criminals like to smoke decent pot and some like to sell dodgy pot.
"We did receive threats from some 'soapbar' dealers but we were printing and giving away 'anti-soapbar' leaflets so I suppose we did annoy them a bit."
Q: "So you had threats from villains, you must've had pressure from the police as well?"
CB: "No, we had very little contact with the police in the beginning.
"Just after we opened two uniformed cops came in and had a look. There wasn't much going on at the time apart from Alan the artist was rolling a joint in the corner and a couple of bongs on a table so they went away, apparently happy."
Q: "You sound quite relaxed about it all now, but you were busted after 5 months, the pressure must have been intense?"
CB: "The pressure of not getting busted was massive.
"We opened day after day expecting the cops to turn up and bust us every day. When it finally happened it was quite a relief.
"It was what we fully expected to happen but we expected it sooner. What did the other shopkeepers and local inhabitants think, were you accused of lowering the neighborhood?
"Most of the other shopkeepers warmed to us straight away. We were polite, friendly and helpful but most of all we brought lots of people to the area and that meant more trade for them.
"Some didn't like us but we were doing something a bit radical, so there's bound to be some critics. As far as lowering the tone of the area, our shop was so beautifully painted that other shops started to get new coats of paint. I think we brightened up the area rather than lowering it."
Q: "What is the feeling amongst the founders of Quantum Leaf and Bongchuffa?"
CB: "Pride, we were all very proud of what we'd achieved.
"After a while the place was looking good and feeling good. It was working just the way we'd hoped."
Q: "Finally, would you do it again?"
CB: "Yes but not in the same way.
"We were a bit too open about what we were doing and I'm not sure society was ready for that sort of smack in the face.
"The smack in the face was totally intentional and necessary.
"Britain needs coffeeshops, I am convinced of that.
"Now it's just a matter of convincing the 'anti-cannabis' brigade.
"Attitudes to cannabis have changed massively in the last thirty years and this will continue. The 'anti-cannabis' brigade will one day go the same way as the dinosaurs.
"One thing I am certain of is that cannabis prohibition will one day be repealed."
Sam Sage
http://www.ccguide.org.uk/chrisbaldwin.php
Sunday 4 November 2007
Saturday 3 November 2007
Cannabis and Children.
Last Week there was a meeting about Cannabis and Children. 6 LCA members went along to this venue, which had about 70 people.
After sitting and listening for about 2 hours, and the misinformation( some would call it lies) based on the Cannabis Gateway theory ( Cannabis leading to Heroin, Cocaine, amphetamine, LSD, Ketamine, DMT, etc).
I put my hand up, announced I was from the LCA, (which seemed to send a shock around the room) I said that I thought this meeting ( cannabis and children) was a red herring, as the most dangerous drugs for children was being ignored, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, the real gateway drugs, these kill, unlike cannabis, which has no overdose levels.
I wasn't applauded.
However I'm sure I was listened to.
After sitting and listening for about 2 hours, and the misinformation( some would call it lies) based on the Cannabis Gateway theory ( Cannabis leading to Heroin, Cocaine, amphetamine, LSD, Ketamine, DMT, etc).
I put my hand up, announced I was from the LCA, (which seemed to send a shock around the room) I said that I thought this meeting ( cannabis and children) was a red herring, as the most dangerous drugs for children was being ignored, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, the real gateway drugs, these kill, unlike cannabis, which has no overdose levels.
I wasn't applauded.
However I'm sure I was listened to.
Sunday 28 October 2007
Saturday 27 October 2007
A Second Fatal Casualty In The Drug War
By The Associated Press
MISSOULA - A Missoula woman who was an outspoken advocate for the medical use of marijuana has committed suicide.
Robin Prosser, who went on a 60-day hunger strike in 2002 to raise awareness of the issue and campaigned for Montana's medical marijuana law in 2004, died Oct. 18, said Tom Daubert with Patients and Families United, a support group for patients who use medical marijuana.
The Montana Medical Marijuana Act, passed in November 2004, allows patients to use marijuana if they suffer from diseases like cancer, glaucoma and HIV, or if they have chronic pain. Those who are prescribed medical marijuana can grow their own or designate a caregiver to grow or obtain marijuana for them.
In late March, a package containing less than an ounce of marijuana that a caregiver shipped to Prosser by UPS was seized by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, even though the agency verified that Prosser and her caregiver were registered.
*
Prosser said marijuana was the only thing that eased the pain caused by a lupus-related autoimmune disorder.
In July, The Billings Gazette ran a guest opinion written by Prosser. "I feel immensely let down. I have no safety, no protection, no help to survive in a little less pain," she wrote.
"Maybe the next campaign ought to be for assisted-suicide laws in our state. If they will not allow me to live in peace, and a little less pain, would they help me die humanely?"
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WuxHvCDdNzc
MISSOULA - A Missoula woman who was an outspoken advocate for the medical use of marijuana has committed suicide.
Robin Prosser, who went on a 60-day hunger strike in 2002 to raise awareness of the issue and campaigned for Montana's medical marijuana law in 2004, died Oct. 18, said Tom Daubert with Patients and Families United, a support group for patients who use medical marijuana.
The Montana Medical Marijuana Act, passed in November 2004, allows patients to use marijuana if they suffer from diseases like cancer, glaucoma and HIV, or if they have chronic pain. Those who are prescribed medical marijuana can grow their own or designate a caregiver to grow or obtain marijuana for them.
In late March, a package containing less than an ounce of marijuana that a caregiver shipped to Prosser by UPS was seized by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, even though the agency verified that Prosser and her caregiver were registered.
*
Prosser said marijuana was the only thing that eased the pain caused by a lupus-related autoimmune disorder.
In July, The Billings Gazette ran a guest opinion written by Prosser. "I feel immensely let down. I have no safety, no protection, no help to survive in a little less pain," she wrote.
"Maybe the next campaign ought to be for assisted-suicide laws in our state. If they will not allow me to live in peace, and a little less pain, would they help me die humanely?"
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WuxHvCDdNzc
Friday 26 October 2007
Latest Hero Killed In The Drug War
EURODRUG - INFORMATION LIST OF THE EUROPEAN COALITION FOR JUST AND EFFECTIVE
DRUG POLICIES
Dear friends,
This message came today from Enrico Fletzer from Italy:
Perugia-Italy 12-23 October 2007
.............
On Friday 12th of October Aldo Bianzino, a 44 years old man living
with his companion Roberta in Umbria, in the center of Italy, got
arrested because of a small cannabis plantation. According to the
report of Emanuele Giordana and Tiziana Guerrisi of /Lettera 22/ , an
Italian association of free journalists, they are taken to Perugia and
then to the prison.
On Saturday the lawyer on charge meets Aldo at 2.00 pm and tells
Roberta that Bianzino is well and he’s worried about her. But on the
next morning, Daniela a friend, is told to hurry to the jail. ”There
is a problem “ they tell her. The problem is that Aldo does not
breathe anymore and Roberta, visibly under shock, can not even see the
body. The clinical studies (ongoing) begin to confirm, some days
later, what everybody in the small community of friends of Aldo and
Roberta already fear.
According to the rumours there are massive brain and belly injuries,
maybe a couple of broken ribs , even though the body did not show
blood signs and bruises . “there is enough to last the first hasty
lecture of the death, caused by a heart trouble. The story of Aldo
Bianzino has contours that are obscure, to say it mildly, and the
attorney of Perugia has decided to open an inquiry entrusted to the
judge Giuseppe Petrazzini, responsible of the investigation that led
to the arrest of Aldo and Roberta.
Everything has started ten days ago.Aldo and Roberta are at Capanne,
a hamlet of Pietralunga, not far from Città di Castello (Perugia), as
the mobile squad arrests himand takes him to jail in Perugia with the
accusation of illegal detention of drugs. Heavy allegations : they
talk about 110 small plants and 15 envelops containing grass.
Revelations that leave incredulous every single person who knew Aldo
since a long time and _don’t believe that Aldo would cultivate hashish
to then resell it_ (sic!). Bianzino would have to meet the judge that
makes the inquiry on the next Monday 15 october for the confirmation
of the arrest. But at the appointment with the judge he does not come.
And it is not clear if in the cell he was alone or with another
convict.” Officially he was alone-says lawyer Massimo Zaganelli-
because the procedure requires isolation before the meeting with the
gip ( judge)”. On the health of the two investigated persons at the
moment of arrest Mr.Zaganelli has no doubt:” They were taken to the
jail in perfect health and during the trip no hair was torn to them”.
The doubts start later:” According to what we know death is to be
attributed to a not accidental trauma.” The lawyer continues to be
cautious:” It is not good in these case to make two plus two is four -
we are fully confident in the work of the magistrates.”
DRUG POLICIES
Dear friends,
This message came today from Enrico Fletzer from Italy:
Perugia-Italy 12-23 October 2007
.............
On Friday 12th of October Aldo Bianzino, a 44 years old man living
with his companion Roberta in Umbria, in the center of Italy, got
arrested because of a small cannabis plantation. According to the
report of Emanuele Giordana and Tiziana Guerrisi of /Lettera 22/ , an
Italian association of free journalists, they are taken to Perugia and
then to the prison.
On Saturday the lawyer on charge meets Aldo at 2.00 pm and tells
Roberta that Bianzino is well and he’s worried about her. But on the
next morning, Daniela a friend, is told to hurry to the jail. ”There
is a problem “ they tell her. The problem is that Aldo does not
breathe anymore and Roberta, visibly under shock, can not even see the
body. The clinical studies (ongoing) begin to confirm, some days
later, what everybody in the small community of friends of Aldo and
Roberta already fear.
According to the rumours there are massive brain and belly injuries,
maybe a couple of broken ribs , even though the body did not show
blood signs and bruises . “there is enough to last the first hasty
lecture of the death, caused by a heart trouble. The story of Aldo
Bianzino has contours that are obscure, to say it mildly, and the
attorney of Perugia has decided to open an inquiry entrusted to the
judge Giuseppe Petrazzini, responsible of the investigation that led
to the arrest of Aldo and Roberta.
Everything has started ten days ago.Aldo and Roberta are at Capanne,
a hamlet of Pietralunga, not far from Città di Castello (Perugia), as
the mobile squad arrests himand takes him to jail in Perugia with the
accusation of illegal detention of drugs. Heavy allegations : they
talk about 110 small plants and 15 envelops containing grass.
Revelations that leave incredulous every single person who knew Aldo
since a long time and _don’t believe that Aldo would cultivate hashish
to then resell it_ (sic!). Bianzino would have to meet the judge that
makes the inquiry on the next Monday 15 october for the confirmation
of the arrest. But at the appointment with the judge he does not come.
And it is not clear if in the cell he was alone or with another
convict.” Officially he was alone-says lawyer Massimo Zaganelli-
because the procedure requires isolation before the meeting with the
gip ( judge)”. On the health of the two investigated persons at the
moment of arrest Mr.Zaganelli has no doubt:” They were taken to the
jail in perfect health and during the trip no hair was torn to them”.
The doubts start later:” According to what we know death is to be
attributed to a not accidental trauma.” The lawyer continues to be
cautious:” It is not good in these case to make two plus two is four -
we are fully confident in the work of the magistrates.”
Monday 22 October 2007
Thursday 18 October 2007
The Law Agrees With The L.C.A.
Here are some figures in authority who seem to agree with the Legalise Cannabis Alliance
Tuesday 16 October 2007
Former Prisons Inspector Backs Call To Legalise Drugs
Former prisons inspector backs call to legalise drugs
By Nigel Morris, Home Affairs Correspondent
Published: 16 October 2007
A senior police officer's call for the legalisation of all drugs, including heroin, has been backed by a former chief inspector of prisons.
Lord Ramsbotham argued that the huge number of people in jail with a drug problem proved that current policy, based on "prohibition", was not working.
Richard Brunstrom, the Chief Constable of North Wales, provoked controversy after he said the "war on drugs" could not be won and should be replaced with a radical new approach.
Lord Ramsbotham said: "The present regime has failed in every way. If you look at prohibition of alcohol in the US, it failed. The Chief Constable's suggestions must be considered seriously. We've got to stop the dealers who cause so much misery for society."
He added: "I used to reckon that 80 per cent of those people received into prison were misusing a substance of some kind when they came in. The amount of acquisitive crime connected to drug abuse is immense. That is why there needs to be a new approach."
The North Wales Police Authority gave Mr Brunstrom the go-ahead yesterday to submit a report to Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, calling for a review of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act, which is the basis for the current "ABC" classification system, for legalisation and for hard drugs to be available on prescription.
John Anderson, an authority member, backed Mr Brunstrom's recommendations but warned they had little chance of being implemented. He said: "We are up against politicians with knee-jerk reactions and who are unburdened by the facts. The other thing we are up against is, there are no votes in it."
Leanne Wood, a Plaid Cymru member of the Welsh Assembly and a former probation officer, said the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was "not fit for purpose" and Mr Brunstrom was right to raise the issue. She said: "I've seen how people are just recycled through the system. They go to prison, they come out of prison, they end up continuing using drugs and continuing breaking the law, and that has to change."
Mr Brunstrom denied yesterday that he was proposing an "anarchic free-for-all". He said his report was not a "crusade or proactive" but a response based on a degree of radicalism". Current policy was "irrational, illogical, hypocritical and doesn't work".
The Home Office made clear that it had no intention of implementing Mr Brunstrom's proposals.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3063804.ece
By Nigel Morris, Home Affairs Correspondent
Published: 16 October 2007
A senior police officer's call for the legalisation of all drugs, including heroin, has been backed by a former chief inspector of prisons.
Lord Ramsbotham argued that the huge number of people in jail with a drug problem proved that current policy, based on "prohibition", was not working.
Richard Brunstrom, the Chief Constable of North Wales, provoked controversy after he said the "war on drugs" could not be won and should be replaced with a radical new approach.
Lord Ramsbotham said: "The present regime has failed in every way. If you look at prohibition of alcohol in the US, it failed. The Chief Constable's suggestions must be considered seriously. We've got to stop the dealers who cause so much misery for society."
He added: "I used to reckon that 80 per cent of those people received into prison were misusing a substance of some kind when they came in. The amount of acquisitive crime connected to drug abuse is immense. That is why there needs to be a new approach."
The North Wales Police Authority gave Mr Brunstrom the go-ahead yesterday to submit a report to Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, calling for a review of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act, which is the basis for the current "ABC" classification system, for legalisation and for hard drugs to be available on prescription.
John Anderson, an authority member, backed Mr Brunstrom's recommendations but warned they had little chance of being implemented. He said: "We are up against politicians with knee-jerk reactions and who are unburdened by the facts. The other thing we are up against is, there are no votes in it."
Leanne Wood, a Plaid Cymru member of the Welsh Assembly and a former probation officer, said the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was "not fit for purpose" and Mr Brunstrom was right to raise the issue. She said: "I've seen how people are just recycled through the system. They go to prison, they come out of prison, they end up continuing using drugs and continuing breaking the law, and that has to change."
Mr Brunstrom denied yesterday that he was proposing an "anarchic free-for-all". He said his report was not a "crusade or proactive" but a response based on a degree of radicalism". Current policy was "irrational, illogical, hypocritical and doesn't work".
The Home Office made clear that it had no intention of implementing Mr Brunstrom's proposals.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3063804.ece
Monday 15 October 2007
Legalise All Drugs:Chief Constable Demands
Legalise all drugs: chief constable demands end to 'immoral laws'
By Jonathan Brown and David Langton
Published: 15 October 2007
One of Britain's most senior police officers is to call for all drugs – including heroin and cocaine – to be legalised and urges the Government to declare an end to the "failed" war on illegal narcotics.
Richard Brunstrom, the Chief Constable of North Wales, advocates an end to UK drug policy based on "prohibition". His comments come as the Home Office this week ends the process of gathering expert advice looking at the next 10 years of strategy.
In his radical analysis, which he will present to the North Wales Police Authority today, Mr Brunstrom points out that illegal drugs are now cheaper and more plentiful than ever before.
The number of users has soared while drug-related crime is rising with narcotics now supporting a worldwide business empire second only in value to oil. "If policy on drugs is in future to be pragmatic not moralistic, driven by ethics not dogma, then the current prohibitionist stance will have to be swept away as both unworkable and immoral, to be replaced with an evidence-based unified system (specifically including tobacco and alcohol) aimed at minimisation of harms to society," he will say.
The demand will not find favour in Downing Street. In his conference speech this year, Gordon Brown signalled an intensification of the existing battle. "We will send out a clear message that drugs are never going to be decriminalised," the Prime Minister told the party.
The Tories also rejected the proposals. David Davis, the shadow Home Secretary, said a more effective move would be the creation of a UK border police force to stop drugs getting into the country as well as expanding rehabilitation centres. He added: "We would put police on the streets to catch and deter drug dealers and we would ensure sufficient prison capacity so they could actually be punished."
Mr Brunstrom, whose championing of speed cameras has made him a hate figure among some motoring groups, also found his suggestion that the war on drugs was unwinnable dismissed as a "counsel of despair" by the Association of Chief Police Officers. "Moving to total legalisation would, in our view, greatly exacerbate the harm to people in this country, not reduce it," an Acpo spokeswoman said.
But the 30-page report, entitled Drugs Policy – a radical look ahead, includes a number of persuasive voices. Today Mr Brunstrom will urge his colleagues to submit the paper to Westminster and the Welsh Assembly. In it, he quotes the findings in March this year of a Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts commission, which stated that "the law as it stands is not fit for purpose" and argues for the replacement of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act with a new Misuse of Substances Act.
That would mean scrapping the ABC system introduced by the home secretary James Callaghan with a new scale that assesses substances, including alcohol and tobacco, in relation to the harm they cause – although he admits banning booze and cigarettes is not likely.
But he notes that figures from the Chief Medical Officer have found that, in Scotland, 13,000 people died from tobacco-related use in 2004 while 2,052 died as a result of alcohol. Illegal drugs, meanwhile, accounted for 356 deaths. The maximum penalty for possessing a class A drug is 14 years in prison while supplying it carries a life term.
Mr Brunstrom indicates that there is a growing mood for change. He cites the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology, which criticised the Government for failing to switch to an evidence-based policy approach. The report also includes quotes from former home secretary John Reid, admitting "prohibition" doesn't work, and the Olympics minister, Tessa Jowell, conceding "it drives the activity underground" . There is also supportive evidence from former Chief Inspector of Prisons Lord Ramsbotham, a retired High Court judge, and Scotland's Drug Tsar, Tom Wood.
As well as hitting the country hard in economic terms – class A drug use in England and Wales costs the country up to £17bn a year, 90 per cent of which is due to crime – there are also a series of socially damaging knock-on effects, he says.
He argues that prohibition has created a crisis in the criminal justice system, destabilised producer countries and undermined human rights worldwide. By pursuing a policy of legalisation and regulation, he concludes, the Government will "dramatically reduce drug-related criminality and will enable significant funds to be transferred from law enforcement to harm reduction and treatment procedures that are known to work."
There was a mixed response from groups that work with users. Danny Kushlick, a director of the charity Transform Drug Policy Foundation, praised Mr Brunstrom for his "great leadership and imagination". But Clare McNeil, a policy officer for Addaction, said talk of legalisation distracted attention from the more important issue of rehabilitation. "We have some sympathy with his views and the reasons and why he believes this but we are not in favour of legalisation," she said.
Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said it was " significant" that a senior police officer had spoken out although he too thought the police chief's views went too far. "Where he is absolutely right is that the Government's drugs policy is failing and failing spectacularly. The refusal of the Government to think radically means we are letting thousands of young boys and girls down.
"I am not persuaded that full legalisation is the way forward but what is necessary is that a more logical and evidence-based approach is needed which is less susceptible to whims of individual home secretaries ... The system does not work as it is."
The Chief Constable's verdict
* British drugs policy has been based upon prohibition for the last several decades – but this system has not worked well. Illegal drugs are in plentiful supply and have become consistently cheaper in real terms over the years.
* The number of drug users has increased dramatically. Drug-related crime has soared equally sharply as a direct consequence of the illegality of some drugs. The vast profits from illegal trading have supported a massive rise in organised crime.
* The ABC classification of drugs is said by the RSA Commission to be indefensible and is described as "crude, ineffective, riddled with anomalies and open to political manipulation". Most importantly, the current ABC system illogically excludes both alcohol and tobacco.
* Mr Brunstrom says: "If policy on drugs is in the future to be pragmatic not moralistic, driven by ethics not dogma, then the current prohibitionist stance will have to be swept away as both unworkable and immoral. Such a strategy leads inevitably to the legalisation and regulation of all drugs."
* The chief constable asserts that current British drugs policy is based upon an unwinnable "war on drugs" enshrined in a flawed understanding of the underlying United Nations conventions, and arising from a wholly outdated and thoroughly repugnant moralistic stance.
* He concludes: "The law is the law. In the meantime, I will continue to enforce it to the best of my ability despite my misgivings about its moral and practical worth."
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3061121.ece
By Jonathan Brown and David Langton
Published: 15 October 2007
One of Britain's most senior police officers is to call for all drugs – including heroin and cocaine – to be legalised and urges the Government to declare an end to the "failed" war on illegal narcotics.
Richard Brunstrom, the Chief Constable of North Wales, advocates an end to UK drug policy based on "prohibition". His comments come as the Home Office this week ends the process of gathering expert advice looking at the next 10 years of strategy.
In his radical analysis, which he will present to the North Wales Police Authority today, Mr Brunstrom points out that illegal drugs are now cheaper and more plentiful than ever before.
The number of users has soared while drug-related crime is rising with narcotics now supporting a worldwide business empire second only in value to oil. "If policy on drugs is in future to be pragmatic not moralistic, driven by ethics not dogma, then the current prohibitionist stance will have to be swept away as both unworkable and immoral, to be replaced with an evidence-based unified system (specifically including tobacco and alcohol) aimed at minimisation of harms to society," he will say.
The demand will not find favour in Downing Street. In his conference speech this year, Gordon Brown signalled an intensification of the existing battle. "We will send out a clear message that drugs are never going to be decriminalised," the Prime Minister told the party.
The Tories also rejected the proposals. David Davis, the shadow Home Secretary, said a more effective move would be the creation of a UK border police force to stop drugs getting into the country as well as expanding rehabilitation centres. He added: "We would put police on the streets to catch and deter drug dealers and we would ensure sufficient prison capacity so they could actually be punished."
Mr Brunstrom, whose championing of speed cameras has made him a hate figure among some motoring groups, also found his suggestion that the war on drugs was unwinnable dismissed as a "counsel of despair" by the Association of Chief Police Officers. "Moving to total legalisation would, in our view, greatly exacerbate the harm to people in this country, not reduce it," an Acpo spokeswoman said.
But the 30-page report, entitled Drugs Policy – a radical look ahead, includes a number of persuasive voices. Today Mr Brunstrom will urge his colleagues to submit the paper to Westminster and the Welsh Assembly. In it, he quotes the findings in March this year of a Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts commission, which stated that "the law as it stands is not fit for purpose" and argues for the replacement of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act with a new Misuse of Substances Act.
That would mean scrapping the ABC system introduced by the home secretary James Callaghan with a new scale that assesses substances, including alcohol and tobacco, in relation to the harm they cause – although he admits banning booze and cigarettes is not likely.
But he notes that figures from the Chief Medical Officer have found that, in Scotland, 13,000 people died from tobacco-related use in 2004 while 2,052 died as a result of alcohol. Illegal drugs, meanwhile, accounted for 356 deaths. The maximum penalty for possessing a class A drug is 14 years in prison while supplying it carries a life term.
Mr Brunstrom indicates that there is a growing mood for change. He cites the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology, which criticised the Government for failing to switch to an evidence-based policy approach. The report also includes quotes from former home secretary John Reid, admitting "prohibition" doesn't work, and the Olympics minister, Tessa Jowell, conceding "it drives the activity underground" . There is also supportive evidence from former Chief Inspector of Prisons Lord Ramsbotham, a retired High Court judge, and Scotland's Drug Tsar, Tom Wood.
As well as hitting the country hard in economic terms – class A drug use in England and Wales costs the country up to £17bn a year, 90 per cent of which is due to crime – there are also a series of socially damaging knock-on effects, he says.
He argues that prohibition has created a crisis in the criminal justice system, destabilised producer countries and undermined human rights worldwide. By pursuing a policy of legalisation and regulation, he concludes, the Government will "dramatically reduce drug-related criminality and will enable significant funds to be transferred from law enforcement to harm reduction and treatment procedures that are known to work."
There was a mixed response from groups that work with users. Danny Kushlick, a director of the charity Transform Drug Policy Foundation, praised Mr Brunstrom for his "great leadership and imagination". But Clare McNeil, a policy officer for Addaction, said talk of legalisation distracted attention from the more important issue of rehabilitation. "We have some sympathy with his views and the reasons and why he believes this but we are not in favour of legalisation," she said.
Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said it was " significant" that a senior police officer had spoken out although he too thought the police chief's views went too far. "Where he is absolutely right is that the Government's drugs policy is failing and failing spectacularly. The refusal of the Government to think radically means we are letting thousands of young boys and girls down.
"I am not persuaded that full legalisation is the way forward but what is necessary is that a more logical and evidence-based approach is needed which is less susceptible to whims of individual home secretaries ... The system does not work as it is."
The Chief Constable's verdict
* British drugs policy has been based upon prohibition for the last several decades – but this system has not worked well. Illegal drugs are in plentiful supply and have become consistently cheaper in real terms over the years.
* The number of drug users has increased dramatically. Drug-related crime has soared equally sharply as a direct consequence of the illegality of some drugs. The vast profits from illegal trading have supported a massive rise in organised crime.
* The ABC classification of drugs is said by the RSA Commission to be indefensible and is described as "crude, ineffective, riddled with anomalies and open to political manipulation". Most importantly, the current ABC system illogically excludes both alcohol and tobacco.
* Mr Brunstrom says: "If policy on drugs is in the future to be pragmatic not moralistic, driven by ethics not dogma, then the current prohibitionist stance will have to be swept away as both unworkable and immoral. Such a strategy leads inevitably to the legalisation and regulation of all drugs."
* The chief constable asserts that current British drugs policy is based upon an unwinnable "war on drugs" enshrined in a flawed understanding of the underlying United Nations conventions, and arising from a wholly outdated and thoroughly repugnant moralistic stance.
* He concludes: "The law is the law. In the meantime, I will continue to enforce it to the best of my ability despite my misgivings about its moral and practical worth."
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3061121.ece
Sunday 14 October 2007
Friday 12 October 2007
Thursday 11 October 2007
Hash Making In Morrocco
Kif from the Rif. The First of four films on hash making in the Rif Mountains. The following three episodes will follow shortly.
North Wales Police Chief "Legalise All DRugs"
Legalise all drugs - police chief
Press Assoc.
Press Assoc. - Thursday, October 11 09:23 am
Controversial police chief Richard Brunstrom has called for the legalisation and regulation of all drugs in a new report.
(Advertisement)
Mr Brunstrom, the chief constable of North Wales, described the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as "not fit for purpose" and "immoral" and urged its repeal.
Mr Brunstrom, in a report to North Wales police authority, described the current UK drugs strategy as "unwinnable".
He said: "The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 should be repealed and replaced by a new Substance Misuse Act based upon the legalisation and careful regulation of all substances of abuse in one consistent manner."
Press Assoc.
Press Assoc. - Thursday, October 11 09:23 am
Controversial police chief Richard Brunstrom has called for the legalisation and regulation of all drugs in a new report.
(Advertisement)
Mr Brunstrom, the chief constable of North Wales, described the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as "not fit for purpose" and "immoral" and urged its repeal.
Mr Brunstrom, in a report to North Wales police authority, described the current UK drugs strategy as "unwinnable".
He said: "The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 should be repealed and replaced by a new Substance Misuse Act based upon the legalisation and careful regulation of all substances of abuse in one consistent manner."
Sunday 7 October 2007
Saturday 6 October 2007
Purity Check on cannabis?
Well I sit here, wondering why change still hasn't happened in the UK?
Some groups and individuals have been fighting to obtain change for years.
The Legalise Cannabis Campaign was running in the late 70's, and now we have the Legalise Cannabis Alliance.
Although it seems that these days you can attend hemp fairs, dedicated to growing hemp, ( there has been 4 since the first in 2004) The first one in Wembley 2004 and last years in Telford, 2007.
Still despite these events, and the expose of Contaminated grit weed, our goverment will not sanction that you can grow your own without a license from the Home Office.
How do you get one of these? Not so easy, people have tried, and you can try yourself.
Do not hold your breath!
Contaminated Cannabis is not new, this is what we get from lack of controls. ( so much for it being called a controlled drug)
Soap bar is a made up compound or compounds, that may or may not have cannabis in it, this has been shunned on the streets by those in the know, for years, as it may contain other drugs to make you high, not cannabis.
Soap bar has been around since the late 80's, and still is, in various forms, sold cheap in bulk, however its not the golden rule that it stays cheap on the street, as it is often sold as quality hash, to those who don't know, how to tell if good or not.
Black hash, can and has been adulterated by adding oils to increase weight it has been known to add engine oil. whilst cannabis remains illegal, weight is an important variable, and you cannot know whats in it.
It has been said that sand has been added to Cannabis in bud form to increase weight.
This is commonly known as Grit grass.
Cannabis can be obtained in Oil form, this type of cannabis can be upto 40% THC in strength, and has been around for hundreds of years, used by people as a preferential high for many a year now, good if you want a strong smoke , with little effort.
There are various types of cannabis, because of taste, quality, looks, smell.
Cannabis is being used in our society daily, we are not going to stop it!
As a parent, who has realised that the recreational drugs on our existing market, can kill, we all know about Alcohol and Cigarettes being the top killers, however I've just found out that Caffeine, is also a killer, and like the other two, unlike cannabis.
Which gives cannabis the title of the most safest recreation drug going.
Speculation to mental health issues to cannabis, despite nearly 80 years of searching cannabis has never been found to have a link, that may cause any mental illness, is still just pure speculation, with no firm evidence.
So what is our action, as responsible adults in a drug culture, that may be buying contaminated adulterated cannabis ?
Grow your own is the best option! That anyone who looks at the possible costs to health, would advise.
We have links from this site to other sites that will give you a step by step guide to doing this.
Hemp fairs, have become part of our culture, and hemp festivals, are happening all over the world.
With 2.5 to 6 million regular user in the UK, with up to 15 million people who have tried cannabis, we need the right to have good quality.
Small hobbyist grows in the UK are being ignored by certain police forces, although it is a post code lottery, not a certainty.
How do we get real change?
Join the LCA!
Fight for change Now!
http://www.lca-uk.org/join.php
Some groups and individuals have been fighting to obtain change for years.
The Legalise Cannabis Campaign was running in the late 70's, and now we have the Legalise Cannabis Alliance.
Although it seems that these days you can attend hemp fairs, dedicated to growing hemp, ( there has been 4 since the first in 2004) The first one in Wembley 2004 and last years in Telford, 2007.
Still despite these events, and the expose of Contaminated grit weed, our goverment will not sanction that you can grow your own without a license from the Home Office.
How do you get one of these? Not so easy, people have tried, and you can try yourself.
Do not hold your breath!
Contaminated Cannabis is not new, this is what we get from lack of controls. ( so much for it being called a controlled drug)
Soap bar is a made up compound or compounds, that may or may not have cannabis in it, this has been shunned on the streets by those in the know, for years, as it may contain other drugs to make you high, not cannabis.
Soap bar has been around since the late 80's, and still is, in various forms, sold cheap in bulk, however its not the golden rule that it stays cheap on the street, as it is often sold as quality hash, to those who don't know, how to tell if good or not.
Black hash, can and has been adulterated by adding oils to increase weight it has been known to add engine oil. whilst cannabis remains illegal, weight is an important variable, and you cannot know whats in it.
It has been said that sand has been added to Cannabis in bud form to increase weight.
This is commonly known as Grit grass.
Cannabis can be obtained in Oil form, this type of cannabis can be upto 40% THC in strength, and has been around for hundreds of years, used by people as a preferential high for many a year now, good if you want a strong smoke , with little effort.
There are various types of cannabis, because of taste, quality, looks, smell.
Cannabis is being used in our society daily, we are not going to stop it!
As a parent, who has realised that the recreational drugs on our existing market, can kill, we all know about Alcohol and Cigarettes being the top killers, however I've just found out that Caffeine, is also a killer, and like the other two, unlike cannabis.
Which gives cannabis the title of the most safest recreation drug going.
Speculation to mental health issues to cannabis, despite nearly 80 years of searching cannabis has never been found to have a link, that may cause any mental illness, is still just pure speculation, with no firm evidence.
So what is our action, as responsible adults in a drug culture, that may be buying contaminated adulterated cannabis ?
Grow your own is the best option! That anyone who looks at the possible costs to health, would advise.
We have links from this site to other sites that will give you a step by step guide to doing this.
Hemp fairs, have become part of our culture, and hemp festivals, are happening all over the world.
With 2.5 to 6 million regular user in the UK, with up to 15 million people who have tried cannabis, we need the right to have good quality.
Small hobbyist grows in the UK are being ignored by certain police forces, although it is a post code lottery, not a certainty.
How do we get real change?
Join the LCA!
Fight for change Now!
http://www.lca-uk.org/join.php
Friday 5 October 2007
Howard Marks New Tour
After being politely told to leave, I was an obvious Blagger?, I went outside to wait for the rest of my group to arrive.
Standing on the pavement for a few minutes, a car, shabby, and definitely not new, pulled up next to me. A tall, large figure stepped from the car, "Hmm that young man looks familiar, where have I seen him before?" before my memory has time to process this thought, another figure gets out of the car, of course, Patrick and his father Howard, I wait for the phone to become unglued from his ear and present myself to the most infamous smuggler in the world. We shake hands, and his easy manner has me relaxed immediately, and after a short conversation, we turn our seperate ways, Howard to the dressing rooms, me? "Of course sir, here is your ticket, the rest of your party will be along later? thank you."
It was hot and stuffy in the bar, and the fifteen minutes to the show dragged by, people eyeing each other warily as the Toking Community come together to celebrate one of their heroes.
The show opens to a massive musical assault, and Howard Marks steps to the mic. The first words he speaks leave me amazed. I would like to welcome a man who has fought for legalisation......most humble........intellectual........gentle........... the praise went on..... for a man present tonight, Alun Buffrey co founder of the L.C.A.
He told us of his smuggling days in a humorous and endearing way with music, conversation, and wonderful story telling, and of his days as a prisoner of this drug war.
When we returned after the interval, Howard spoke of the famous, or infamous Welsh heroes. He took us to the pub, he took us to glimpse his family, he told us of the Welsh Bob Marley, Pirates, and toads.
He explained how our minds work, the chemicals swilling around our skulls, and what they do. He told us how he set out to find buried treasure, and gave us the wonderful advice, Don't Bother.
He told us about DMT, and how easily available it is in Nature, especially when you are running around the jungles of South America, and he spoke of natures cures.
The show finished with a question and answer session, as candid as was possible.
When the last book had been signed, and everyone had left, we had a good chat, as if we'd all known each other years, well, some of them had. No, the colombian grass wasn't his, and, and yes he was responsible for the sticky('kin stuff just wont get in the joint) red leb that year.
A good show, with a warm intimate atmosphere.
Standing on the pavement for a few minutes, a car, shabby, and definitely not new, pulled up next to me. A tall, large figure stepped from the car, "Hmm that young man looks familiar, where have I seen him before?" before my memory has time to process this thought, another figure gets out of the car, of course, Patrick and his father Howard, I wait for the phone to become unglued from his ear and present myself to the most infamous smuggler in the world. We shake hands, and his easy manner has me relaxed immediately, and after a short conversation, we turn our seperate ways, Howard to the dressing rooms, me? "Of course sir, here is your ticket, the rest of your party will be along later? thank you."
It was hot and stuffy in the bar, and the fifteen minutes to the show dragged by, people eyeing each other warily as the Toking Community come together to celebrate one of their heroes.
The show opens to a massive musical assault, and Howard Marks steps to the mic. The first words he speaks leave me amazed. I would like to welcome a man who has fought for legalisation......most humble........intellectual........gentle........... the praise went on..... for a man present tonight, Alun Buffrey co founder of the L.C.A.
He told us of his smuggling days in a humorous and endearing way with music, conversation, and wonderful story telling, and of his days as a prisoner of this drug war.
When we returned after the interval, Howard spoke of the famous, or infamous Welsh heroes. He took us to the pub, he took us to glimpse his family, he told us of the Welsh Bob Marley, Pirates, and toads.
He explained how our minds work, the chemicals swilling around our skulls, and what they do. He told us how he set out to find buried treasure, and gave us the wonderful advice, Don't Bother.
He told us about DMT, and how easily available it is in Nature, especially when you are running around the jungles of South America, and he spoke of natures cures.
The show finished with a question and answer session, as candid as was possible.
When the last book had been signed, and everyone had left, we had a good chat, as if we'd all known each other years, well, some of them had. No, the colombian grass wasn't his, and, and yes he was responsible for the sticky('kin stuff just wont get in the joint) red leb that year.
A good show, with a warm intimate atmosphere.
Monday 1 October 2007
Sunday 30 September 2007
Howard Marks on Cannabis Re-clasification Video
From Article: Hello my name’s Howard Marks and I’m going to talk about the reclassification of cannabis from class B to class C. Some time ago for rather ridiculous reasons they made drugs illegal...The Independent On Sunday in the late 90s organised a massive legalise cannabis march through London. Now they seem to be thinking maybe the government was wrong in making it fairly OK to smoke it. What I think is at the heart of this issue is a genuine concern of a link, a perceived link between being stoned and Schizophrenia...in many ways there obviously is a link between being stoned and being mad, being off your head...
Recreational Drugs Information
The link below is a no holds barred information sight, you will find Marijuana in the box down the right hand side of the page, as well as an honest, comprehensive guide to all intoxicants from Absinthe to Viagra.
http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/index.htm#top
http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/index.htm#top
Friday 28 September 2007
Join us on Myspace
We now have a Myspace profile which has loads of information on the Legalise Cannabis Alliance if you are on there just add us to your friends list and help us support the fight against prohibition!
Visit us at http://www.myspace.com/cannabis_people_uk
Visit us at http://www.myspace.com/cannabis_people_uk
Soapbar featured in Stoned in Suburbia
This is hardly fresh news but for those that have not seen information on "Soapbar" then this is worth watching, if you are currently smoking Soapbar please read up on this poor quality hash as it can contain many contaminates including rubber, plastic, beeswax, henna and many more.
This video also features Pat Tabram the famous "Cannabis Gran" hear what she says about the nasty Soapbar!
There is also a Soapbar Blog that has been recently setup which contains a lot of information!
This video also features Pat Tabram the famous "Cannabis Gran" hear what she says about the nasty Soapbar!
There is also a Soapbar Blog that has been recently setup which contains a lot of information!
Thursday 27 September 2007
Wednesday 26 September 2007
Tuesday 25 September 2007
Send a letter!
Send a Letter to the Prime Minister and Members of the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs and Support the Campaigning of Cannabis Gran Pat Tabram
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