Mr Morgan, who is a member of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance , decided to represent himself throughout the 2 day trial at Cardiff Crown Court, the 15th time Morgan has appeared in court charged with cannabis offences.

Mr Morgan argued he had been growing cannabis for 30 years, 

In closing his defence Morgan told the court, "I'm not interfering with anyone's existence at all, I keep myself to myself and live quietly and peacefully."

Mr Morgan ended his defence saying "I'm fighting for the right to exist, no more than that."

Judge Philip Richards told the jury in summing up: 'We cannot live in a society where everyone is free to say: "My view is that the law is irrational".

Judge Phillips remanded Morgan on bail, but told him to expect a custodial punishment when he returns for sentencing in the near future.

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Neil Morgan has been convicted under the misuse of drugs act, a law which was brought into being the same year as the first Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) convened, to give the British drugs debate a radical shake up as Great Britain left behind the swinging 60's with its safe and fluffy cannabis which was the choice of the politicians of today.

37 years later and we have serving Chief Constables and former high ranking government drugs advisors calling the Misuse of Drugs act "Unworkable" and "Pointless" and whilst you may or may not disagree with the opinions of a currently serving British Chief Constable, where we all agree is in the fact the Misuse of Drugs Act isn't serving its purpose.

The cold hard truth is, Mr Morgan isn't alone in his wishes to consume cannabis. And this is what the politicians need to come to terms with, and whether they like it or not?

There are thought to be 4 million+ regular cannabis users in the United Kingdom, who are all only too aware of the risks involved with consuming cannabis, and the truth is, they know the risks of personal harm from cannabis use are lower than if they use tobacco, lower than if they use alcohol, and LOWER than if they (ab)use coffee.

In the United Kingdom in 2008, peanuts will harm more people than cannabis, (around 1 in 10 citizens suffer some form of reaction to peanuts) but do we ban peanuts? Of course not because on the whole they're very good for you in moderate amounts. Which is surely the very essence of whats required with cannabis education?

As far as medical evidence suggests, the real issue with cannabis use is the same as it is with alcohol. If one is pre-disposed to certain medical conditions we need to advise against the use of cannabis and in the strongest terms. But under the net of prohibition, it doesn't allow us to target the right groups, so drug educators are left with the inefficient "blanket bombing" technique of trying to pass a very broad message to an even broader demographic, and the message gets lost. Diluted in its delivery.

But if we were to remove people like Neil Morgan out of the ever expanding framework upon which the police secure their convictions, by decriminalising the personal possession of a small amount of cannabis, youngsters who perhaps get out of their depth the first time they use cannabis, or who perhaps are consuming cannabis as a result of peer pressure, would find it easier to walk right in off the street, to the many drug drop in centres which exist, and chat to someone about whats on their mind.

In Holland, where cannabis is legally available on every street corner, only 19% of the population admit to using cannabis at some stage in their lives, yet in the United States with its punitive cannabis laws, 41% of the population admit using cannabis and as a result, 1 in every 99 citizens in the "Land of the Free", is behind bars. Do we really want the UK to follow that inhumane statistic?

The jury is in on the British cannabis debate, and so is the medical evidence.

The British government has absolutely no grounds to further criminalise cannabis users, when all of our European neighbours are decriminalising and in closing I'll say this. If we had those 4 million cannabis users in a single (albeit very large) building, and all holding a ballot paper on which were the three main British party's, all of which needed as many X's as possible, cannabis would be decriminalised by Christmas.

Canna Zine - Join us!

Find out more about the work of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance HERE

Alternatively you may like to find out what the UK Cannabis Internet Activists (UKCIA ) are doing in the cannabis debate. The UKCIA is the longest standing cannabis reform group in the UK.

Whichever you choose its important to choose to do something!