Pubdate: Sat, 04 Apr 1998
Date: 04/04/1998
Source: The Observer (UK)
Author: Alun Buffry

Every year some 80,000 British people are prosecuted for small
cannabis offences; thousands are thrown into prison; tens of thousands
are cautioned.

Every person in Britian is forced to contribute towards the annual
cost of more than 500 million pounds to fight a drugs war which has
long been lost.

The only achievements of prohibition have been the filling of the
courts with otherwise law abiding cannabis users, alienating our
youth, lining the pockets of criminal organisations, opening a gateway
to hard drugs, and prolonging the suffering of sick people who benefit
from cannabis.

More than 16,000 people marched in London. It was a great day with no
trouble or strife. I was there and the Observer (news, last week)
reflected nothing of the spirit of freedom with which even the police
co-operated!

Alun Buffry
Norwich