UK law and International Treaty protect the Right of every person to choose and to practice his own belief. There is no stipulation on what that belief should be; there is no list of acceptable religions. Each to his or her own.
The practice of that belief, alone or with others, is also part of that Right. In addition, we have the Right to a Private Life.
These Rights are being abused by the way in which The Misuse of Drugs Act is applied, by invading the Private Lives of people who pose no risk or do no harm due to their possession or cultivation or non-commercial sharing of cannabis alone or with consenting adults in their private, in belief that such activites improve the quality of their lives.
The Law and the Articles in the Treaties quite specifically limit and set criteria for when authorties are allowed to interfere with those Rights. Unless they can show that the criteria demanded is satisfied, then those authorities are themselves accussed of breaking the law.
There is no evidence to suggest that the possession or cultivation of cannabis for own use or sharing in private poses a risk to public health or the Rights as others.
The UK Human Rights Act 1998 states:
Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
2. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
Right to respect for private and family life
1 Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
2 There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
Prohibition of abuse of rights
Nothing in this Convention may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein or at their limitation to a greater extent than is provided for in the Convention.
image thanks to Karl Turner
