BudHayes
04-04-2006, 11:44 AM
Cannabis is illegal by mistake.
It was added to a list of proscribed substances in an act of crass stupidity by a junior apparatchik during the 1920â??s.
Of course, however the mistake is made, we all know that our wonderful governments do not admit to fallibility. How we have suffered as a result.
Now the time has surely arrived for us, as a nation, to take a grown up standpoint on such a ridiculous decision.
Cannabis is called weed for a single reason: if it gets the chance it will grow anywhere. From that position alone it must occupy the role of Godâ??s biggest mistake.
Firstly, let us take a moment to consider what exactly we are talking about here. This is a plant â?? NOT a drug, just a plant. Believe it or not it is also an absolutely beautiful plant.
But this isnâ??t a debate about the beauty or otherwise of horticultural specimens. Rather it is an opening salvo in the battle to understand and deal with a substance that seems to raise the most irrational and ill-informed responses in the general population.
The reasons for the lack of any reasoned response are quite certainly rooted firmly in the twin evils of self interest and ignorance.
The self interest lies with politicians who define themselves â?? at least in drug policy â?? by their perceived macho viewpoints and zero tolerance ideas (that have singularly failed) and the ignorance belongs to the rest of us who are constantly fed scare stories on one hand and refused any access to informed or even vaguely intelligent debate on the other.
Until the truth is told â?? or confronted â?? the battle between fact and fiction is entirely one sided and can only lead to ever greater misunderstandings about the, so called, war on drugs.
This is where the Cannabis Man comes in. As his time moves closer (watch this space â?? within a fortnight all will be revealed) his mission to educate and inform becomes ever more urgent.
So what are we actually dealing with when we think of this, supposedly, terrible substance called Cannabis? How many of those who scream from the rooftops about the evils of this plant have ever encountered it in a growing form? How many understand its properties, ability to heal or its legendary ability to relieve pain in a massive range of ailments? How many know that its very illegality is itself illegal?
Perhaps that last comment is one that needs an explanation of its own. Under UN regulations it is totally illegal for any government to restrict access to medicine. As cannabis has succeeded spectacularly in many, many drug trials and experiments over the years then its very illegality is illegal. There may be thousands of people in this country alone whose lives could be spectacularly improved by this simple plant â?? those living with MS and Parkinsonâ??s Disease are clinically proven to benefit from cannabis and yet its use is denied because of the hubris and downright stubborn stupidity of politicians who would no sooner deny themselves anything necessary for their own well-being than fly to the moon â?? and yet the rest of us are expected, not only to suffer but risk arrest and prosecution even if we can show genuine medical need.
Surely itâ??s about time that we took a sensible approach to this issue. To this end, over the next few days we will reveal many things about this extraordinary plant that you probably do not knowâ?¦ All will be based on thirteen years of painstaking work and research by the Cannabis Man and will be followed by a gesture on his behalf that will confirm his seriousness about this issue once and for all. We have always said â?? Watch this Space â?? and now the space is to be filled.
http://www.cambo.org.uk
It was added to a list of proscribed substances in an act of crass stupidity by a junior apparatchik during the 1920â??s.
Of course, however the mistake is made, we all know that our wonderful governments do not admit to fallibility. How we have suffered as a result.
Now the time has surely arrived for us, as a nation, to take a grown up standpoint on such a ridiculous decision.
Cannabis is called weed for a single reason: if it gets the chance it will grow anywhere. From that position alone it must occupy the role of Godâ??s biggest mistake.
Firstly, let us take a moment to consider what exactly we are talking about here. This is a plant â?? NOT a drug, just a plant. Believe it or not it is also an absolutely beautiful plant.
But this isnâ??t a debate about the beauty or otherwise of horticultural specimens. Rather it is an opening salvo in the battle to understand and deal with a substance that seems to raise the most irrational and ill-informed responses in the general population.
The reasons for the lack of any reasoned response are quite certainly rooted firmly in the twin evils of self interest and ignorance.
The self interest lies with politicians who define themselves â?? at least in drug policy â?? by their perceived macho viewpoints and zero tolerance ideas (that have singularly failed) and the ignorance belongs to the rest of us who are constantly fed scare stories on one hand and refused any access to informed or even vaguely intelligent debate on the other.
Until the truth is told â?? or confronted â?? the battle between fact and fiction is entirely one sided and can only lead to ever greater misunderstandings about the, so called, war on drugs.
This is where the Cannabis Man comes in. As his time moves closer (watch this space â?? within a fortnight all will be revealed) his mission to educate and inform becomes ever more urgent.
So what are we actually dealing with when we think of this, supposedly, terrible substance called Cannabis? How many of those who scream from the rooftops about the evils of this plant have ever encountered it in a growing form? How many understand its properties, ability to heal or its legendary ability to relieve pain in a massive range of ailments? How many know that its very illegality is itself illegal?
Perhaps that last comment is one that needs an explanation of its own. Under UN regulations it is totally illegal for any government to restrict access to medicine. As cannabis has succeeded spectacularly in many, many drug trials and experiments over the years then its very illegality is illegal. There may be thousands of people in this country alone whose lives could be spectacularly improved by this simple plant â?? those living with MS and Parkinsonâ??s Disease are clinically proven to benefit from cannabis and yet its use is denied because of the hubris and downright stubborn stupidity of politicians who would no sooner deny themselves anything necessary for their own well-being than fly to the moon â?? and yet the rest of us are expected, not only to suffer but risk arrest and prosecution even if we can show genuine medical need.
Surely itâ??s about time that we took a sensible approach to this issue. To this end, over the next few days we will reveal many things about this extraordinary plant that you probably do not knowâ?¦ All will be based on thirteen years of painstaking work and research by the Cannabis Man and will be followed by a gesture on his behalf that will confirm his seriousness about this issue once and for all. We have always said â?? Watch this Space â?? and now the space is to be filled.
http://www.cambo.org.uk