Cannabis cafe opens in US. So why not in the UK too?
The American movement for the reform of cannabis laws took a huge step forward recently, when the state of Oregon opened its first official, licenced cannabis cafe.
According to Reuters, the licensed premises (which is imaginatively named 'Cannabis Cafe'), is being seen as a direct challenge on President Obama's much publicised announcement that the federal government would not interfere in state sanctioned medical marijuana operations.
The opening of this cafe indicates a big 'thumbs up' for medical marijuana from the White House, or if not a thumbs up, at least a slight recognition of the remarkeably safe side-effect profile and the low inherent toxicity cannabis has. But the pharma's won't be happy..
So here's how it works. For the sake of a small monthly subscription, members with a medical marijuana permit may congregate and consume cannabis just so long as it is out of public view.
The cafe may only supply cannabis products to those Portland residents who can show a valid doctors permit.
Madeline Martinez is the executive director in Oregon, of the world's largest cannabis reform movement (NORML).
Martinez told reporters,"This club represents personal freedom, finally, for our members."
Its a place where people may openly talk about the cultivation and the consumption of a plant which in the United Kingdom, you face 5 years in prison simply for possessing.
Medical marijuana is nothing new in the US. Its been supplied by the federal government to patients with a doctors recommendation for over thirty years.
A similar cannabis cafe which was set up in Lansing on the south coast of the UK was famously raided by police armed with a bulldozer just recently.
Whilst there was no cannabis found during the raid, police were acting on information which told them there would be an amount of cannabis on the premises. Shortly afterwards an operation was launched which would tie up the services of over 20 police officers as well as heavy demolition equipment, at huge cost to the public purse.
Whilst in the United states. That country with which the UK is meant to have a 'special' relationship, the green curtain of prohibition is finally being pulled back.
And it seems the UK can listen to US military advisors, but cannot hear the US medical advisors who agree wholesale that cannabis is a safe, effective medicine?
So how does that work?
Ask your MP to support evidence based drugs policy.
An estimated 21,000 people, with conditions such as cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and Tourette’s syndrome, are reportedly registered to use cannabis with a doctors recommendation in Oregon alone.
Meanwhile those same patients with a UK post-code are being harassed and bullied by a police force which is being flagrantly misguided by a government with no new ideas on how to tackle drugs.
Green/Eco/Environment 
