THOUSANDS MARCH FOR CANNABIS LAW REFORM

A crowd of more than 16,000 people gathered in London yesterday to give
massive and vocal support to the Independent on Sunday's cannabis campaign,
write Graham Ball and Clare Garner.

In a carnival atmosphere the demonstrators - many in wheelchairs - gave an
unmistakable show of growing national support for the decriminalisation of
the drug.

Although a large number openly smoked cannabis on the march, police made no
arrests during the demonstration. Two people were detained for
drugs-related offences later.

Rosie Boycott, editor of the IoS, which launched its campaign last
September, said she was "thrilled" by the turnout.

"There was every age group, every strata of society, and it was very
well-behaved. Nobody flouted the law and nobody was arrested during the
march. The police were incredibly helpful and full of jokes," she said. "We
want politicians to see that it isn't going to lose them votes to look at
the issue."

In the biggest march of its kind for 30 years, protesters met at Reformer's
Tree in Hyde Park and walked down Park Lane and Piccadilly to Trafalgar
Square, where campaigners, including Labour MP Paul Flynn and veteran
cannabis campaigner Howard Marks, called for the drug to be decriminalised.

Some estimates put the turnout at well over 16,000, possibly up to 25,000.
Scotland Yard, more cautiously, put the figure at around 11,000.

Meanwhile, a poll on national Talk Radio revealed that two-thirds of people
want cannabis legalised. The Home Secretary, Jack Straw, has repeatedly
said he will not seek to change the law on cannabis.