CANDIDATE STANDS TO BACK CANNABIS

AN environmentalist has announced he will he standing as a candidate at the
General Election - campaigning to legalise cannabis.

Buster Nolan, 51, of Great Airfield, will stand as a candidate for the
Legalise Cannabis Alliance in the Braintree constituency.

Mr Nolan stood as a candidate for the New Millennium New Way Party at the
1997 General Election and gained 274 votes.

He said: "I believe the planting of cannabis hemp with tree planting
program the UK would restore vitality and jobs in local communities."

The Legalise Cannabis Alliance was registered as a political party in March
1999, calling for legalising of cannabis because of it's medical properties
and the role the plant would play in cleaning the environment.

The party has so far fielded 14 candidates contesting constituencies across
the country, includ=ADing seats in Norwich London and five seats in Edinburgh

Party officers say a cannabis, one of the party emblems, will be appearing
on ballot papers.

Prospective parliamentary candidates already announced for Braintree
constituency are Brooks Newark (Con), Peter Turner (Lib Dem) and James
Abbott (Green). Braintree MP Alan Hurst will (Lab) contest his seat.