LEGALISE CANNABIS WEBSITE 'BLOCKED' BY COUNTY COUNCIL

ESSEX COUNTY Council has come under fire for blocking access to a
pro-cannabis website from its libraries.

The Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) is furious the site is barred from
computers because it allegedly advocates drug taking.

They believed access was particularly important with the debate over
cannabis reclassification still unresolved.

Don Barnard, Chelmsford spokesperson for the LCA, accused the council of
political censorship. He said: We don't advocate the use of drugs in any
shape or form. We are a registered political party that advises a change in
the law.

How can we debate matters relating to cannabis reclassification when only
one side is allowed to put its case?

"It's the thin end of the wedge, if they continue to do this there will be
no opposition."

But the county council said they subscribe to a service that filters
websites on their behalf.

They stressed it was not blocked for political reasons but because it falls
under the category of drugs.

lt's at the commercial service's discretion," a spokesperson said.

We keep categories under review and this site may be something we
reconsider."

After a dressing down from the LCA, Secure Computing, the company which
filters Essex County libraries' web pages, has now lifted their ban on the
site.