Newsgroups: alt.drugs
From: [N--l] at [goldeni.demon.co.uk] ("Neil M. Montgomery")
Cc: [alt hemp] at [dispatch.demon.co.uk]
Subject: CANNABIS-SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT-UK
X-Mailer: PCElm 1.09
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 1994 13:02:42 +0000


If you want to contribute to the pro-legalisation campaign in the UK there is 
something that can be done by you NOW: write to 	

					The Secretary of State for Scotland, 
					The Scottish Office, 
					St.Andrew's House, 
					Edinburgh.
					EH1 3DG.

The Scottish Office is now considering the Select Committee Report on the
Misuse of Drugs and their findings will influence how Westminster acts on
the Cannabis issue. The Chair of the Select Committee (W.MacKelvey MP)
drafted such enlightened paragraphs as:

	"The vast majority of people who use cannabis do not progress 
	to the use of harder drugs. But some do and their progression 
	is, in our view, linked largely to the social circumstances in 
	which cannabis is purchased and used; the 'stepping stones' are 
	social rather than pharmacological." (orig.para.184)
	
	"We recommend that The Scottish Office carries out a full study
	of the manner in which the personal use of cannabis has been
	decriminalised in the Netherlands with a view to introducing
	similar arrangements in Scotland" (orig.para.191)

	"We recommend therefore that prosecution should become the 
	exceptional rather than the routine form of proceeding in
	simple possession cases" (orig.para.199)


THE ABOVE PARAGRAPHS ARE FROM THE 'PROCEEDINGS' AND ARE NOT 
WHAT WAS ADOPTED IN THE REPORT - HERE ARE EXTRACTS FROM THE 
ADOPTED REPORT WHICH GIVE A VERY DIFFERENT PICTURE :

	"With that perspective in mind, we believe that it would be
	foolhardy to adopt any policy which encourages the use of a
	drug such as cannabis." (adopted para.185)

	"It is therefore clear to us that the fight against trafficking
	is not being hampered by the diversion of police resources to
	a vast number of minor cannabis offences."

	"If fiscal fines were to apply to minor cannabis offences,
	we would wish them to act as credible deterrents."


If you feel you can't draft your own letter I will be drafting a response 
to the SO over the next couple of days and I will post it to alt.drugs 
and alt.hemp. PLEASE look out for it and write ASAP to the SO.

Thanks!
-- 
Neil M. Montgomery

        "KEEP THE HORSE AT THE WATER 'TILL IT DRINKS!"