cannabisnews.com: SSP Backing for Scotland's First Cannabis Cafe SSP Backing for Scotland's First Cannabis Cafe Posted by CN Staff on January 27, 2004 at 17:43:55 PT By William Lyons Source: Scotsman UK Scotland's first cannabis cafe will open in Edinburgh this week, after the drug is downgraded tomorrow to class C status. Launching its campaign to create a network of cannabis tolerance zones across Scotland, the Scottish Cannabis Coffee Shop Movement (SCCM) said people would be allowed to use the drug in the Purple Haze cafe in Leith, when it is reclassified from class B. Kevin Williamson, the drugs spokesman for the Scottish Socialist Party, who is spearheading the SCCM campaign, said he wanted to build a network of tolerance zones across Scotland. Mr Williamson said: "We want to expand it across the whole of Scotland, with the objective of calling on the Executive, the police forces and the local authorities to create Scottish-wide cannabis-tolerant zones until our parliament has the powers to change the law." He said the campaign also wanted to turn the zones into cannabis information centres and monitor arrests for personal possession of cannabis. However, the cafe looks set to be closed within minutes of it opening, as the police and deputy justice minister, Hugh Henry, confirmed there would be no change in practice, and anyone possessing cannabis could still face prosecution. A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed all offences would be reported to the procurator-fiscal. He said: "The possession and supply of cannabis is illegal. It is also illegal for the occupier or any person concerned in the management of the premises to knowingly allow any person to smoke or supply cannabis." There are more than 500,000 cannabis users in Scotland. Patrons of the Purple Haze cafe will have to bring their own drug, as it will not be on sale. Paul Stewart, 37, the owner, said Purple Haze would be run with a responsible attitude, placing an emphasis on drug education. The shop will be tobacco-free, but anyone wishing to take cannabis could use a vaporiser machine, which eliminates 99 per cent of the carcinogenic substances in the drug. Frances Curran, an SSP MSP, who is backing the campaign, said she had not smoked the drug, but her party fully supported the cafe and wanted to see cannabis legalised. She said: "We are opposed to criminalising a layer of young people, and although we might not be partaking ourselves, we are definitely in favour of it being licensed and young people being able to smoke it if they decide to. "Why not legalise cannabis now and stop another 100,000 young people going through the criminal justice system? It would save a fortune in the courts." But the scheme was criticised by other politicians. Annabel Goldie, the Scottish Tories’ justice spokeswoman, said: "These developments are a result of muddled thinking and mixed messages coming from the government. "The SSP are backing the setting-up of illegal drug dens across Scotland. Those who make the laws of the land should not be encouraging others to break them." Source: Scotsman (UK)Author: William LyonsPublished: Wednesday, January 28, 2004Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2004Contact: Letters_ts scotsman.comWebsite: http://www.scotsman.com/Related Articles:Cannabis Cafe Rolls Out Challengehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18234.shtmlA New Leaf? - Scotsman UKhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18209.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 29, 2004 at 12:59:34 PT Jose No you don't have to post links. Just comment on the article that is posted so we know how you feel. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by jose melendez on January 29, 2004 at 12:56:55 PT oops sorry, I'll post the whole link from now on. Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 29, 2004 at 12:43:36 PT Jose Why are you posting partial links? You can comment on an article and that would make more sense? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by jose melendez on January 29, 2004 at 12:39:14 PT also in the U.K. " . . . 1970 cabinet minutes also confirm that the original decision to classify illegal drugs into three classes, A, B and C, was based on political expediency rather than any scientific assessment of their harm."mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n185/a05.html?397 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 29, 2004 at 11:48:32 PT Latest News from The Scotsman UK Campaigners Stand Firm as Cannabis Cafe Opens January 29, 2004 By Hilary Duncanson, Scottish Press Association Campaigners today threw down the gauntlet to the Scottish Executive with the opening of Scotland’s first cannabis cafe.The move coincides with the reclassification of the drug, from Class B to Class C, which came into force today.The initiative means that people will be able to come in off the streets and use the soft drug in the Purple Haze Cafe in the Leith district of Edinburgh.Backed by the Scottish Cannabis Coffeeshop Movement (SCCM), the plan aims to highlight what campaigners cite as a confusing legal situation surrounding the possession and use of the drug.Today’s high-profile launch at the cafe was attended by Socialist MSPs Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne, who came to “solidarity” with those who choose to use cannabis.But the police warned that despite the downgrading the drug remains illegal and the possession and supply of cannabis is an arrestable offence. Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2004http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2469075 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment