CANNABIS HELPED TO MAKE US CIVILISED

All the major political parties have been playing fast and loose with the
truth about cannabis for over 75 years.

The truth is that should never have been made illegal in the first place,
and was done so for international political and economic reasons,
unsupported by the medical establishment or even the British Government of
the time.

Yet here at the start of a new millennium politicians like Coun Andrew
Feather ("Mailbag", Nov 27) keep on regurgitating the same old myths,
misleading soundbites and downright lies because they don't know how to
admit they were wrong.

Cannabis is not, and never has been, a dangerous drug. It is a plant with
many hundreds of beneficial and environment-friendly uses which has been
utilised worldwide for at least 4000 years, and may even have played a key
role in the rise of human civilisation.

Every independent study since - scientific, medical and social - has
enhanced the assertion that cannabis is both sufficiently safe for human
use, and effective as a medicine.

Every reasonable citizen who has examined the true facts is drawn to the
same conclusion - cannabis prohibition must end.

Alan Barrie Mason,
Morton Park
Carlisle
Cumbria