17 Mar 2017

How To Campaign For Cannabis Law Reform Under A Theresa May Government.

    + Lobbying Parliament   + If the Government Won't Regulate Cannabis Then We'll Do It For Them   + The CBD Market   + Medical Cannabis   + Educating And Influencing Researchers   For cannabis and drugs policy reform, out of 650 MPs, there could not have been a worse person to seize power than Theresa May.  There are a few who come close on both Tory and Labour benches but no one who has such a long record of bigotry, denial of evidence and refusal even to consider the subject. [caption id="attachment_7621"...

17:24 / Medicinal Campaign / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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12 Mar 2017

Bad Behaviour On Both Sides Of The Cannabis Debate.

Cannabis evangelists, with their conspiracy theories and religious ‘belief’ that cannabis is totally harmless and cures everything, are every bit as delusional as those who subscribe to ‘reefer madness’. We see this every day on the CLEAR Facebook page.  Anything we share that is even slightly negative about cannabis or that suggests some people might be vulnerable to some harm from using it, produces a hostile, often hysterical reaction. ...

15:48 / Politics / Science / Peter Reynolds
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19 Feb 2017

‘This House Would Say No To Drugs’, The Oxford Union, 16th February 2017.

On Thursday, 16th February 2017, the Oxford Union held a debate on the motion 'This House Would Say No To Drugs'. I was honoured to be invited to speak against the motion in the august company of Paul Hayes and Stephen DeAngelo. Speaking for the motion were Andrew Ng, Assistant Commissioner Patricia Gallan and Shaun Attwood. We successfully defeated the motion by approximately 120 votes to 90.  A video of the debate will be released shortly.  I...

15:30 / News / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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31 Jan 2017

The UK Government’s Very Last Excuse For Denying Access To Medicinal Cannabis.

Essentially, UK government policy on cannabis hasn't altered since 1971.  Despite the vast amount of new evidence published since then and revolutionary change, particularly on medicinal use, all across the world, successive governments have stubbornly and obstinately refused to consider any sort of reform. It doesn't matter which party has been in power, Conservative, Labour or the coalition, it's a subject that ministers and MPs simply refuse to engage with.  It's easier that way for them and be in no doubt: laziness,...

11:35 / Medicinal Campaign / Medicine / Politics / Science / Peter Reynolds
32 Likes
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09 Dec 2016

The UK’s First Licensed Cannabis Dispensary.

When Mike Dobson first called me a few months ago and told me he had an idea for gaining legal access to cannabis in the UK, I was, of course, sceptical. CLEAR has frequently been approached with hare-brained and convoluted plans for avoiding the law that prohibits cannabis.  Without exception they have all been bonkers. Within a few minutes though, I could see this one was different.  In the past, most of these ideas have been around sidestepping the...

12:46 / Law / News / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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06 Dec 2016

The Facts About CBD In The UK. December 2016.

On 3rd October 2016 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)  issued notices to a number of CBD suppliers stating that cannabidiol (CBD) was being designated as a medicine and that sale of all CBD products must stop within 28 days, ostensibly by the 1st November. A lot has happened since.  Most importantly, the Cannabis Trades Association UK (CTAUK) has been established to represent the industry and protect the interests of CBD consumers but there remains great confusion as to the legal status of CBD...

10:33 / Medicinal Campaign / Medicine / News / Politics / Science / Peter Reynolds
23 Likes
16 Comments
23 Nov 2016

Crispin Blunt Asks Parliamentary Question On Medicinal Cannabis, 22nd November 2016.

Q. To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has reviewed the latest evidence, including evidence on different regulatory approaches in other jurisdictions, for the use of medical cannabis. A. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reviews evidence submitted by a company seeking a marketing authorisation for a medicinal...

13:47 / Medicine / News / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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22 Nov 2016

House Of Lords Short Debate: Placing Health Rather Than Prohibition At The Heart Of Drug Policy.

Watch Here   "Cannabis currently sits in Schedule 1—the schedule for dangerous drugs with no medicinal value, believe it or not. This has become unsustainable, and I would say laughable if it were not so serious. We have abundant evidence to support a change of that schedule. The reason for urgency is that the current policy is contrary to the human rights of hundreds of thousands of patients with severe chronic illnesses who we know could benefit from this change." Full transcript here....

11:31 / Law / Medicine / Politics / Science / Peter Reynolds
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17 Nov 2016

Cruel And Irresponsible Response from UK Government To Parliamentary Report On Medicinal Cannabis.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the response to the recent call from MPs and peers to legalise cannabis for medicinal use has come straight from the top.  Theresa May's longstanding reputation as a denier of science and evidence on drugs policy is reinforced by her peremptory dismissal of the expert report.  It seems that, at least in the short term, the UK government is sticking by a policy that is discredited, ridiculous and deeply cruel. It fell to Sarah Newton MP, minister of state...

16:18 / Law / Medicinal Campaign / Medicine / News / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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14 Comments
09 Nov 2016

CLEAR Statement Concerning Cannabis Legalisation Measures In US Election.

"This is marvellous news for liberty, health and human rights.  The USA, unlike Britain, has a functioning democracy where the will of the people prevails rather than the bigotry and self-interest of politicians.  It is wonderful to see that truth, justice and evidence is winning out over the lies and misinformation we have been fed about cannabis for almost 100 years. In 1971, the British government abdicated all responsibility on cannabis and abandoned our communities and our children to criminal gangs.  Since...

17:59 / News / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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5 Comments