Why do I campaign to rid ourselves of bad cannabis laws?

The burn I suppose.

Here is my story in brief, recorded more fully in my books "Time for Cannabis" and "Out ofJoint" both on amazon I have not consumed any cannabis apart from a few drops of CBD to help me sleep very occasionally, for over 3 years. I just decided to give it a pause - i was quite a heavy consumer for decades, used to be chillums and then water pipes; i stopped tobacco in 1999. After two weeks of nothing, which coincided with the start of the COVID thing and lockdowns, i realised i did not miss it. There were no withdrawal symptoms except more vivid dreams, no hidden pains returning. So I could never say my consumption was for medicinal reasons although I did and still do believe the value of the plant as a preventative medicine. 

Previous to 1991, although I quietly supported the idea of "legalisation", I took no active part in any campaign. Mostly out of paranoia, being also involved with supply.

Then in 1991 I was arrested for conspiracy and banged up on remand for over a year: I eventually challenged that as "custody time limits" had been exceeded and was released on bail from the high court in London, albeit the local Norwich judge then saying he had to release me on unconditional bail but he could set conditions on me keeping my release (travel limits, handing in my passport, not to go near a port or airport, sign twice a day ay police station - and my bank accounts were frozen).

When I came out on bail I visited Jack Girling and Tina Smith who has started campaigning from their scrap yard. I decided to help them and together along with 9 others we formed the CLCIA, the Campaign to Legalise Cannabis (International as Jack wanted that) Association, started holding meetings and started collecting membership with one-off payments. We also wanted a political voice so selected a candidate to contest the general election (in those days there was no requirement to register as a party). But as most people on the committee wanted to oust the Tories, decided not to stand.

 Martyn Wyatt, Derek Willaims, Jack Girling, Finbarr Carter, John Davies, Alun Buffry

 

I had been charged with conspiracy to import and conspiracy to supply cannabis over 3 years (150 kilos - some say that was underestimated).

After the High Court released me, I was on bail for about 5 months then in crown court where I was convicted along with five others, four others found not guilty. I was "awarded" free accommodation and food for up to ten years concurrent on each, HMP.

During my holidays at HMP Whitemoor, HMP Norwich and HMP Blantyre House, I was not active in the CLCIA but spent my time usefully, realising my abilities to write and to organise people. But nothing much happened in the CLCIA except Jack writing letters. Membership rose very slowly. So after my release on parole late in 1995, after settling "out" again, I slowly started to get more invoked with the CLCIA, run a membership drive which gained us about 200 more members. We had about 250 then.

In 1997 we met with Howard Marks at Free Rob's cannabis convention and asked him privately then publicly to stand for election. He had not long been released from prison in the US. He agreed on condition it was the single issue and stood for parliament in four places - Norwich North, Norwich South, Southampton Test and Neath. Howard's campaigning was underfunded but he gained from 0.8 to 1,6% of the votes. Although he was disappointed, it was quite an achievement on a single issue and hardly any funding.

Then came the Independent on Sunday petition and conference and the London marches - the IOS acknowledged that they had been inspired by the CLCIA (Rosie Boycott was editor).

In 1999, after the rules for registering as a political party changed, we formed the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, and had our first candidate, Danny Tungate, in Norwich and then the Late Colin Paisley (ex Mayor of Carlisle for Labour) in the by-election in Kensington and Chelsea (fellow candidate Michel Portillo told Colin that we had been "noticed"), then the Late Derrick Large in Romsey by-election. In 200 we had several candidates in local elections and not just Norwich,

 

 Tina Smith with Danny Tungate outside polling station

 

 Colin Paisley, ex-Mayor of Carlisle, 1999

 Derrick Large

How much influence we had but Labour Home Secretary under Blair, downgraded cannabis to class C. (David Blunkett - we had sent him a document called Cannabis Challenging the Criminal l Justice System, in Braille, which Don Barnard and I produced, as well as a copy to every MP) 

 Don Barnard and I at a public meeting in Braintree, Essex 

and below in Hyde Park

 

The Challange is on-line for those that want to read it and still collecting names in support. Caroline Flint, a Labour Homme office MP, said we put a powerful argument. It was based on harm reduction and human rights. In 2004 we stood in every ward in Norwich as well as some other places, 

Mike Skipper in Great Yarmouth all-up council election gained a vote from just over 15% of the voters! In most places we got 3 to 5%.

 Mike Skipper

In 2001,LCA had 12 or so in the general election - I stood in Norwich South against then Home Secretary Charles Clarke.. Also Chris Baldwin stood in Worthing, Mark Gibson in Penrith. Colin Piasley in Carlisle and Carl Wagner in Hull.     There were many other candidates, over 80 elections contested over six years.  I gained 1.6% of the vote. I did talks at the Oxford Union, before a Parliamentary Select Committee and even at a girls school in London.  

 

 

In 2005 LCA had 21 candidates and even a party broadcast on TV inWales.

How much influence we had whatever, by 2006 there were other serious issues that distracted supporters and LCA deregistered as a party. Soon cannabis was upgraded to class B again!

LCA continued as a group but without candidates, for several years. I think we lost our focus.

Then in 2011 along came Peter Reynolds who got himself elected as LCA leader without any competition. He changed the party name, policy, emblems, logos. merchandise, took down the website and closed the forum. Whether deliberately or not, he alienated most of the previous candidates and committee. I won't go into that.

I continued campaigning to this day as an independent.

Here are some links for anyone interested in seeing more I have written this in the hope that it will inspire others.

https://ccguide.org/campaignactivities.php

https://ccguide.org/lca/lca.php

https://ccguide.org/challenge/web/index.php?r=petition

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0993210767/ref=nosim?tag=webbooks05

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Joint-Years-Campaigning-Cannabis/dp/1508420211/ref=nosim?tag=webbooks05