From LCA Forum
I know initially some of this has been posted before but this is just to
say that an on line questionnaire is now available.
As you know Gordon Brown is reviewing the classification of cannabis. As
part of this he is holding a Public review to get the points of view of
the country. This is our chance to get our point across. Initially this
was in the form of quite a lengthy PDF file that needed to be downloaded
and submitted this option is still available here
http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/publication...onsultation.pdf
Recently an online form has been made available to allow any UK citizen
to have their say about drugs policy.
This is available here
http://surveys.ipsos-or.com/wix/p66924109.aspx
This on line form consists of 7 questions as below
1. What role do you think schools could play in better educating our
young people about drugs? Have you heard of FRANK? Take a look at
www.talktofrank.co.uk and tell us, do you think the messages about the
highs and lows of drug use are right?
2. We also know that drugs are major source of concern for parents -
what more can we do to help parents, guardians and carers talk to their
children and families about drugs? And what support should be available
if family members get caught up in drugs?
3. Did you know that the police have the power to confiscate drug
dealers' houses, cash, cars and valuable possessions? Did you also know
that the police can close drug dens within 24 hours? The police rely on
communities for intelligence, what more can be done to help communities
and their local police service work together? Do the police and local
communities have all the legal powers they need to tackle drugs?
4. The Government is committed to helping drug users build drug-free
lives. Treatment, housing, employment and education are all vital. What
more do you think Government, local services, the voluntary sector,
private business and others can do to help people stay drug free?
5. What information and action would reassure you that drug dealing and
other drug-related nuisances were being tackled where you live?
6. The Government remains concerned that drugs can look glamorous to
young people. What more can we do to challenge this? Do you think we
could do more through role models, including those from peer groups? How
can we get more young people involved in challenging the drugs culture?
7. The Government is concerned about skunk and stronger strains of
cannabis, because of the reported serious mental health effects they can
have. The Government is therefore consulting on whether to make cannabis
a Class B drug (it is currently Class C) which could mean tougher
penalties. What are your views? Do you think this will help?
I think it is essential that all of us in the cannabis community have
our points of view heard and that is why I urge all of us to respond to
this questionnaire either in the long version or the new shorter on line
questionnaire.
I encourage you to be concise and intelligent in your answers using
evidence that you can substantiate to get your point across. I know many
of us feel quite angry about the way cannabis is portrayed by the media
and Government spokesmen and the temptation may be to go off on one on
our most cherished subject but in this instance I feel it would be
counter-productive. I feel that our point of view is more likely to be
heard if we can substantiate our points of view and in a way that can be
understood by anyone who reads it.
It may help others to put your response to some or all of the questions
so that we have some factual intelligent answers to the questions so
that others who may find it difficult may use them when they come to
respond.
Alun (LCA)
I have started a blog on this and split the questions up. please
http://blog.dutchexperience.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/30/3194746.html
click here to leave your comments for any of the questions and I will use
them to answer the questions using the online form and submit it as an
organisation. Please Help to submit a strong argument for the Declassification
of Cannabis for our own personal use and the Regulation that we need to ensure
we have clean supply.
http://blog.dutchexperience.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/30/3194746.html
Questions Here
Jimmy (DE2)
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http://petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail&pet=3951
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/CannabisSocClubs/
If your name's not down, you can't come in!