cannabisnews.com: France To Toughen Laws on Cannabis France To Toughen Laws on Cannabis Posted by CN Staff on December 27, 2002 at 08:00:01 PT By Paul Webster in Paris Source: Guardian Unlimited France is planning to tighten restrictions on the smoking of cannabis in an attempt to curb its steadily rising popularity. Campaigners claim that millions of people are regularly defying existing laws as more plantations of cannabis are discovered, particularly in the south of the country. At normal levels of consumption, up to three million French people will have smoked the drug on Christmas day. France's hardline interior minister, Nicholas Sarkozy, has been consulting cabinet members and government officials on raising the maximum penalties for cannabis use, from the present level of a year in prison or a £5,000 fine. This month the government made it an offence to drive under the drug's influence after a series of fatal road accidents. The interior ministry's anti-drugs chief, Michel Bouchet, has also been asked to investigate the cultivation of cannabis after police reported that more than 40,000 plants were pulled out in raids last year, compared to 1,500 10 years ago. But the pro-cannabis Collectif d'information et de recherche cannibiques, Circ, claimed that there was not a village south of the Loire valley without a plantation. In addition, hundreds of thousands of plants were grown indoors. The fashion for home-grown cannabis was linked to two DIY books, Fumée clandestine (secret smoke) and Culture en placard (cupboard growing) which have sold 100,000 copies between them. Drugs squad detectives admit to being overwhelmed, during this month's Hemp Salon in central Paris. The event was backed by Circ's founder, Jean-Pierre Galland, who campaigns through the Green party for the legalisation of the drug. He has had to pay about £30,000 in fines for his lobbying activities in its favour. Police visited the salon but there were no arrests despite the sale of gadgets such as the Pollinator which can be used to make hashish. Visitors were given catalogues by Sensi Seedbank, Holland's main producer, but many amateur growers depend on cannabis seeds sold to feed racing pigeons, which, according to one advertisement, "was like putting a turbo-engine into a sparrow". Other catalogues offered bat manure, considered as the best fertiliser for growing the seven-leaved plant. "The great problem is not police raids but theft," a grower from the Var said. "You'll find small fields hidden in pine forests. Once they have been located, they have to be guarded night and day. A good crop earns enough to keep you all year round, even though it is sold only to friends." So far, no action has been taken against shops selling specialised equipment, of which there are about 50 in France. But a decision will have to be taken soon on whether to stop the annual summer festival at Montjean-sur-Loire where cannabis, described as "the symbol of the Loire valley", is easily available. "It's only a matter of time before pot overtakes tobacco," a festival organiser said. "There are already nearly half as many pot smokers as tobacco smokers. Some of our visitors say that cannabis saved their life." Source: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK)Author: Paul Webster in ParisPublished: Friday, December 27, 2002Copyright: 2002 Guardian Newspapers LimitedContact: letters guardian.co.ukWebsite: http://www.guardian.co.uk/CannabisNews - Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by FoM on December 27, 2002 at 08:59:53 PT Check Out This Article Hi Everyone,I don't like to post drug bust articles when I'm not sure if the person or persons involved want their name printed but here is the link.Police Claim $50,000 Bail Money Smells Like Marijuana: http://www.gazettenet.com/12272002/news/3128.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by druid on December 27, 2002 at 08:14:18 PT tobacco "It's only a matter of time before pot overtakes tobacco," a festival organiser said. "There are already nearly half as many pot smokers as tobacco smokers. Some of our visitors say that cannabis saved their life." I hate smoking tobacco. I have been trying to quit for a long time and I know that some day I will do it. In the perfect world for me the government would just trade out our 1 allowed legal smoke. I would definitely have to quit smoking tobacco then and I could have all the nice legal cannabis I needed to comfort myself through the withdrawals./me sighs and dreams some more [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by BGreen on December 27, 2002 at 08:11:58 PT All Is Not Lost In Europe I saw this story on the MAP website. It seems as if the number of people wanting to "get tough" on cannabis users is dwindling.If I remember correctly, people in France have shown a remarkable ability to hold strikes and protests numbering in the tens of thousands when their gov't gets a little too oppressive. 108 Euro-Parliamentarians Call for Legal, Regulated Drug Trade [ Post Comment ] Post Comment