TIME TO GRASP CANNABIS 'NETTLE'

As a person with multiple sclerosis and a user of cannabis I would like to
repsond to the Government's present stance on the relaxation of the laws on
cannabis.

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary said: "In spie of our focus on hard
drugs, the majority of police time is currently spent on handling cannabis
offences. It is time for an honest and commonsense approach focusing
effectively on drugs that cause most harm."

But couldn't his position be seen as hypocritical when people with multiple
sclerosis and other disabilities have to trawl the streets to buy cannabis
from the same people who peddle hard drugs?

The Government recognise that cannabis has a therapeutic and medicinal use
- - otherwise it wouldn't have granted a licence to GW Pharmatceuticals to
grow marijuana for medicinal purposes would it?

The company is conducting rials on a marijuana-based product, and expects
that it would start selling the medicine under prescription by 2004. I
welcome these trials but in the meantime I have to break the law.

Mr Blunkett's comments were made to a Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry
into drug policy. I hope that, in the fullness of time and deliberation,
they come to a more reasoned, "common-sense" conclusion.

David Blunkett has had the bottle to pluck the nettle, and the public will
respect him for that.

Plucking the nettle is one thing for Mr Blunkett but, unless he grasps it,
society will continue to get stung by organised crime.

Unless people can get cannabis from legitimate sources it's a fact that the
vast amount of money being made from the sale of cannabis will end up in
the coffers of international criminals.

If we legalise cannabis then society will benefit by ensuring it's quality
and distribution is controlled.

Any legitimate profits will be taxable and the Government will be able to
levy a suitable level of duty.

Doctors will be able to prescribe it as it's now a class C drug. Let
people with MS see another side to class C: C for compassion.