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Opinion
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 05/07/2009, 7:02 PM
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alchemist
Joined on 05/07/2009
Posts 3
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Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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Well I've written to Cloe Smith and David Cameron three times now, and received no reply, despite fliers through my door - so rather than try the same tactic to gain honest answers from the other candidates, I also wrote to the Evening News's Letters Page
In case they don't publish it or candidates don't read it, I thought I'd try asking them through this forum too: this is what I asked
Our recently resigned MP, Dr Ian Gibson, favoured the legalisation of
cannabis, unlike the Labour Party.
I have learned that most Political Parties allow their candidates to have
their own opinions on this issue.
Dr Gibson won his seat in 1997. Howard Marks also stood in that election
as an Independent on a legalise cannabis ticket and gained over 500
votes - about 1.5%. Since then, LCA candidates gained 3% to 5% in
elections in Norwich North's City Council wards.
Government estimates suggest that up to 10% of adults use cannabis with
many more having tried it - all classed as "criminals" by the law, even
though few may have harmed anybody. 10% of the voters in Norwich North
is a lot of people!
Cannabis is about health and medicine, education, fuel, pollution and
the environment, industry, taxation, law, Justice and Human Rights,
employment and trade.
Clearly, cannabis is an issue that DOES concern many people, one way or
another, yet election candidates seem to remain silent unless pushed.
Will the Evening News help uncover the views of all the candidates? Do
they support legalisation of cannabis?
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05/07/2009, 9:30 PM
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Hide the decline
Joined on 12/03/2008
Posts 1,356
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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I guess the Greens, would be your one to cast your voting for.
Green Party Drugs Group | Green Party Drugs Group
DU405 Cannabis would be removed from the 1971
Misuse of drugs act. The possession, trade and cultivation of cannabis
would be immediately decriminalised, roughly following the Dutch model.
The trade in Cannabis would be the subject of a Royal Commission (see
below), with a view to establishing a fully legalised, controlled and
regulated trade. Small-scale possession of drugs for personal use would
be decriminalised. The starting point would be advice to policing
authorities to caution rather than prosecute for offences of drug
possession for personal use and to refer offenders to the health-care
services (see DU411).
Subsequently, regulations would be brought forward removing criminal
sanctions for simple possession of controlled drugs for personal use.
The recommended sentences for small-scale supply would be non-custodial
options. The possession of pipes made for the use in connection with
smoking of opium would no longer be a criminal offence. A Royal
Commission or similar body would be established to review currently
controlled drug classifications, within a legalised environment of drug
use. This commission would, after wide consultation, consider and
recommend frameworks of social, economic and health conditions for drug
use and supply.
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05/07/2009, 9:49 PM
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GreenBlue
 
Joined on 01/06/2008
Posts 1,602
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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 alchemist wrote: | Well I've written to Cloe Smith and David Cameron three times now, and received no reply, despite fliers through my door - so rather than try the same tactic to gain honest answers from the other candidates, I also wrote to the Evening News's Letters Page
In case they don't publish it or candidates don't read it, I thought I'd try asking them through this forum too: this is what I asked
Our recently resigned MP, Dr Ian Gibson, favoured the legalisation of cannabis, unlike the Labour Party.
I have learned that most Political Parties allow their candidates to have their own opinions on this issue.
Dr Gibson won his seat in 1997. Howard Marks also stood in that election as an Independent on a legalise cannabis ticket and gained over 500 votes - about 1.5%. Since then, LCA candidates gained 3% to 5% in elections in Norwich North's City Council wards.
Government estimates suggest that up to 10% of adults use cannabis with many more having tried it - all classed as "criminals" by the law, even though few may have harmed anybody. 10% of the voters in Norwich North is a lot of people!
Cannabis is about health and medicine, education, fuel, pollution and
the environment, industry, taxation, law, Justice and Human Rights, employment and trade.
Clearly, cannabis is an issue that DOES concern many people, one way or another, yet election candidates seem to remain silent unless pushed.
Will the Evening News help uncover the views of all the candidates? Do they support legalisation of cannabis?
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Interesting debate
http://bleedingheartshow.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/doomsday-averted-drug-decriminalisation-in-portugal/
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06/07/2009, 7:40 AM
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Harvs
Joined on 17/04/2008
Posts 37
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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I remember reading about the Portugal thing a while back, definitely adds to the debate. I don't think the Brits will take to a similar upheaval in the same manner though. We seem to be fans of excess, only need to go down Prince of Wales Road on a Friday or Saturday to see that! Also worth remembering the proven link between heavy cannabis use and schizophrenia. I'll find some links when I have more time, unfortunately, for the time being, I must get to work!
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06/07/2009, 8:29 PM
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Hide the decline
Joined on 12/03/2008
Posts 1,356
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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| Harvs wrote: | I remember reading about the Portugal thing a while back, definitely adds to the debate. I don't think the Brits will take to a similar upheaval in the same manner though. We seem to be fans of excess, only need to go down Prince of Wales Road on a Friday or Saturday to see that! Also worth remembering the proven link between heavy cannabis use and schizophrenia. I'll find some links when I have more time, unfortunately, for the time being, I must get to work!
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Bang on Harvs, Our mental institution's are full up with weed/pot heads. Portugal has not as half as many nut jobs, as Britain.......I've always found the best druggie is a reformed one, or in some cases a dead one...........Don't vote green, they want your kids to go on drugs!!!!!!!!!Harsh but fair.
YouTube - Space Ritual - Reefer Madness (edit)
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08/07/2009, 11:13 AM
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alchemist
Joined on 05/07/2009
Posts 3
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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A few lines from cloe Smith - nothing from the Green Party and Rupert Reid is already a councillor why vote for him to be an MP
Ms Smith wrote:
"Please accept my apologies for the accidental delay in replying to your emails.
"Thanks for taking the time to write again and to lay out past statistics on voting issues. I
wanted to say first of all that in addition to any stance I may take on
particular issues if elected, I would aim to represent the views of all
constituents to the best of my ability.
£On your questions about cannabis, I am well aware of the issues on either side of the legalisation debate. I
take liberal views on the majority of social issues, and on the whole
prefer to let people, rather than the state, decide their activities
and consumption for themselves. However, I also
believe that the government can help people protect themselves by
providing information and some regulation over some substances which
can be dangerous.
"I
think it is important for people to have access to the latest
scientific evidence that can inform the classification of cannabis. On
the evidence currently available, I believe that cannabis can be
harmful and should be subject to some regulation to discourage
vulnerable people from developing addiction and related problems.
"However, I also believe that it is right to treat dealers more severely than users. As
you obviously will know, the maximum penalty for supply, dealing,
production or trafficking is currently higher than that for possession. I
appreciate that people possess the drug for lots of reasons, including
trying it for the first time, using it for medicinal pain relief, and
using it regularly for recreational purposes. Dealing in drugs to make money from others' addiction is a different moral question entirely.
"I
would be interested to hear any views (from you or the campaign that
you support) on how to improve the system to avoid blunt
criminalisation of all users. In particular, I am highly sympathetic to arguments for the relaxation of laws around cannabis use for medicinal purposes.
"On
the presence of UK troops in Afghanistan, I believe that we need to see
through our mission in that country, because if we leave it to become
the failed state that it once was, then we risk it becoming once again
an incubator of terrorism. We need to succeed in
Afghanistan – and we need to our aid and foreign policies to succeed
elsewhere in the Middle East – if we are to keep our own society safe.
"On ID cards, I totally oppose the Government’s position and, as your MP, I will vote against ID cards at every opportunity.
"And
on the BNP, I deplore their views and believe it is the responsibility
of politicians from all parties to work to defeat them wherever they
stand for election.
"Best wishes
Chloe"
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08/07/2009, 8:18 PM
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GreenBlue
Joined on 01/06/2008
Posts 1,602
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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| alchemist wrote: | A few lines from cloe Smith - nothing from the Green Party and Rupert Reid is already a councillor why vote for him to be an MP
Ms Smith wrote:
"Please accept my apologies for the accidental delay in replying to your emails.
"Thanks for taking the time to write again and to lay out past statistics on voting issues. I wanted to say first of all that in addition to any stance I may take on particular issues if elected, I would aim to represent the views of all constituents to the best of my ability.
£On your questions about cannabis, I am well aware of the issues on either side of the legalisation debate. I take liberal views on the majority of social issues, and on the whole prefer to let people, rather than the state, decide their activities and consumption for themselves. However, I also believe that the government can help people protect themselves by providing information and some regulation over some substances which can be dangerous.
"I think it is important for people to have access to the latest scientific evidence that can inform the classification of cannabis. On the evidence currently available, I believe that cannabis can be harmful and should be subject to some regulation to discourage vulnerable people from developing addiction and related problems.
"However, I also believe that it is right to treat dealers more severely than users. As you obviously will know, the maximum penalty for supply, dealing, production or trafficking is currently higher than that for possession. I appreciate that people possess the drug for lots of reasons, including trying it for the first time, using it for medicinal pain relief, and using it regularly for recreational purposes. Dealing in drugs to make money from others' addiction is a different moral question entirely.
"I would be interested to hear any views (from you or the campaign that you support) on how to improve the system to avoid blunt criminalisation of all users. In particular, I am highly sympathetic to arguments for the relaxation of laws around cannabis use for medicinal purposes.
"On the presence of UK troops in Afghanistan, I believe that we need to see through our mission in that country, because if we leave it to become the failed state that it once was, then we risk it becoming once again an incubator of terrorism. We need to succeed in Afghanistan – and we need to our aid and foreign policies to succeed elsewhere in the Middle East – if we are to keep our own society safe.
"On ID cards, I totally oppose the Government’s position and, as your MP, I will vote against ID cards at every opportunity.
"And on the BNP, I deplore their views and believe it is the responsibility of politicians from all parties to work to defeat them wherever they stand for election.
"Best wishes
Chloe"
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Avoiding Nortons rather infantile and victim rubbish and projections; his blogs falling down the Forum on their nonsense.I'm more interested in the substance and policies discussed on the Forum. Personally I'm interested in the outcome of the North Norwich election; with all the frontbench grandees hoping to win and gain the seat. As Ian Gibson isn't running as an independent, my money is on Chloe Smith.
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08/07/2009, 9:27 PM
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Urban heat island
Joined on 08/07/2009
socks are on my plates
Posts 1,244
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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Chloe is a fit young bird, the brainwashing of Dave has misted her fine mind Re her email :"On the presence of UK troops in
Afghanistan, I believe that we need to see through our mission in that
country, because if we leave it to become the failed state that it once
was, then we risk it becoming once again an incubator of terrorism. We
need to succeed in Afghanistan – and we need to our aid and foreign
policies to succeed elsewhere in the Middle East – if we are to keep
our own society safe.
Our mission was To help Rebuild the Afghan infrastructure, we and the yanks destroyed .Nothing has been rebuilt ,kids still crap in holes in the desert.
The failed state that it once was, what the *uck is it now ? The failed state was caused by the rise of Al Qaeda ,with the training and cash, provided by CIA and Pakistan secret police. The Tali-ban is a Pakistan born organisation, which set up an Islamic state after the Russians pulled out. The good old US liked these raghead beheaders, it was great fun Snr Bush and the cigar loving Clinton to watch Russian conscripts chopped up alive. The US with all its empire bulding is the incubator of all terrorism now, for every tali-ban or insurgents they kill, 10 more will replace them. I for one do not want to see any more our troops blown to bits,because of our foreign policies along with the smiling black demon Obama. The white boy trash Bush was bad enough............As for..... Chloe nice bum,shame about the brainwashing.
KEEP ON ROCKIN! IN THE FREE WORLD
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17/07/2009, 12:08 PM
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alchemist
Joined on 05/07/2009
Posts 3
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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| Harvs wrote: | I remember reading about the Portugal thing a while back, definitely adds to the debate. I don't think the Brits will take to a similar upheaval in the same manner though. We seem to be fans of excess, only need to go down Prince of Wales Road on a Friday or Saturday to see that! Also worth remembering the proven link between heavy cannabis use and schizophrenia. I'll find some links when I have more time, unfortunately, for the time being, I must get to work!
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There is a link between use of cannabis and schizophrenia in some people - but it is not a link that suggests cannabis causes schizophrenia - rather that some people who suffer schizophrenia are more likely to try cannabis for relief - some find it helps, some find it worsens - and of course cannabis has nothing to do with what happens outside the clubs on Prince of wales Road - the sort of thing that does not happen in Holland where cannabis is tolerated (not legal) and available to adults through "Coffeeshops".
Here is arecent article about cannabis and Schizophrenia
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From the IACM-Bulletin of 5 July 2009
Science: The development of the number of new schizophrenia cases in the
UK does not support the hypothesis that cannabis use increases
schizophrenia risk
According to research of scientists at Keele University in
Staffordshire, UK, the incidence (the number of new diagnosed cases) of
schizophrenia in the years 1996 to 2005 does not support the hypothesis
that cannabis use increases the risk for the development of
schizophrenia or psychosis. For this study an analysis of data from 183
practices in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland was
conducted. The study cohort comprised almost 600,000 patients each year,
representing approximately 2.3 per cent of the UK population aged 16 to
44. Between 1996 and 2005 the incidence of schizophrenia and psychoses
were either stable or declining.
A recently published study found that cannabis use increased fourfold
between 1972 and 2002 and 18-fold among people under 18 years of age. If
the risk of schizophrenia is elevated 1.8-fold among light users and
3.1-fold among heavy users as suggested by another study, and assuming
an elevated risk for 20 years, an increase in schizophrenia incidence of
29 per cent would have been expected between 1996 and 2005. Researches
concluded that "the causal models linking cannabis with
schizophrenia/psychoses are not supported by this study" and that "the
underlying causes of schizophrenia/psychoses remained stable/declined
over the study period."
(Source: Frisher M, Crome I, Martino O, Croft P. Assessing the impact of
cannabis use on trends in diagnosed schizophrenia in the United Kingdom
from 1996 to 2005. Schizophr Res. 2009 Jun 26. [Electronic publication
ahead of print])
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Craig Murray, Independent Candidate "Elect an Honest Man" campaign, sent a private word that he supports legalisation and taxation of cannabis
Labour candidate has not replied; neither has April Pond for the Lib dems - the Greens never answer me so i didn't bother to ask,m but their usual response previously - from Ramsey - was that although they support legalisation, their candidates are not bound to that policy, and they don't want to make it too public in case it loses them votes - and it is hardly a priority issue - which is disappointing since the cannabis issue is an issue about drugs, law, health, medicine, Rights, justice, pollution, fuel, taxation, employment,m agriculture, industry, trade, international relations ... the Greens have never acknolwdged the true value of such an easy to grow environmentally-friendly plant (hemp a low THC variety) to produce sustainable energy and pollution-free low cost fuel
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17/07/2009, 12:51 PM
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Harvs
Joined on 17/04/2008
Posts 37
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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Obviously the kinda stuff that happens down Prince Of Wales is an alcohol based issue, and the introduction of cannabis wouldn't be expected to cause a rise in incidents. I believe it would still be used to an excessive amount by a decent amount of people, and you'd still get the problem of stoned drivers etc. which would not be a good thing!
With regards to the reply you got from Chloe Smith, she's not really talking sense when mentioning the "addictive" qualities of cannabis. It's not a chemically addictive substance, and the psychological addiction is pretty mild as well. Saying that, it does change peoples behaviour, often for the worse, when used frequently and heavily. To be honest, if you want to go on relative risks, if cannabis were legalised, I'd see no obvious reason why ectasy couldn't be legalised either. Statistically it's much safer than alcohol, nicotine etc. but doesn't have the historical significance of them. And again, it isn't a chemically or psychologically addictive substance.
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20/07/2009, 6:02 PM
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Urban heat island
Joined on 08/07/2009
socks are on my plates
Posts 1,244
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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| Harry Cripps understudy wrote: | I guess the Greens, would be your one to cast your voting for.
Green Party Drugs Group | Green Party Drugs Group
DU405 Cannabis would be removed from the 1971
Misuse of drugs act. The possession, trade and cultivation of cannabis
would be immediately decriminalised, roughly following the Dutch model.
The trade in Cannabis would be the subject of a Royal Commission (see
below), with a view to establishing a fully legalised, controlled and
regulated trade. Small-scale possession of drugs for personal use would
be decriminalised. The starting point would be advice to policing
authorities to caution rather than prosecute for offences of drug
possession for personal use and to refer offenders to the health-care
services (see DU411).
Subsequently, regulations would be brought forward removing criminal
sanctions for simple possession of controlled drugs for personal use.
The recommended sentences for small-scale supply would be non-custodial
options. The possession of pipes made for the use in connection with
smoking of opium would no longer be a criminal offence. A Royal
Commission or similar body would be established to review currently
controlled drug classifications, within a legalised environment of drug
use. This commission would, after wide consultation, consider and
recommend frameworks of social, economic and health conditions for drug
use and supply.
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I guess we have to many problems with legal stuff.....Booze,crime and killings, Fags, ill health,early deaths............millions more of pot heads......bad idea, more crime and more unstable folk strolling around. It could be kindaa nice if people were more happy with themselves, than filling their minds with drugs. Of course this what the NWO elite want of todays folk........ braindead muppets.
Darren Gold, 36, from Essex, smoked cannabis heavily for 12 years from the age of 15.
His
drug use propelled him into a life of petty crime, littered with
several spells inside prison, and he attributes much of what happened
to him to cannabis use.
A first hand account of cannabis paranoia
KEEP ON ROCKIN! IN THE FREE WORLD
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21/07/2009, 12:30 AM
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Urban heat island
Joined on 08/07/2009
socks are on my plates
Posts 1,244
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Re: Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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After watching the Look East special, tonight on the beeb with the four main would-be pocket fillers. What a load of turkeys,all four turned out to be. With the greens coming off the worst in my opinion. Dr Gibson may be in hindsight stayed in the role of MP, until the next election. Most of the audience looked liked they had just been dug up or getting over a dose of piggy flu, the beebs choice of not having other candidates, was also a farce...........Was the presenter Mr White sending out a sublime message by wearing those red socks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KEEP ON ROCKIN! IN THE FREE WORLD
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Evening News 24 » You Say » Opinion » Questions for Norwith North by-election candidates
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