SSP BACKING FOR SCOTLAND'S FIRST CANNABIS CAFE

Scotland's first cannabis cafe will open in Edinburgh this week, after
the drug is downgraded tomorrow to class C status.

Launching its campaign to create a network of cannabis tolerance zones
across Scotland, the Scottish Cannabis Coffee Shop Movement (SCCM)
said people would be allowed to use the drug in the Purple Haze cafe
in Leith, when it is reclassified from class B.

Kevin Williamson, the drugs spokesman for the Scottish Socialist
Party, who is spearheading the SCCM campaign, said he wanted to build
a network of tolerance zones across Scotland.

Mr Williamson said: "We want to expand it across the whole of
Scotland, with the objective of calling on the 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 the campaign also wanted to turn the zones into cannabis
information centres and monitor arrests for personal possession of
cannabis.

However, the cafe looks set to be closed within minutes of it opening,
as the police and deputy justice minister, Hugh Henry, confirmed there
would be no change in practice, and anyone possessing cannabis could
still face prosecution.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed all offences
would be reported to the procurator-fiscal.

He said: "The possession and supply of cannabis is illegal. It is also
illegal for the occupier or any person concerned in the management of
the premises to knowingly allow any person to smoke or supply cannabis."

Why not legalise cannabis now and stop another 100,000 young people
going through the criminal justice system?

MSP FRANCES CURRAN

There are more than 500,000 cannabis users in Scotland. Patrons of the
Purple Haze cafe will have to bring their own drug, as it will not be
on sale.

Paul Stewart, 37, the owner, said Purple Haze would be run with a
responsible attitude, placing an emphasis on drug education. The shop
will be tobacco-free, but anyone wishing to take cannabis could use a
vaporiser machine, which eliminates 99 per cent of the carcinogenic
substances in the drug.

Frances Curran, an SSP MSP, who is backing the campaign, said she had
not smoked the drug, but her party fully supported the cafe and wanted
to see cannabis legalised.

She said: "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.

"Why not legalise cannabis now and stop another 100,000 young people
going through the criminal justice system? It would save a fortune in
the courts."

But the scheme was criticised by other politicians. Annabel Goldie,
the Scottish Tories' justice spokeswoman, said: "These developments
are a result of muddled thinking and mixed messages coming from the
government.

"The SSP are backing the setting-up of illegal drug dens across
Scotland. Those who make the laws of the land should not be
encouraging others to break them."