PRO-CANNABIS campaigners yesterday said they would defy the law and
open a cannabis cafe in Edinburgh when the drug is reclassified this
week, writes Steve Bargeton, political editor.

The Scottish Executive has warned that anyone found in possession of
the drug is liable to prosecution when it is reclassified from Class B
to Class C.

Police made it clear yesterday that action would be taken against
anyone breaking the law.

Nevertheless at the Scottish Parliament yesterday the Scottish
Cannabis Coffeeshop Movement said the drug would be in use in the
Purple Haze Cafe in Leith when it is opened on Thursday.

At a Press conference Scottish Socialist Party drugs spokesman Kevin
Williamson said the law as it stood was 'dishonest and hypocritical'
and 'has to be challenged.

'We want to build a network of cannabis-tolerant zones across Scotland
beginning with the Purple Haze Cafe and expanding it across the whole
of Scotland with the objective of calling on the Scottish Executive,
the police forces and the local authorities to create Scottish-wide
cannabis-tolerant zones until our parliament has the powers to change
the law,' he said.

Purple Haze owner Paul Stewart said people would have to bring their
own cannabis to the cafe because the drug would not be on sale.

SSP MSP Frances Curran said she had not smoked cannabis but her party
fully supported the cafe and wanted to see cannabis legalised.

'We are opposed to criminalising a layer of young people and although
we might not be partaking ourselves we are definitely in favour of it
being licensed and young people being able to smoke it if they decide
to,' she said.

'It's going to come. Why wait another five years? Why not legalise
cannabis now and stop another 100,000 young people going through the
criminal justice system? It's an absolute nonsense and it would save a
fortune in the courts.

Lothian and Borders Police said they have warned campaigners that
action will be taken against them if they break the law.

'We have spoken to them directly and told them they will be breaking
the law,' said a spokesman.