MIND IF I SMOKE?

A Carlisle drugs campaigner claims the Home Secretary's decision to relax
the law on cannabis has "burst the dam" - and full legalisation is now in
sight.

Alan Mason, 40, of Stonegarth, believes public opinion forced David
Blunkett to announce on Tuesday that he intended to downgrade the drug from
class B to C.

The move, Mr Mason claims, has broken the commercial stranglehold which for
decades has frightened successive governments into taking a tough
anti-drugs line.

He is currently using human rights legislation to fight a conviction at
Carlisle Crown Court for cultivating cannabis.

He admits that the plant can cause psychological problems. But he argues
that, locked within its leaves, are a host of benefits which are far more
worthy than merely "getting stoned."

Its other, less well-known qualities include being an excellent substitute
for oil, paper and cotton, as well as having a wide range of medicinal uses.

But he claims that powerful lobbies, including petro-chemical firms and the
pharmaceutical industry, felt threatened by the "wonder herb" and used
their influence to ensure it remained underground.

Brave

Mr Mason said: "The authorities have known for years that prohibition was
wrong. But they have had their hands held up their backs by big business."

Complimenting the Home Secretary, who is blind, he referred to him as "a
man of vision."

"It was very brave of Mr Blunkett," he said. "The government probably hopes
all the activists will step back and say 'That's good enough,' but it's
only the first step."