Praise over Portsmouth ‘pot picnic’ as users smoke in public

People ought to be concerned about why people that grow or possess cannabis in their own homes for their own use, whether as a recreation to relax or to ease pains or treat illnesses, face arrest even though they have done no harm.

Maybe it is to give the pharmaceutical companies an advantage - after all it is a pharmaceutical business that sells cannabis as a medicinal product (Sativex) at huge profits in the UK?

It is about time that the failed law was corrected and maybe then picnics and information events like this would stop -

Or maybe the cannabis smokers could be allocated somewhere safe and clean to go, away from the public and any children, where they can enjoy their herb in peace.

Let's face it, imagine agroup gathered ina park to drink booze (or take any other drug or medication) - what chaos there could hav ebeen - how many arrests would there have been - but thankfully drinkers have somehwere safe to go - pubs, clubs etc.

Let's give the cannabis smokers the same in the name of health and safety for all.

In the meantime I congratulate these protesters for having the courage to demand what is right and fair for all

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/criticism-over-portsmouth-pot-picnic-as-users-smoke-in-public-1-6298561
Criticism over Portsmouth ‘pot picnic’ as users smoke in public
The News, Portsmouth, September 15, 2014

CANNABIS campaigners have held the first ‘pot picnic’ in Portsmouth for 12 years – but are now facing criticism after some users openly smoked the drug in public.
Dozens went to the event, which organisers said was about awareness of what they say are the illegal drug’s benefits.
Police attended but city council leader, Councillor Donna Jones, was unhappy about the way the event – the first since the final Smokey Bear’s Picnic on Southses Common in 2002 – was policed.
Cllr Jones, a magistrate said: ‘I will be taking this up with the chief inspector for Portsmouth and urgently reviewing the situation.
‘I criticise anybody who is smoking any kind of illegal substance, particularly if they are doing it in public.
‘It’s a deplorable situation when young children are subjected to the smoke and smell from a very strong drug.’
Organiser Simon Dignam said he was not responsible for people smoking.
‘This one is going successfully, I can’t see a reason why we wouldn’t have one next year,’ he said.
‘They are smoking but there’s nothing I can do about that, it’s a personal preference. I personally haven’t had one, because I want to have a level head.’
Simon, from Hampshire Cannabis Community, had attracted campaigners, recreational users, families and people who use the drug medicinally to the day.
Hazel Pannell was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012. Doctors discovered it spread and she believes she has around five years to live.
She told The News she takes the drug in oil form in the hope it would cure her.
The 65-year-old from Worthing said: ‘Hopefully it will cure it or stop it spreading. The legality is a worry, a constant concern and the fact that it’s difficult to get hold of, too.’
It comes as Dr Janet Maxwell, director of public health in Portsmouth, last week told The News that the class B drug has real and harmful effects on the human body and mind, including a link to ‘serious, long-term health problems’.
As reported, reform advocates have since criticised Dr Maxwell for her ‘scaremongering’ comments and said they will complain to the city council about her.
At the picnic on Saturday, held at Castle Field, in Southsea, many users of the drug said it brought them benefits.
Stevie Sizer, 33, from Milton, said it had changed his life.
He said: ‘I won’t hide the fact that I do smoke it myself, I have done for 18 years.
‘I started smoking it purely because I had anger management problems and depression at a young age, 13 or 14.
‘It completely changed my life. I still smoke it to this day, as recreational use and for medicinal purposes.’
Hampshire police were unable to confirm to The News if any arrests were made at the picnic but said they would make a comment today.
Business owner selling seeds wants drug to be legal
A COMPANY in the city is thriving selling cannabis seeds – but its owner has said legalising the drug would bring in tax cash.
Martin Bear, who runs the online retailer with 11 people and was at the event on Saturday, said: ‘The war on drugs isn’t working.
‘At the moment it’s a free-for-all. They’re not making any tax or VAT. The government has abandoned it to organised crime.’
But Mr Bear, from Fawcett Road, in Southsea, added selling seeds is legal. He said: ‘Seeds are 100 per cent legal to buy, possess, give away – the problem starts when you water them.’

Report from Norwich Smokey Bear's Picnic

It was just two weeks notice but when the idea was posted on Facebook

some of us jumped to action. As well as spreading word through social media, I told the two local papers, the Norwich Evening News and the EDP and Radio Norfolk.

Within a few days, I had a letter through my letterbox asking me to urgently phone the police. So I phoned them and agreed for them to visit my house within an hour.

Two chief constables turned up an sat in my kitchen for almost an hour reading out a series of questions they had prepared.

"Are you the organiser?" one asked.

"No," I said, "I am a publisher, I publish events and news."

"Well if you publish it you are the organiser."

"Oh, if that's the case, I should be getting paid because I published the Leonard Cohen tour too - but I did not organise it!"

Other questions were "how many do you expect to turn up?"

"I don't know, I am not an organiser"

"Will you be having marshals?"

"I don't know, I am not an organiser. I keep telling you that."

"What about young people or children?"

""I don't know, I am not an organiser. But I think young people will be asked to stay away from anyone smoking, and children are the responsibility of parents and police, we can hardly drag them away!"

"Will you be smoking cannabis"

"Personally, you won't see me smoking anything and what other people do is their choice, they all know they could be arrested. Anyway, people smoke cannabis in parks in Norwich every sunny day, don't they?"

Yes," said the Constable, "but will they be smoking in your picnic?" "I don't know, I am not an organiser"

"What if somebody thinks, these people may have some drugs or cash and tries to rob people on their way into the park?" he asked.

"Well that would be up to the police to handle and I would call you.

Otherwise I would probably give him my money, I don't carry a lot"

"yes, I would too," he said.

With that they said they did not want the picnic to go ahead.

"I am not surprised," I said, "I guess police don't want any demonstrations or protests unless it's their own!"

"Have you got permission from the Council?" he asked.

"I don't need permission to have a picnic in the park and in any case, I am not an organiser; and if somebody did ask for permission, the Council would say no."

"Do you have public liability insurance?"

"Me, no. For a picnic? I don't know, I am not an organiser".

Two days later there were articles in the local press, one headed "Police want picnic nipped in the bud!"

I told the police that I would go on Facebook and suggest we get some hi-vis jackets and marshals in case thousands turned up, but I expected 50 to 100, based on the picnics we had attended in Chapelfield Gardens ten years or so ago; that we would deal with our own litter and if there was any trouble we would call the police.

When they day came, I went down to the Park expecting to be searched on the way in, but was approached by two bobbies who asked if I was the organiser!

"I am not the organiser, I am just a publisher"

"How many do you expect to turn up?"

"I don't know, I am not an organiser"

"The lady PC asked "Will people be taking drugs?"

"I don't know, I am not an organiser. People may smoke tobacco or cannabis, they know the risk, some are quite prepared to be arrested.!"

"but this is a public park with children and families."

"I know that, I am a member of the public, we all are. Tell us where else to go and we can think about it. You have to do your job and we have to protest."

Then I was approached by Radio Norfolk: "Are you the organiser?"

"No I am not, there is no organiser. It is an idea - let's have a picnic and then people invite friends".

The interview lasted about half an hour and then they took some quotes from a few others, Tina Girling, Don Barnard, Chris Philbin, Kevin Deadman ... on Monday morning many of us were heard on the early morning radio show.

Interviews with the local rags went much the same way and we saw two quite good articles on Monday Morning. You can read the press at http://www.ccguide.org/news/default.php.

The day went quietly, the only trouble was when police told Don, our liaison officer, that they could smell "skunk" by the park gates (a couple of hundred yards away)

Police pulled a couple of peopl from the group nearest them and did some pocket searches that produced nothing, whilst we just sat on the grass on the grass!

Several amongst us just wandered across the park for a toke and a cup of tea, and several smaller groups were spotted picnicking and toking around the park.

I felt like a decoy, a member of the public eating crisps and drinking orange juice, whilst around the park, across the city, county, country and world, people were peacefully toking as normal.

I wrote a letter to the press, which was published under a heading "The Big debate: Should Cannabis Users Be Given Somewhere Safe to Smoke?" - in it I said that we wanted the Council to ask the Government to allow them a temporary license where we could go and safely smoke and associate without fear of arrest and away from people that did not want to inhale the smoke.

Until then, we would continue to picnic in the parks.

With the estimated 2 dozen police earning double or more money on a Sunday, how much did that all cost?

Multiply that by 8 or 9 times next year, multiply that by ALL the other picnics and protests across the country - it will cost the taxpayer millions.

Solution: GIVE US SOMEWHERE SAFE TO GO, LEAVE US ALONE UNLESS WE CALL THE POLICE IN

Personally I felt the day was a success with good publicity for the cause, and everybody seems to have had a good day. And it was sunny!Thanks to Kevin Bear, Don Bearnard, Jack Koala Bear and all the Bushbabies.

Letter: Time to look at a new approach.  

Letter: Alcohol is the Bigger Problem 

Letter: Special Picnic Made its Point 

Cannabis campaigners hold protest event in Chapelfield Gardens in Norwich 

Police want drugs demo group to scrap protest    

Cannabis Protests - should they smoke in public?

This morning I listened to an excellent interview with Clark French of NORML UK and the Berkshire Cannabis Community, on BBC Radio Berkshire. 

I think Clark did an excellent interview and made some powerful points.(listen here - about 2 hours and 5 mins from the start - move the slder pop up below the video)  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01cwt0mClark also stepped up to the line by putting himself at risk, to some extent, by admitting his use of cannabis to ease his suffering from MS.

But Clark went further than that by announcing a public protest  see https://www.facebook.com/events/593588457357865/?fref=ts  on Sept 7th in Reading, UK.

Personally I congradulate Clark and hope that many people will turn up to support the gathering - of course some cannot or will not, especially if police are going to be there.  On rthe other hand others want apolice and press presence.

Regarding publicity for the gatherings, well it depends on the purpose of the gathering - whether to simply meet up and have a smoke (which may best be done in a more private venue) OR to openly defy and challenge the law or BOTH

.In the past most Smokey Bear Picnics, protests, marches etc included public toking, often in the presence of the, thousands marching through London, cannabis festivals, gatherings in Trafalgar Square, and many smaller gatherings in the open in places like Southsea, Hull, Norwich, Chemslford ... I remember in Southsea one year there would be police arrested a few smokers; the next there would be no arrests, then there would be arrests the year after.  The authorities just did not know what to do.

 In Norwich in a central park we sat on the grass and toked, and police just walked pst, about 70 t0 100 of us.  Even after it was on the front page of the local press in advance, police did nothing.  We caused no problems.

Some people may think it depends on numbers prseent at the event - the more there are the less police presence.

 But history does not suggest that - and think about how many police would turn up if there were an equivalent number of alcohol drinkers.

Then there were turn-yourself-in days (I would never do that because I did not feel I had anything to turn-myself in for). 

In London Free Rob Cannabis and Howard Marks, just the two of them, tried to turn themselves in.  One year they were locked out of the police station.  In Norwich Lewi Rodrigues tried to turn himself in but they would not take him to court.

When THC4MS was busted, over 75 people in the old LCA signed statements saying that if THC4MS were guilty of conspiracy to supply, then so were we, sent it to the Carlisle police and press.  Nothing happened.  THC4MS three were given suspended sntences for supplying 36,000 bars of cannabis chocolate through the post without profit.

When Pinky started his protests, he was worried out people getting busted, so he wanted toking to be discreet - trouble was that so few  protestsersturned up.I do understand that those that grow or have jobs or family circumatsnaces that they want to protect, refrain from such open and public chllenges to the law, but I also greatly ADMIRE those that are prepared to try to defeat prohibition in this way - arrests for small amounts, court cases, all cost money - a waste of taxpayers money, and even without any change in law we can use that to push for greater tolerance - where there is no threat or not harm there should be no such arrests.

Each to his or her own - so long as we each put in some effort in some way, I think the battle can be on many fronts.

http://www.ccguide.org/lca/activities.php

http://www.ccguide.org/events.php