Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: East Anglian Daily Times (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Eastern Counties Newspapers Group Ltd
Contact:  http://www.eadt.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/913
Source: East Anglian Daily Times, [UK]
Pub Date: 11 July 2002
Subj: UK: Campaigner believes plant can benefit health
Author: Katey Edwards
Contact:  Legalise Cannabis Alliance - http://www.lca-uk.org

CAMPAIGNER BELIEVES PLANT CAN BENEFIT HEALTH

CANNABIS cafes would see an end to confusion over the dope debate once and 
for all, claims Don Barnard, an executive member of the Legalise Cannabis 
Alliance. Don, of Braintree in Essex, who was given 50 hours community 
service for growing cannabis plants in his garden in 1994, wants to see the 
drug brought within the law.

He claimed the plant helped relieve his wife's arthritis and his own 
persistent back pain. He would like to see greater recognition of its 
potential health benefits.

In 1999 he helped form the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, a registered UK 
political party, to force the issue of legalisation in British politics. In 
January this year, he stood for election for Braintree District Council 
west ward, winning just 19 votes (1.1%) to Labour's 671. It would seem the 
Braintree electorate are not quite ready for Dutch-style cannabis cafes. 
Don is suspicious of yesterday's announcement of the Government's intention 
to downgrade cannabis to a low risk category class C, making possessing 
small amounts or smoking it in private a non-arrestable offence.

The move falls short of decriminalisation or legalisation, leaving users 
somewhat confused. Don, 60, believes the Government is not laying all its 
cards on the table and should open the debate to wider discussion, with 
cannabis users themselves. He said: "Although it may appease a few cannabis 
smokers, we have to be very careful about today's announcement and look not 
at what's been said but how it will work in practice.

There are still some very grey areas.

I don't think we're seeing the whole picture.

"I think it's time the Government put its policy down in black and white 
and local authorities held public meetings for people to give their opinion 
on what they want for their communities.

I'm having difficulty understanding what they're doing at the moment. "We 
want to see a situation where cannabis is regulated and controlled. I don't 
think we would see much change after reclassification except, perhaps, more 
seizures.

Give us our cannabis cafes where people can smoke it legally rather than on 
the streets.

It's a natural progression from the Brixton experiment."

He added that certain issues would have to be addressed such as smoking 
cannabis and driving, and protecting young children from exposure to dope. 
He would support quality controls of the drug and taxation of the 
suppliers' profits.

Cannabis cafes for the over 18s, he argued, could also supply information 
and advice about drugs to users, helping to educate them about the real 
dangers of harder drugs.

Don argues that cannabis is a great pain relief for illnesses such as 
Multiple Sclerosis and his own condition - spondylitis, or arthritis of the 
spine. He said: "I should take strong painkillers but I know that if I 
start taking them now, at a later date, if I am still around I'll need a 
much higher dose. Smoking a joint really does get rid of the pain." Don 
added: "A cannabis user can function normally and think rationally, that's 
the good thing about it. If he wants to get a bit more laid back and let it 
take control, he giggles a lot and reaches for some chocolate but that's as 
bad as it gets."

He does not deny that cannabis can be harmful: "It's a well known fact that 
cannabis can cause problems with those pre-disposed to psychotic 
incidences. If you have a problem with it, stop smoking it. It's as simple 
as that." The official report from the Government's advisory council on 
misuse of drugs (ACMD) in March revealed that the main risk was from 
smoking it, as it has a higher concentration of carcinogens than 
cigarettes. The report also showed the addictive potential of the drug was 
far less than amphetamines, tobacco or alcohol but that it did pose 
significant dangers for those with heart and circulation problems or 
schizophrenia. The study concluded, however, that high use of cannabis in 
society was not associated with major health problems for individuals or 
society.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom