Pubdate: Wed, 01 Nov 2000 Source: Colchester Evening Gazette (UK) Copyright: 2000, Quicksilver Media Contact: 43-44 North Hill, Colchester, Essex CO1 1TZ Fax: 01206 508295 Feedback: http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/scripts/email.asp?section=Email%20The%20Editor Website: http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/ Forum: http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/scripts/bb/bbuser_readandcomment.asp?board=137&area Author: Don Barnard Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1633/a05.html CANNABIS AND THE LAW I ADMIRE Don Quinn for "is bravery in stating his beliefs (We should go Dutch, Postbag October 28) on cannabis. It is a. great pity more elected officials do not follow his example. What does Colchester MP Bob Russell and aspiring politicians have to say and what about Mr Quinn's fellow councillors - they are all remarkably quiet on the subject. That said, I am sure that many Gazette readers would agree with Mr Russell that we should be looking at incremental changes in laws and policies on cannabis rather than sweeping changes that may not be possible in the short to medium term - in principle I am not against this. However, from a practical point, until the law is clarified concerning testing body fluids for recent cannabis use in the workplace, and for impairment while driving, decriminalisation cannot be a serious consideration for the UK. Consider also the problem of people who use hemp seed oil supplements for its health-giving qualities. Hemp seed products test positive for illicit cannabis use. Are health food shops going to put warnings on its hemp seed products? Full legalisation and utilising of the cannabis plant to its full potential is the only way to avoid chaos. I hope this helps Don Quinn to understand why I believe that the Dutch decriminalisation system may not work here. Don Barnard, Legalise Cannabis Alliance, Aetheric Road, Braintree. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk