Berliners will be available to purchase marijuana and hashish to smoke it quietly in a bar. Germany launches coffee shops.
Thus have decided the rulers of one of the districts of the capital, of
Friedrichshein-Kreuzberg, to end the illegal business and crime
surrounding the illegal use of these substances. The initiative was approved unanimously, after presenting his initiative the mayor of the district, Monika Herrmann, Los Verdes. Was necessary to revolutionize the legal framework prohibiting the sale and possession of soft drugs in the country.
The famous Görlitz, a large and popular park green area has been
turning in time to fill of the neighbors, the largest marketplace for
drugs of the city controlled by the Lebanese mafia and vendors whose
business comes in your most African countries. Now the street has changed skullduggery by approved establishments.
Monika Herrmann called the measure adopted by the district assembly as a
first step towards remedying the failure of prohibition affecting
consumption of marijuana in the country. "The time has come to implement solutions unusual," he said, justifying the idea of opening the famous coffee shops around the park.
Sellers, say, enjoy total impunity in providing drugs to neighboring
park and tourists despite countless raids that made the police at the
scene.
Illegal business controls the Lebanese mafia and neighbors are fed up
According to a Government of Berlin, in the first nine months of the
year, police conducted 113 operations aimed at preventing drug in the
park. Although more than 500 people were arrested and are subject to prosecution, trade continues. The sale of drugs in the Park blossomed last summer, a reality that forced the authorities to take further action. CDU councilors, for example, proposed to strengthen the presence of the police and create controls access to the park. The Greens, however, pushed for a radical change and proposed the opening of coffee shops under strict rules without losing sight of the control of the sale of the drug.
Under the new initiative, which must be approved by the Federal
Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, prospective clients should
prove they are over 18 and local experts who will advise on the possible
harms of drug consumption .
It is still unclear if the initiative of the municipality will succeed
and a spokesman for the Federal Institute for Drugs was not able to give
an opinion. "It's the first time that a similar proposal is made and therefore can not say whether it will be approved or rejected."
But the rulers of the City of Berlin, although Kreuzberg rated the park
as the "epicenter" of the drug trade in the city, believe the area
needs more than a strong police presence and new ideas to the district
sought to stabilize the area and give greater quality of life for
neighbors. "But the idea of coffee shops is not a solution," admitted the head of the Interior, Frank Henkel, in a statement sent to this newspaper. "The trivialization of dangerous drugs does not solve the problem." Monika Herrmann's answer is categorical: "coffee shops should be allowed around Berlin," he said. "Nor should we forget that marijuana could sell the state is of better quality than the illegal"
In an unprecedented turn of events, Sensi Seeds founder Ben Dronkers
was interrupted by High Times security during his seminar at the
Cannabis Cup expo today, as he threw small bags of cannabis into the
audience. Having spoken about the origins of Sensi Seeds and the Dutch cannabis
industry while taking the rapt crowd through a slideshow that was as
much personal as it was professional, Ben underlined the heart of the
culture by instructing the three veiled Sensi maidens beside him to
throw the baggies. The crowd was naturally excited and happy to receive
this bounty, but to everyone’s surprise a High Times security official
emerged from the audience and began hustling the women – one of whom was
Ben’s daughter Shiva – back towards the stage. It took several minutes
for the man, who kept his hood up and head down for the duration of the
incident, to restrain all three from further cannabis distribution. By
this time, Ben realised what was occuring and addressed the crowd and
the man – “there’s no law against sharing cannabis!”
Ben Dronkers daughter, Shiva
Shortly after, the man was removed from the hall without further
incident and Ben continued his talk. Moments later, one of the High
Times organizers interrupted once more to instruct the crowd that they
had to respect the law, and (somewhat strangely) that “this isn’t
America”. Having apologized for the interruption, he left the stage and
Ben was finally able to finish his seminar to a standing ovation. Although Sensi Seeds understands the trepidation of High Times,
especially following the unexpected bust in 2011, each bag, freely
given, contained only one gram of cannabis. Given the stringent security
present on the doors of the venue checking that each person had less
than five grams on them, and virtually everyone in the venue was
consuming, the chance of receiving a bag causing anyone to be over that
limit is scant indeed. Further developments on this story as they occur.
Cannabis legalisation and regulation is now a reality:
Washington State and Colorado will open their first stores selling cannabis for recreational use in January
Spain's
non-profit 'cannabis social clubs' have been operating for some years
and the Netherlands has its longstanding cannabis 'coffee shops'
Uruguay
is set to become the first country in the world to legalise and
regulate cannabis from production through to retail sale, in a historic
senate vote on 4 or 5 December
Transform worked with the Uruguayan Government in developing their state controlled market regulation model
The guide is published in print (and free online as a pdf) on 27 November, in advance of a 10 December launch in the UK House of Commons
The
book is a guide to regulating legal markets for the non-medical use of
cannabis. It is for policy makers, drug policy reform advocates and
affected communities all over the world, who are witnessing the question
change from, 'Should we maintain cannabis prohibition?' to 'How will
legal regulation work in practice?' It will help guide all those
interested in cannabis policy through the key practical challenges to
developing and implementing an effective regulation approach aimed at
achieving the safer, healthier world we all wish to see. Steve Rolles, Transform senior policy analyst and the book’s co-author, said: "The
cannabis regulation debate is now part of the political mainstream,
with multiple jurisdictions at the city, state and country levels
considering, developing and implementing a range of regulated market
models for cannabis. With so many countries leading the way, it is
likely that the rest of the world will follow within the next ten
years." "Transform, working with colleagues around the
world, has produced this book to guide those engaged in cannabis policy
through the key practical challenges involved in developing and
implementing an effective regulation approach aimed at achieving the
safer, healthier world we all wish to see. A world the so-called ‘war on
drugs’ has conspicuously failed to deliver." Professor David Nutt, Edmond J. Safra professor of neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, said: "This
guide is essential reading for policy makers around the globe who know
that cannabis prohibition has failed. In comprehensive detail, it
explores pragmatic, evidence-based approaches to regulating the world’s
most widely used illicit drug." Representative Roger Goodman, Washington State Legislature, Chair of the House Public Safety Committee (responsible for cannabis regulation), said: "With
this new guide, Transform continues to be at the cutting edge of drug
policy reform. This work sets ideology aside, focusing instead on the
essential practical task of developing a workable regulatory framework
for cannabis as an alternative to the failed prohibition model."
Notes for editors A media briefing is available here (pdf) Transform
Drug Policy Foundation is an international, charitable think tank with
staff in the UK and Mexico. We are working to get drugs under control by
advocating for strict regulation of all aspects of the drug trade. We
aim to equip policy makers and reform advocates with the tools they need
to fundamentally change our current approach to drugs and create a
healthier, safer world.
UK launch When: Tuesday 10 December, 18.15-19.30 Where: Committee Room 14, Houses of Parliament, (Enter via public entrance on Cromwell Green) What:
Event sponsored by Julian Huppert MP: Steve Rolles, co-author of the
book and Transform Senior policy analyst; Professor David Nutt; and
Baroness Molly Meacher will present, followed by a Q & A.
New Zealand launch The book will also be launched in New Zealand on 27 November: http://www.drugfoundation.org.nz/cannabis-and-health Transform’s previous book on regulating drugs, published in 2009, 'After the War on Drugs: Blueprint for Regulation' has been translated into three languages and been downloaded over half a million times. Contacts Steve Rolles, +44 (0)7980 213 943 (in New Zealand 25 Nov – 6 Dec) Danny Kushlick, +44 (0)7970 174 747
“I’m in the business of stress management. Stress kills. Alcohol kills. Tobacco kills. Fat kills. Marijuana saves.— Dr. Michele Ross Dr. Michele Ross holds a Doctorate in Neuroscience from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and has researched addiction, mental health, and cognition for over 10 years. She is currently a staff writer for Cannabis Now MagazineDr. Michele is founder and CEO of Stoned & Famous. She co-founded GreenStone Labs in 2013 to new cannabis technologies to market. Coining the term "stonerpreneur",
Dr. Michele is committed to educating the public on the reality that
medical marijuana increases productivity of entrepreneurs. Dr.
Michele is passionate about the healing properties of marijuana. After
years of researching the endocannabinoid system, she finally used
medical marijuana to deal with the chronic pain, migraines, sleep issues
and severe anxiety symptoms for her multiple autoimmune disorders. Her
symptoms eased and quality of life dramatically increased. Dr, Michele hopes her passion for startups, medical marijuana, and science will change the world through better health.In 2009 Dr. Michele starred in the hit reality show Big Brother on
CBS under her previous name Michele Noonan. As the first female
scientist on reality tv, she served as a model for young women around
the world to be smart and sexy. A leading expert in stress management and weight loss, Dr. Michele is the author of Train Your Brain To Get Thin: Prime Your Gray Cells For Weight Loss, Wellness, and Exercise (2012)and has formulated health and beauty supplements sold in six countries as Chief Scientist of 16 Bottles. Dr. Michele lives in Los Angeles with her husband Todd.
Legal cannabis should be "considered", according to the recently
appointed Crime Prevention Minister. Norman Baker, who is became
responsible for drugs
policy following the cabinet reshuffle in October, was asked by the
Home Affairs Select Committee to offer his views on drugs, specifically
whether cannabis should be legalised. Baker said: "It should be considered along with anything else. That's
not my prime objective and I'm not advocating it at this particular
moment. What I'm saying is there is a study on, an international
comparative study, which is designed to look at all aspects of drug
treatment, of drug policy, across various countries and we will follow
the evidence and see where it takes us."
The Lib Dem MP was more taciturn when asked if the drug khat, favoured
by the Somalian and Yemini communities, should remain banned (it was
outlawed by the previous Home Secretary). Despite the Minister's
reluctance to answer, committee member Paul Flynn said Baker’s
"demeanour" suggested he was opposed to the ban.
Cannabis is a Class B drug, meaning prosecution for possession can
lead to five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, and conviction
for supply or production of the drug can lead to up to 14 years in
prison, an unlimited fine or both. It was upgraded from a Class C drug
in 2009. Baker has previously said cannabis is "no more harmful than alcohol
or tobacco" and has urged resources to be channelled into tackling hard
drugs. He told the Committee he supported the Home Office strategy to
reduce demand for drugs, restrict their supply and support individuals
addicted to them.
Was Norman Baker's 'demeanour' suggestive?
"The question is how do we get to those three objectives and maximise
the return," he added. "I'm determined to say as I always have been to
follow the evidence. Sometimes that's easy, sometimes it takes you to
difficult places." Flynn continued to press the minister on his views on khat, claiming
Baker did not agree with its criminalisation and it was just a move to
"boost the Tory vote by appearing to be tough on drugs". Flynn added: "Anyone watching your demeanour, your body language, you
don't believe a word of it, do you?" Baker said his time was "better
spent on the future, rather than the past".
For thousands of years, humans have used parts of the hemp plant
for food, textiles, paper, fabric, and fuel oil. Today, modern
processing technologies have made it possible to create alternatives to
gasoline, plastic, and other petroleum products that can help the human
race lessen its reliance on polluting and expensive fossil fuels.
The hemp plant is a renewable resource that can be produced
domestically. It grows quickly, naturally resists plant diseases,
requires little weeding, thrives in most climates, and enriches the soil it grows in.
Here are some of its most important applications:
Food and Nutrition Hempseeds and hemp oil are highly nutritious
and delicious. Hempseeds are an excellent source of protein, minerals,
and dietary fibre. Hemp is the only plant that contains all of the
essential fatty acids and amino acids required by the human body. These
essential nutrients affect a variety of body functions, including
metabolism, the skin, mood, behaviour, the brain, and the heart.
Many people eat fish and take fish oil supplements to get these essential fats, however concerns around over fishing and the chemical contamination of modern fish have made many choose to switch to hemp instead. It is an especially excellent option for vegetarians.
Hemp is also good for animals,
and some veterinarians recommend including it in the diets of pets and
livestock. In Europe, fishermen sprinkle hempseed on the water as an
effective bait. When hempseed is included in bird seed, songbirds will pick it out of the mix as they prefer it over other seeds.
Hemp foods are becoming more and more popular as the public discovers the nutritional benefits and culinary uses of hemp.
Body Care
Due to its high content of beneficial oils and natural emollient properties, hemp is becoming a common ingredient in lotions and many other skin, hair, and cosmetic products. It is a good alternative to the toxic chemicals present in many petroleum based lotions and cosmetics.
Paper
Hemp is an ideal material for making paper. It regenerates in the field in months (unlike trees
which can take 30 years or more to become harvestable after planting.)
Moving towards the use of hemp for paper can help save the world's
forests.
Historically,
hemp has been used to make paper for thousands of years. It makes a
fine quality paper that is naturally acid free and does not become
yellow and brittle or disintegrate over time like conventional paper.
Fabric, Textiles, and Rope
Hemp can be used to make a variety of fabrics, similar to but
more durable than cotton. Hemp is also excellent for making rugs and
other textiles. The word canvas comes from the Latin word for hemp.
The oldest known woven fabric was made from hemp, as were Levi Strauss' original denim jeans, and the first American flag. It was a common material for clothing until the cotton industry gained strength in America.
Hemp is the traditional rope making
fibre due to its flexibility, strength, and resistance to water damage.
In past centuries, hemp was extremely important to the Navy, the
shipping trade, and fishing because it was used to make ropes, riggings,
nets, and sails.
Fuel
For centuries, Hemp oil was used as lamp oil. It began to be phased out in America in the 1870s when petroleum was introduced.
Today, hemp oil can be used to create biofuels to replace gasoline for diesel engines. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels are renewable and produce less of the greenhouse gas carbon monoxide.
Plastic Alternatives
Standard plastic is made from fossil fuels using toxic chemicals.
Almost everything we buy is wrapped in cellophane and our landfills
are full of it. A variety of alternatives to plastic can be made from
hemp.
In 1941, Henry Ford
held a media event where he swung an axe at a prototype car body made
of hemp and other plant material to prove its strength. The technology
was never put into mass production, cars continued to be made of steel,
and plastics made from petrochemicals became the norm.
Fortunately, the number of available products made from hemp plastics is on the increase as awareness of the importance of developing sustainable alternatives grows.
Building Materials
Hemp based materials can replace wood and other materials used to build homes and other structures including foundations, walls, shingles, paneling, pipes, and paint.
The modern hemp building materials Hempcrete and Isochanvre are lightweight, waterproof, fireproof, self-insulating, and resistant to pests.
Hemp's Past and Future
If hemp is so useful and practical, why hasn't everyone heard of
it? The answer lies primarily in politics. In the United States,
growing hemp is largely prohibited and there is a great fear around it
due to its resemblance to marijuana. Hemp may look like marijuana,
however it does not contain the active chemicals that cause mind-altering effects.
Historically, hemp was important in America and several of the founding fathers grew it on their estates. Thomas Jefferson
himself said, "Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth and protection
of the country." There were times when farmers were legally required to grow it. During World War Two, the American government encouraged farmers to grow it to help aid the war effort.
In the 1930s, a "reefer madness" campaign began in the United States to stir up fear around marijuana and hemp. Today it is clear that these beginnings of "the war on drugs" were pushed into being by the newspaper, cotton, and petroleum industries which have all benefited financially from hemp prohibition. There are many people in the United States working to make growing hemp legal, however for the time being the laws remain restrictive.
In Canada, the cultivation of hemp has been allowed by the federal government since 1998 with a special license. Fortunately, as hemp becomes a growing agricultural sector in Canada and other countries, the availability of hemp based products will continue to grow worldwide.
The Emperor Wears no Clothes http://www.jackherer.com/chapters.html the extensive and well-researched full text of the book that helped start the modern hemp revolution, in print since 1985
Environmental Benefits of Hemp http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/CPH_3.htm a summary of the many environmental benefits of hemp from McGill
University, including agricultural factors such as how hemp benefits the
soil
North American Industrial Hemp Council http://naihc.org information about industrial hemp from an agricultural association
Basic Uses of Industrial Hemp: Food, Fuel, Fiber http://www.thehia.org/faqs/faq7.htm description of the basic uses of hemp from a hemp trade association
Hemp: Beyond Peak Oil http://www.beyondpeak.com/hemp-beyondpeak.html information about hemp's uses and the history of prohibition from a site about the impact of the decline of fossil fuels
Hemp Grows With Technological Advances:
Plant replacing petroleum-based products for varied industrial uses http://www.businessedge.ca/article.cfm/newsID/14336.cfm an article from a business magazine about the exponential growth of hemp in the financial marketplace and trends for the future
We need you guy's to stand up, protest and sign this petition to keep the Amsterdam coffeeshops open! As one of the world city's, Amsterdam is allways been the mekka of
Cannabis and freedom in its own unique way... They want to destroy that
beautiful culture piece by piece. Now They want to close lots of
coffeeshops during the day, because of distance requirements from
schools to coffeeshops.. While its impossible for school kids to enter a
shop to buy cannabis. So its a ridiculous rule made by minister
Opstelten who's main cause is to close down all the shops in Holland
permanently. Its a long going battle and we need your help!!! More information on this issuu at INTERNATIONAL CANNABIS COMMUNITY if
you got any questions regarding this petition or about the next level
of protest against the Dutch prohibitionist, contact one of the ICC
organizers... https://www.facebook.com/groups/115149105302254/?fref=ts Or at the public facebook page contact one of the managers: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-The-Amsterdam-Coffeeshops/22188856798201
If you like to get active and help us with the cause. Join the
International Cannabis Community (top link) and contact one of the
organizers
There are 49 of them around the UK now, with members meeting to
discuss the drug’s production, its medicinal use and legalisation – and
to get high
Cannabis clubs are publicised on social media. Photograph: Alamy
“I guess it’s like wine-tasting – but with cannabis,” says Orson Boon (not his real name), head of the London Cannabis Club. “People come to exchange samples, try new strains and have a chat.” Sitting around a table in north-east London are several members of
the LCC. One member is examining a sample of cannabis under the blue
light of a small microscope to check for mite faeces. Another is
comparing the smell of a lemon equinox strain and a Jack Herer, a
medicinal sativa strain named after a famous cannabis decriminalisation
activist. Different-sized lenses, vaporisers and an assortment of
labelled pots containing buds and cuttings from cannabis plants cover
the table. It’s like a science laboratory crossed with the Chelsea
flower show.”This is the strain that won the Underground London Cannabis
Cup,” says Boon, holding a small tube labelled K3M under the nose of a
recent recruit, who works in an investment company in the City. The
newcomer takes a sniff: “I’m seriously considering growing one or two
plants with friends. Homegrown stuff like this is so much smoother than
the weed I buy off the streets and you know exactly what you’re
getting.” The others begin speculating as to where would be the best
place in their homes to set up a hydroponics tent. Over the past few years, local cannabis clubs have blossomed over Britain. There are now 49 around the UK, which are united by the UK Cannabis Social Club, an organisation founded in 2011 to represent cannabis users. Operating primarily through Facebook, (the LCC’s page has had 39,301 likesthe
clubs bring cannabis users together from all over Britain to discuss
topics ranging from fertiliser to self-medication and campaigning for
the decriminalisation of the drug. They also organise meetings, from a
recent 10,000 person smoke-out in Hyde Park to more intimate evenings
such as tonight’s soiree, allowing pensioners, students, bricklayers and
bankers to talk about one of their favourite hobbies. Boon’s day job – he holds a senior position in the medical field –
compelled him to start the cannabis club in the first place. “A lot of
my work has been out of the UK where I have seen how effective cannabis
has been on patients suffering all kinds of illnesses. I understand
cannabis can have bad effects and can be abused – like anything. But
when used correctly it is a very different story. When I came to London I
met so many people who were secretly medicating with cannabis, which
just didn’t seem right. So I set up a Facebook page with the intention
to normalise cannabis use and bring users together”One of the mantras of
the cannabis clubs is to encourage a more healthy use of cannabis. “I
only ever vaporise now, it’s so much better for you and the taste is
much purer,” says Orson, placing a tiny piece of cannabis inside the
vaporiser and inhaling deeply. It’s also more discreet: only weeks
before, several members of the LCC had gathered in the Shard, London.
While the surrounding guests tucked into their steak tartare, the
unlikely club members proceeded to get high with cannabis vaporisers 31
floors up. “It just looks like you’re sucking on the end of a posh pen,”
says Orson. The fact that growing and possessing cannabis is illegal in Britain
does not deter many cannabis clubs across the UK from using social media
to publicise meetings – “It’s not illegal to talk about cannabis,” says
Boon – and the openness is part of the campaign for normalisation.
Members themselves usually keep their involvement private: “Many of the
people I’ve met have families, high-profile jobs, mortgages and all
sorts, and are terrified of losing everything,” he adds. Millie, 59, is a member of a club in Wales. “As an MS sufferer, I
found cannabis to be the only thing that really works. Years ago I had
been buying it from a lad down the road, but then I thought, screw it,
I’m going to grow my own. I go to little meetings a few times a month
and they give me tips on how to grow the best weed for my condition,
which helps a lot. It also gets me out of the house.” “At present, our main priority is following America’s footsteps and
legalising cannabis for medical use,” says Boon. “If at the very least
that happens I will be a happy man.”
Doug Fine giving a talk on cannabis law reform at London South Bank University. Photo by Jake Lewis
The US war on cannabis is over and there's no turning back, according to author Doug Fine.
Doug took the stage at London South Bank University last week as part
of a world tour devoting to spreading news of the "green economic
revolution" currently underway in the US, where a legal—and potentially highly profitable—weed industry is sprouting up thanks to some states decriminalizing marijuana.
"My message is this: if it can happen in the US, then it can happen
here in the UK," a relaxed Doug told his audience of academics,
activists, students, and journalists. "There’s no stopping this train
now."
That Fine is upbeat isn't particularly surprising. His most recent book, Too High to Fail: Cannabis and the New Green Economic Revolution,
provided a blueprint for America's nascent medicinal cannabis industry.
Published in 2012, it took a look at Mendocino County, California,
where Sheriff Tom Allman bucked longstanding trends in American law
enforcement and essentially sanctioned regulated, organic, eco-friendly
cannabis cultivation. (The Feds later put a stop to Allman's innovations, and earlier this year the California sheriff came out against Colorado's legalization of weed.)
Fine effectively predicted the future of the pot industry before any
state allowed anyone to sell weed without calling it "medical
marijuana." Today, cannabis is pretty much as legal as tobacco in Washington and Colorado, and the market for weed is one of the fastest-growing areas of the economy—according to some estimates, it'll be worth $2.34 billion a year by 2014 and top the $10 billion mark by 2018 as legalization spreads.
A medical marijuana dispensary in San Francisco. Photo via
In London, however, Doug was more focused on the potential for a "green
rush" in the British Isles. "Look at what’s happened in Portugal," he
said, referring to the country's relaxation of drug laws that made the possession of any drug for personal consumption a misdemeanor at worst.
Few governments would accept that heroin addicts aren't criminals, as
Portugal has, but many nations are exploring new ways of approaching and
exploiting cannabis. In October, Uruguay announced
that it would be the first country in the world to effectively
nationalize the cannabis industry in a bid to undermine organized crime.
That same month, Romania legalized the use of cannabis derivatives
for medicinal purposes and became the tenth country in Europe to
recognize the legitimate medicinal uses of the drug, while Switzerland
made possessing ten grams of pot or less a minor misdemeanor.
Meanwhile, in Britain, the surprise appointment of Liberal Democrat Norman Baker—a former advocate
of cannabis reform—to the role of Home Office drug tzar further buoyed
hopes among UK cannabis campaigners that the green rush was lapping at
Britain's shores.
But could Fine’s model for a regulated, organic, sustainable cannabis industry really take root in Britain?
Calls from both the House of Commons and Lords late last year to
revisit Britain’s drug laws were promptly dismissed by Prime Minister
David Cameron, who once made noises indicating he'd be open to reform. But Parliament did spur Deputy PM Nick Clegg into ordering a review of international reform alternatives that will likely look toward Washington and Colorado's recent reforms.
The arguments made by Doug about marijuana in the US can easily be
applied to the UK. On a local level, legalization, or at least
decriminalization, is a no-brainer, but politicians who have explored
those options in the past have ended up hitting a brick wall. In April
of 2012, when Green Party politicians called for cannabis cafes to be licensed in Brighton,
the city’s head cop, Graham Bartlett, agreed that decriminalization was
the way to go. But the people in charge of the country's marijuana
policy have turned up their collective nose at such suggestions.
West Midlands police dismantling a cannabis factory in Birmingham. Photo via
A study published in September by the Institute for Social and Economic
Research, which is connected to the University of Essex, claimed that
the country could earn up to £1.25 billion ($2 billion) a year
in tax revenue if weed was decriminalized. Others claim the figure
would be much larger, with the Independent Drug Monitoring Unit
estimating that it could be as high as £6.7 billion ($10.79 billion) per year based on current market prices. According to the pro-legalization Beckley Foundation,
the UK would also benefit from cuts to the law enforcement budget—a
shift to a regulated cannabis industry could save the government between
£200 to £300 million ($321 to $483 million) a year.
The problem is that Britain has a long history of politicians,
including Cameron, posturing about relaxing cannabis laws when at the
fringes of power before reneging on that stance once they're sitting at
the head of the table. (For an across-the-pond example of this, see
Obama, Barack.)
And despite the liberalization of laws in the US at state level, the US
federal government’s commitment to both the war on drugs and the
international agreements that bind world powers to prohibition means
that Britain’s politicians couldn’t currently deliver Doug Fine's dream
world even if they wanted to. Unless, of course, a UK prime minister was
willing to unilaterally withdraw from the country's global obligations
and risk upsetting our special relationship and trade agreements with
the US.
Leading criminologist and cannabis expert Gary Potter, who is currently
undertaking a review of cannabis policies in Holland, Spain, and the US
at South Bank University, explained how UK policymakers are boxed in
when it comes to revisiting the laws on cannabis use and cultivation.
"Under current global drug regulations, Britain’s policymakers are
bound over what they can do," he told me. "The UK doesn’t have the
enshrined constitutional rights seen in countries like Spain that could
override its international commitments. UK policymakers are limited to
changing the status of cannabis use, which could be decriminalized. But
cultivation, like trafficking, must remain illegal."
As such, any reform would still leave the production of weed in the
hands of criminals, nipping all hopes of a "green economic revolution"
in the bud.
A cannabis law reform protester in Edinburgh. Photo via
However, many cannabis campaigners, including Doug, believe that the
next step for the US will be to reset the international landscape for
cannabis laws, ushering in an era of reform and allowing the British
government to act independently. But the hurdles don't stop there;
according the UK reform advocates, the biggest challenge in Britain is
winning the war against the stigma of drugs.
Rupert George is the head of communications for Release,
an organization that lobbies for drug laws to be based around public
health issues rather than the criminal justice system. "There is far
more entrenched 'reefer madness' [in the UK] than in the US, with the
dominant issue being about psychosis," he told StoptheDrugWar.org last month. "The idea of a regulated drug market for cannabis, or any other drug, is politically a long way away."
The first step towards winning the stigma war, say activists, is rebranding the cannabis industry. NORML UK
(an offshoot of the US-based National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws) is pragmatic about the challenges they face. NORML UK
was instrumental in bringing Doug Fine to London, and the group's
current goal is to reset the image of the medicinal cannabis industry in
Britain—giving it a coherent voice, objectives, and gaining the support
of the public and the trust of police and politicians.
A photo from NORML's website.
"We hope that what's happening in the US will prompt the government to
look at what's happening in other countries more seriously, and that
Doug's story will inspire the public and law enforcement alike to look
at this issue in a different light," said NORML UK spokesman Deej
Sullivan. "For too long drug policy in this country has focused on
punishing individuals for their drug use, which has led to a breakdown
in the relationship between normal, law-abiding people and the people
who are supposed to protect them—the police."
How the US moves forward will dictate change around the globe. However, a new generation of UK activists are looking to Europe's grassroots (har har) cannabis social clubs
for ways to tackle reform at home. The goal is to bring together local
networks of pro-legalization activists and helping them exploit legal
loopholes that permit personal use and cultivation, thus allowing them
to develop supply networks that operate within the law. Eventually, they
hope that the European federation of clubs will form the foundation of a
future industry.
Michel Degens, the founder of Mambo, a Belgian cannabis social club,
told me the European cannabis community was rebranding itself. "We want
to emulate what has happened in the US," he said. "And to do that we
have to present ourselves as a mainstream business… We want to pay taxes
and be regulated, and to do that we have to show that the industry had
grown up and that we're not criminals. If we have to start small, so be
it—this is only going to grow."
The federation has already forged links in the UK. With almost 40,000 Likes on Facebook, the London Cannabis Club (LCC)—established in 2011—is gaining traction. On April 20, the traditional pothead day of celebration, the LCC gathered around 10,000 cannabis fans together to call for reform in Hyde Park, a number far beyond the expectations of organizers or police.
The LCC's April demonstration in Hyde Park.
A guy who goes by the nom de plume of Orson Boon is the administrator
of the LCC and the new face of the UK cannabis community—a young,
smartly dressed professional who believes potential public support for
change is only beginning to be tapped. "What we're doing is making links
between communities, that, for the past decade, have operated beneath
the radar," he said. "We are not criminals. In every other aspect of my
life I am a respected, law-abiding professional, and there are tens of
thousands of people in similar situations. If politicians can’t find a
solution, then we will work to find one. We believe there is public
support for change."
Despite the challenges, Doug Fine remains optimistic that the "future
for the medicinal cannabis industry in the UK is bright." Having
predicted the US green rush in 2012, he now claims that America is on a
trajectory that cannot be reversed, and suggests that the global
weariness with the war on weed will eventually see the industry accepted
around the world.
But for UK cannabis activists, the reality is that the watershed moment
is unlikely to come until the US decides to end its war on cannabis at
an international level. And whatever's proposed in Nick Clegg's review
of drug policy—which is supposed to come out before the holidays—the
UK's war on cannabis isn't going to be over by Christmas.
On Wednesday, staff and owners of three coffee shops in
the southern Netherlands were put on trial for selling marijuana to
foreigners, an act which is now illegal thanks to new legislation meant
to target marijuana-tourism. The
cafe owners and staff being prosecuted were arrested last month after
serving foreign customers as a way of testing the legitimacy of the new
regulations. Prosecutors asked judges to fine the suspects up to 5,000 euros (over
$6,500 US) and give them community service in addition to suspended
prison sentences. Maastricht’s Mayor Onno Hoes has defended the crack down on coffee
shops because he believes that it is necessary to deter
marijuana-tourists, who apparently bring chaos into the region. He
said, “Those people cause a lot of problems in the city. They park
badly, they drive too fast and that sort of thing. They leave garbage
on the streets and they attract illegal dealers.” Maastricht differs from Amsterdam – where authorities continue to
allow tourists into coffee shops because of the economic boost they give
the city – in that its drug tourists mostly arrive by car from
neighboring countries and then leave immediately. Foreign tourists in
Amsterdam more often arrive by train or plane and stick around to visit
the city’s museums and other attractions as well as its coffee shops. About 2 million marijuana-tourists head to Maastricht each year to
visit their 14 coffee shops. Most of the shops have now been closed
either voluntarily or by City Hall. Shop owner Marc Josemans put a sign
in his shop’s window, explaining that they are closed because they
“refuse to discriminate” against potential customers. The ban on foreigners at coffee shops went into place in the southern
Netherlands late last year and spread to the rest of the country– with
the exception of Amsterdam– on January 1st of this year. Regions have
seen their tourism rates plummet as a result. Many have argued that closing coffee shops to tourists has just
boosted the black market. Police have put more officers on the street
to crack down on illegal dealing, but city police chief John Bloebaum
said the crime is now dropping off.
The data appears to show that Portugal’s drug decriminalization law may
have led to overall increases in marijuana and some other drug use but
it has also reduced many drug-related public health problems.
"Charlotte's Web" isn't just a classic piece of children's fiction,
it's also the name of one of the most coveted medical marijuana strains
that is being used to treat children with epilepsy. The demand for Charlotte's Web is so high by families with children
who have epilepsy that the Realm of Caring Foundation, a nonprofit group
that six Colorado brothers founded to distribute their specialized
marijuana to in-need patients, can't keep up, 7News reported. The six Stanley brothers -- Joel, Jesse, Jon, Jordan, Jared and Josh
-- started Realm of Caring to help people in need and say they resent the stigmas often associated with the plant. "We are not a bunch of stoners," Joel Stanley said to The Gazette, "and we do not associate with the stereotypes of what people would like to associate with us. We care about what we do." Their Charlotte's Web varietal of medical pot, named after 6-year-old
patient Charlotte Figi who suffers from debilitating seizures as a
result of a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome, recently made
headlines when Charlotte's story was highlighted in a CNN documentary. Desperate for options to treat their daughter's condition, the family
explored cannabis oil -- an unconventional treatment to be sure, but
one that Charlotte's mom Paige Figi told KDVR worked immediately. According to Paige Figi's blog, her daughter's seizures fell from 300 a week to around 3
over an 8 month period. She does note the program was first approved by
a team of neurologists and pediatricians. Other benefits:
[Charlotte] is consistently eating and drinking on her own
for the first time in years. She sleeps soundly through the night. Her
severe autism-like behaviors of self-injury, stimming, crying, violence,
no eye contact, zero sleep, lack of social contact ... are a thing of
the past. She is clear-headed, focused, has no attention deficit.
Charlotte rides horses, skis, paints, dances, hikes. She even has
friends for the first time. Her brain is healing. She is healthy. She is
happy.
"This particular plant has 0.5 percent THC and 17 percent CBD -- or
cannabidiol -- the non-psychoactive ingredient [in marijuana]," Josh Stanley of Realm of Caring said about Charlotte's Web. "This plant is so important the CBD is literally stopping the progression of epilepsy." CBD has been found to be effective at treating not just epilepsy but also at stopping metastasis in many kinds of aggressive cancer and at killing cancerous cells found in people with leukemia. And just today, three Utah doctors, including the University of
Utah's top pediatric neurologist, came out in support of families who
want to use the high-CBD marijuana extracts to treat their children's
seizures, The Salt Lake Tribune reports. "That's why we call this the future of medical marijuana," Josh Stanley said. Watch the incredibly moving story of medical marijuana patents Charlotte Figi and Zaki Jackson (story continues below video): The word about the efficacy of Charlotte's Web is getting out to parents around the nation and appears to be causing some migration to Colorado,
where both medical and recreational marijuana are legal. In June there
were just 35 kids under the age of 18 on the Colorado patient registry,
but as of August that number had risen to 60. The Stanley brothers grow more than just the low-THC Charlotte's Web.
But due to demand, that varietal now makes up about a third of their
entire marijuana crop in Colorado Springs. "It keeps cutting into our THC growing, which has been necessary to move families off the waiting list," said Joel Stanley to 7News. "My brothers and I thought that this little-known compound might just
be the missing link to provide some validity in the realm of cannabis
research and as it turns out we were correct," Josh Stanley said during a recent TEDx talk in Colorado.
"Now the plant we had created, while it may have immense medical
benefits, completely non-psychoactive... so we named the plant 'The
Hippie's Disappointment' [but] it proved incredibly useful to
Charlotte." "This is just the tip of the iceberg," Dr. Margaret Gedde, a Colorado Springs pathologist who has recommended children for medical marijuana,
told The Gazette. "People will continue to come because it works.
Patients are seeing between 50 and 90 percent reduction in seizures with
no side effects. That's amazing."
Miley
Cyrus knows how to light up a room, and on Sunday the "Wrecking Ball"
singer decided to light up in a room at the MTV European Music Awards
in Amsterdam. Right after accepting the best music video award, Cyrus,
onstage, pulled out what MTV News reports was a marijuana joint and took
a smoke.
"I
couldn't fit this award in my bag but I did find this, so thank you
guys very much," Cyrus said as she pulled what looked like a joint out
of her purse and lit up as fans cheered her.
MTV edited out footage of the star smoking when airing the EMAs in the United States, according to Deadline.
Blundering drug bust cops left red faced after returning rental truck.. still full of cannabis
Police hired the unmarked van for use by plain-clothes
officers - and the owner couldn't believe his eyes when the van was
returned full of drugs
Unexpected: John McKinnon with the van full of cannabis
Daily Record
Bungling police hired a van for a drug bust – then returned it still full of bags of cannabis. The careless cops forgot to take their haul out of the back before they let a Mitchell’s Self Drive worker collect the van. And John McKinnon, 33, who went to pick the vehicle up, couldn’t believe it when he saw what was inside. He
said: “There were bin bags full of cannabis. There was no mistaking
what it was. I went running into the office and we phoned the police. “Straight
away, they said someone was going to get their b**ls kicked. But it
still took them an hour-and-a-half to come back out to collect it.” Police in Lanarkshire had hired the unmarked van for use by plain-clothes officers. Dad-of-two
John went to Coatbridge to collect it afterwards and drove it all the
way to Rutherglen, near Glasgow, with the drugs in the back. He said: “They gave me the keys in a sealed blue bag, walked me out to the van, opened the gates and away I went. "There
was a strong smell of cannabis in the cabin but it was only when I got
back to the office and opened up the back that I realised what was in
it. “I’ve no idea how I would have gone about explaining what had happened if I’d been pulled over during the journey. It’s scary.” Police
eventually arrived to collect the drugs, and had to hire the van again
so they could take it away and remove the cannabis. John said:
“When they turned up, they were asking me how it had happened. They were
dumbfounded. But there was no word of an apology or even a thank you
for letting them know. “I’m angry that they allowed me to drive it away like that.” A
police spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that we are investigating a
report that a vehicle hired by Police Scotland has been returned
allegedly with what is believed to be police productions inside. “Inquiries are at an early stage to establish the circumstances and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
In an unprecedented turn of events, Sensi Seeds founder Ben Dronkers
was interrupted by High Times security during his seminar at the
Cannabis Cup expo today, as he threw small bags of cannabis into the
audience.
Shortly after, the man was removed from the hall without further
incident and Ben continued his talk. Moments later, one of the High
Times organizers interrupted once more to instruct the crowd that they
had to respect the law, and (somewhat strangely) that “this isn’t
America”. Having apologized for the interruption, he left the stage and
Ben was finally able to finish his seminar to a standing ovation.
Cannabis legalisation and regulation is now a reality:
“I’m in the business of stress management. Stress kills. Alcohol kills. Tobacco kills. Fat kills. Marijuana saves.— Dr. Michele Ross Dr. Michele Ross holds a Doctorate in Neuroscience from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and has researched addiction, mental health, and cognition for over 10 years. She is currently a staff writer for Cannabis Now MagazineDr. Michele is founder and CEO of Stoned & Famous. She co-founded GreenStone Labs in 2013 to new cannabis technologies to market. Coining the term "stonerpreneur",
Dr. Michele is committed to educating the public on the reality that
medical marijuana increases productivity of entrepreneurs. Dr.
Michele is passionate about the healing properties of marijuana. After
years of researching the endocannabinoid system, she finally used
medical marijuana to deal with the chronic pain, migraines, sleep issues
and severe anxiety symptoms for her multiple autoimmune disorders. Her
symptoms eased and quality of life dramatically increased. Dr, Michele hopes her passion for startups, medical marijuana, and science will change the world through better health.In 2009 Dr. Michele starred in the hit reality show Big Brother on
CBS under her previous name Michele Noonan. As the first female
scientist on reality tv, she served as a model for young women around
the world to be smart and sexy. A leading expert in stress management and weight loss, Dr. Michele is the author of Train Your Brain To Get Thin: Prime Your Gray Cells For Weight Loss, Wellness, and Exercise (2012) and has formulated health and beauty supplements sold in six countries as Chief Scientist of 16 Bottles. 
“I’m in the business of stress management. Stress kills. Alcohol kills. Tobacco kills. Fat kills. Marijuana saves.— Dr. Michele Ross Dr. Michele Ross holds a Doctorate in Neuroscience from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and has researched addiction, mental health, and cognition for over 10 years. She is currently a staff writer for Cannabis Now MagazineDr. Michele is founder and CEO of Stoned & Famous. She co-founded GreenStone Labs in 2013 to new cannabis technologies to market. Coining the term "stonerpreneur",
Dr. Michele is committed to educating the public on the reality that
medical marijuana increases productivity of entrepreneurs. Dr.
Michele is passionate about the healing properties of marijuana. After
years of researching the endocannabinoid system, she finally used
medical marijuana to deal with the chronic pain, migraines, sleep issues
and severe anxiety symptoms for her multiple autoimmune disorders. Her
symptoms eased and quality of life dramatically increased. Dr, Michele hopes her passion for startups, medical marijuana, and science will change the world through better health.In 2009 Dr. Michele starred in the hit reality show Big Brother on
CBS under her previous name Michele Noonan. As the first female
scientist on reality tv, she served as a model for young women around
the world to be smart and sexy. A leading expert in stress management and weight loss, Dr. Michele is the author of Train Your Brain To Get Thin: Prime Your Gray Cells For Weight Loss, Wellness, and Exercise (2012) and has formulated health and beauty supplements sold in six countries as Chief Scientist of 16 Bottles. 
Cannabis is a Class B drug, meaning prosecution for possession can
lead to five years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, and conviction
for supply or production of the drug can lead to up to 14 years in
prison, an unlimited fine or both. It was upgraded from a Class C drug
in 2009.
Christopher Victorio
We need you guy's to stand up, protest and sign this petition to keep the Amsterdam coffeeshops open! 
“I guess it’s like wine-tasting – but with cannabis,” says Orson Boon (not his real name), head of the London Cannabis Club. “People come to exchange samples, try new strains and have a chat.”
The
cafe owners and staff being prosecuted were arrested last month after
serving foreign customers as a way of testing the legitimacy of the new
regulations.
