CANNABIS CAFE IDEA IRRESPONSIBLE

PLANS to Open one of Britain's first cannabis cafes in Witham have been
dismissed by a leading councillor.

Chris Philbin, a member of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, hopes to open
and manage a cannabis cafe in an empty unit at the shops in Witham.

The Dutch style coffee shop could he one of several around the UK if the
Government implements plans to downgrade cannabis from a Class B to Class C
drug.

The Legalise Cannabis Alliance expects the law change would lead to police
tolerating individuals using cannabis in private.

But Tom Hewitt, leader of Witham Town Council, called Mr Philbin's idea for
the cafe a "pipe dream".

Mr Hewitt said: "If he thinks that the district council, which is the
landlord, would be persuaded to grant a licence for such a venture, he's
very much mistaken."

He added: "These people are being thoroughly irresponsible because it's
going to cause an awful lot of upset to local residents - people need
reassuring that this isn't the sort of thing we would countenance."

*We have been asked to point out that Dean Russell and Simon Holding are
not involved in plans to open a cannabis cafe in Witham. Mr Russell and Mr
Holding used to lease JDS Cyber Cafe in Spa Road, but terminated the lease
just over a year ago.