THIS WEED ISN'T EVIL - IT'S GOOD

THERE are many reasons why cannabis should be legalised - not least
that millions of ordinary people are criminalised for using it.

Court appearances, prison sentences, including those for non-payment
of fines, and press coverage can lead to family break-ups and all the
problems associated with imprisonment. Most of those so-called
criminals have no victims and did no harm.

Juveniles and adults alike become alienated and disillusioned with a
law they cannot comprehend. A law justified by less than credible
claims of danger originating from authorities they see as
hypocritical.

Millions also risk their health by consuming cannabis of doubtful
purity because there is no quality control.

No adequate research can be conducted on the therapeutic uses of
natural cannabis. Seriously ill people are prohibited from a
beneficial medicine and risk arrest.

People requiring a relaxant can only choose alcohol, which is far more
dangerous than any amount of cannabis.

The illegal cannabis market mixes it with the supply of hard
drugs.

The law invades people's privacy and prevents them from their pursuit
of happiness, freedom of religious practice and freedom of lifestyle
granted under the United Nations Human Rights Charter.

The government receives no revenue. The 'criminals' make all the
profits Legal cannabis would make the profits taxable.

The industrial uses of cannabis are virtually ignored at great cost to
the environment. The world starves because the seed cannot be legally
grown. We are exhausting fossil fuels and using dangerous radioactive
materials to produce energy and run cars, which could be done by the
eco-friendly cannabis plant.

Factories pump chemicals such as dioxins into our land in order to
produce paper from wood pulp; this could be stopped by using cannabis
instead of trees. The plant is quick-growing, which would help to
counteract the greenhouse effect.

When cannabis biomass fuel is burned, it releases only the carbon
dioxide that it absorbed while growing, unlike fossil fuels.

Alun Buffry is national co-ordinator of the Legalise Cannabis
Alliance