CANNABIS CAFE READY TO FLOUT DRUG LAWS

BRITAIN'S first Dutch-style cannabis cafe, which will openly defy the law
on the sale of drugs, is to be launched next weekend.

Colin Davies, founder of the British Medical Marijuana Co-operative, has
revealed he plans to open the Dutch Experience "coffee shop" in a shopping
centre in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

Mr Davies caused a storm of protest a year ago when he presented the Queen
with a bouquet of marijuana during a Royal visit to an arts centre. Now he
says the controversial cafe will sell three types of weed and three types
of hash in two and five gram bags with ready-rolled joints for novices.

He has already recruited five members of staff who have all worked in
Holland's legal cannabis cafes.

In a break from other public cannabis suppliers, Mr Davies says the drug
will be on sale to both medical and recreational users.

"Social users will subsidise the low-cost medical users," he said. "I think
Britain is ready for this. We want to be transparent and act in a civilised
way. "

Mr Davies, 44, who has a spinal injury, has been arrested twice for
possession and supply of cannabis but has been found not guilty on both
occasions as he argued he needed it to relieve chronic back pain.

In 1993, a cannabis cafe-shop opened in Brighton, becoming known as the
"90-minutes cafe" because that was how long it managed to stay open.

Police have warned that the cannabis cafe is illegal and that they will
have to deal with the sale of any drugs. A spokesman for Greater Manchester
Police said the law on the supply and control of drugs was quite clear and
the priority of the police was to enforce the law.