10 Feb 2007

Cameron on cannabis?

I had a chat with David Davies at the channel 4 politics awards but I didn't think it would result in this, David Cameron efforts to out flank us on difficult policy continue.

I really thought I had them on Sea Shepherd but the suggestion that David smoked cannabis at school is a new frontier, I only went to a comprehensive and they were too cheap skate to give us cannabis... only at Eton I guess, so I can't honestly compete on this one.

shocking more here

What next is the shadow cabinet going to head for Radley lakes spliff in hand or appear with Paul Watson disrupting the whalers (I would keep a clear head for this chaps and chapesses...you might fall off and have to be rescued from the icy waters or get eaten by giant squid).

More seriously, sad to say the conservatives on Oxfordshire County Council rejected plans to save the radley lakes...

For our decriminalising policies see below. (note cannabis cafes are out because of no smoking in public places)

Short Term Policies

* Re-legalise cannabis without further delay. Dutch 'coffee shops' or ‘pot pubs’ system to be permitted.
* In the short term recreational drugs, such as speed and ecstasy, would be decriminalised.
* No advertising or sponsorship for any drug (alcohol, tobacco or any other).
* Treat heroin addiction as a health issue and not a crime problem.
* We would ensure immediate funding for research into Ibogaine and its ability to interrupt opiate addiction without the withdrawal effects.
* We would also repeal Public Entertainment (Drugs Misuse) Act (the Barry Legg Act) which has held Back to news harm reduction in clubs.


Medium Term Policies

* In the medium term we aim to take the drug trade out of criminal control and made available in a legal environment. The supply and profits of drug use should not remain in criminal hands. The details of how this system should be regulated and licenced will be decided by a Royal Commission, but the supply and profits of drug use should not remain in criminal hands.

* Prohibition does not reduce cannabis use by young people. A study of use of cannabis by 15 year olds= shows that in Holland, 29% have used it. Yet in the UK, 41% of 15 year olds have used cannabis. (Source: Dutch Institute of Health and Addiction, Council of Europe ESPAD Report, 1995 [Last available year.])

2 comments:

peter said...

You say that we no longer support cannabis cafes, but then you mention it is our policy to permit dutch style 'coffee shops' or 'pot pubs'. What's the difference between a cannabis cafe and a pot pub? (sounds like the start of a bad joke involving an awful pun :) )

I was very surprised that our conference voted for an even more illiberal amendment to our policy on smoking - which means we no longer support the freedom of people to smoke what they want in establishments designed for that very purpose.

As a non-smoker, I will be happy for myself when the ban comes into effect. But as somebody who believes in liberty, I am very unhappy about yet another intrusion by the state into what people can and can't do in a private place. - Nobody is forced to patronise or work in a smoke-filled pub - if people don't like it, they can always go to one of the growing numbers of pubs which are non-smoking or have smoke free rooms.

There is the question about working in a healthy environment, but it's simply a hazard of the job, and there are much more hazardous jobs out there.

As long as pub workers are adequately informed of the health risks involved compared to other options open to them, it is then up to them to decide whether it is worth the risk, or if they want to quit or to negotiate with their employer for the pub to go smoke-free.
e.g. my job involves large amounts of time sat on my arse, risking accumulating lard and damaging my eyesight by staring at a monitor - as well as an increased risk of being coughed on by somebody with TB. I've decided though that I accept these risks.

Bodders said...

The proposed destruction of Radley Lakes in Oxfordshire by energy giant RWE npower is one of the scandals of our age. Local communities are fighting to save the site, despite widespread gagging injunctions being served by npower. But as the legal processes churn on, npower has begun to destroy Thrupp Lake. In the last few days it has temporarily halted the destruction for the nesting season. Protesters are now trying to raise the profile of their campaign through a petition on the No 10 website.

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Stop foreign-owned utility companies from ruining the British countryside"

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/SaveRadleyLakes/

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