CANNABIS CAFE BID FOR CITY CENTRE

Hull: A city market trader hopes to put the city on the map as only the
third place in the country to have its own cannabis cafe.

Carl Wagner, who runs the Divine Herb stall in the city's indoor market,
hopes to open the venue in February next year to cater for people who want
to buy cannabis without going to a dealer.

He says he has a number of investors willing to back the project and
already has an address in High Street earmarked.

Mr Wagner says he will go ahead with the venture irrespective of any
opposition. But he is calling for a meeting with Humberside Police and
Kingston upon Hull City Council to try to reach a "sensible agreement".

He said: "The idea is to open a cafe where registered medical patients can
come and take cannabis in a comfortable environment. The focus will be on
medical use.

"I am inundated with inquiries from people with multiple sclerosis and
arthritis who want to know where they can get cannabis without having to go
to street dealers.

"We need to take this out of the hands of criminals so people are
guaranteed a good quality product."

Mr Wagner's outlet would also sell food and coffee.

Cannabis cafes have previously been opened in Bournemouth and Stockport.

Mr Wagner is also calling for a radical rethink of the Government's policy
on illegal drugs.

One 36-year-old Hull woman, who did not want to be identified, uses
cannabis to relieve pain caused by spondylosis and supports the proposed cafe.

She said: "I've been prescribed morphine but the after-effects are terrible.

"I've been using cannabis for years now. It helps me to sleep and I don't
have side effects. I think the cafe is a good idea."

The Government has to reclassified cannabis, but has so far resisted calls
to legalise the substance.

Mr Wagner is one of the organisers behind a legalise cannabis march called
Free The Medicine, due to take place on Sunday.

The march will assemble in Queen's Gardens at 1pm to Pearson Park.