I'LL RISK PRISON, SAYS CANNABIS CAFE BACKER

THE man behind plans for Edinburgh's first cannabis cafe is willing to go
to jail in a bid to change Scotland's drug laws.

Kevin Williamson, the original publisher of Irvine Welsh's book
Trainspotting, wants to open the cafe in time for this year's Festival in
August.

He said he was aware of the risks of running a cafe where cannabis is
openly sold, adding: "I don't want to go to prison, but if that's what it
takes for the authorities to take notice then I'm prepared to do it."

Mr Williamson, 40, has not yet revealed the location of his proposed cafe,
which will be based on the famous cannabis cafes of Holland where people
can buy the drug openly.

But Cockburn Street and Broughton Street are two places which have already
been suggested as possible locations .

A similar cafe opened in Stockport earlier this year, but was closed down
by police, and those behind it were arrested.

However, Mr Williamson said he was still determined to press ahead with the
Edinburgh cafe, despite the risks.

"We're trying to take drugs out of the schemes and the streets and regulate
it," he said. "There is a difference between people who want to use
cannabis and people who are addicted to heroin. I want to have a place
where someone who is over 18 and wants to buy cannabis can do so without
being exposed to other drugs."

But police confirmed they would be forced to act if such a cafe opened.

A spokesman for the Lothian and Borders force said: "As the law stands, our
officers would arrest anyone possessing or dealing cannabis."

The cafe will be members-only and will be open to people aged 18 and over.

The aim is to have up to eight types of cannabis openly on sale from a
special booth, similar to the ones in cafes in Holland.

Mr Williamson has said the cannabis cafe will not open until the
reclassification of cannabis from a class B to a class C drug has occurred.

He believes that the move, which he expects to be introduced by the
Government within months, will mean that cannabis smokers will no longer be
liable for arrest.

But a Scottish Executive spokesman said: "The Deputy First Minister [Jim
Wallace] has said reclassification does not mean decriminalisation.

"Cannabis will remain a controlled drug with criminal sanctions."

Mr Williamson has said he hopes to open the controversial cafe before
August "to do our patriotic bit to help swell the tourist numbers coming
over to Edinburgh for their holidays".

But he accepted he might have to wait longer to establish the cafe, which
would have a coffee shop "with good sounds", an art gallery space and a
radical bookstore as well as other features.

Last month, the former head of the drugs squad at Lothian and Borders
Police called for the possession of small amounts of cannabis to be legalised.

Superintendent Jinty Kerr, who is due to retire next month, said that
allowing people to have cannabis for personal use would let the police
target drug dealers.

Alistair Ramsay, director of Scotland Against Drugs, said that despite the
reclassification of the drug, any cannabis cafe would still be liable to
police action.

"There are two fundamental flaws with what he [Mr Williamson] is saying,"
he said today.

"Firstly, it is criminals who supply the cannabis cafes in Holland.

"Secondly, it is by no means certain that there will be reclassification of
cannabis and, if there is, it is absolute nonsense to say people will no
longer be liable for arrest for possessing it."