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Cannabis Seed Ban Bill Angers Campaigners

Legalise Cannabis Alliance | 13.07.2008 12:52 | Bio-technology | Climate Chaos | Repression | Birmingham

A Bill introduced in UK Parliament calls for a ban on cannabis seeds.

Legalise Cannabis Alliance Press Release

Contact: environmental spokesperson Ingo Wagenknecht, tel. 01508538197
Press Dept: Don Barnard tel. 07882414638

14.July 2008: No Embargo

Cannabis Campaigners urge MP’s to reject prohibition of cannabis seeds bill

In a political U-turn, the Liberal Democrats not-so-liberal drugs legalisation policies on cannabis was thrown into question last week by Tom Brake MP, who split his party in the middle by introducing Bill 136, the Prohibition of Cannabis Seeds Bill.

Ingo Wagenknecht, a spokesman for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (UK) said: “Such a bill will not only be unenforceable, impractical and an outright waste of taxpayers money to enforce. It will diminish our agricultural choices and introduce a Government-led cartel regime as to what species can be grown. Farmers, just as with GMO’s, currently growing hemp for industrial and medicinal purposes under Government license, would have to agree not to sell or save seeds for the next year, a ludicrous suggestion that belies Lib Dem unity on their policies.”

He added: ”The Hemp genus is far too valuable to us to have it further prohibited, indeed it is criminal to withhold it from society when it could benefit us so much, never mind the drugs that can be won from it.

"Whilst splitting the Lib Dems and self-deluding us into believing that they are tough on drugs, especially at this point in time when we are looking for real alternatives to our oil based economies when we want to cut down on CO2 and want to reduce harm to our youngsters, our future taxpayers and pension providers, this proposal does nothing to forward debate. It perpetuates the same old prohibitive messages that have served to proliferate drugs and keep it in the hands of criminals.”

“How can you have a policy wanting to legalise cannabis and then ban the seeds?

"Until this bill 136 falls, we will be advising our members to only vote for candidates that have voiced their support for the equal application of the Human Rights act, the legalisation and control over cannabis and for real harm reduction in society”

"The LCA urges all MP’s to deny this bill a second reading on October 17th. It already represents a waste of public funds and time.

I"n the two-month leading up to the second reading our members will lobby MP’s , we hope to avert this bill before it becomes another unwieldy and useless tool for an overburdened police force and stick in the mud bureaucratic structures that are currently determining drug prohibition and harm on our streets.

End of press release

Notes to the editors:

Photos and interviews can be arranged with any of the above contacts, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Legalise Cannabis Alliance
 lca@lca-uk.org
 http://www.lca-uk.org
 http://www.lca-uk/org/lcaforum
PO Box 2883
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 9EE
UK

Legalise Cannabis Alliance
- e-mail: lca@lca-uk.org
- Homepage: http://www.lca-uk.org