16 Oct 2017

A Cannabis ‘Protest’ That Was Well Judged.

This was the best ‘protest’ I have seen. The characterisation of it as a ‘cannabis tea party’ was clever and combining it with Paul Flynn’s 10 minute rule bill was a smart move. It was good that three MPs actually attended and the press coverage was extensive and largely positive. This is a welcome change from the disastrous demos and protests of the past which have undoubtedly hindered progress. So while I’m not exactly eating it, I take my hat off to...

10:01 / Medicinal Campaign / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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25 Sep 2017

BBC Executive Complaints Unit, Stage 3 Complaint Re: Interview Claiming ‘Cannabis More Harmful Than Heroin’.

CLEAR has submitted a formal complaint to the BBC concerning its broadcast of the interview with Lousia Kulukundis in which she claimed that using heroin was safer than using cannabis. BBC complaints are outsourced to Capita and are not actually considered by the BBC itself until they reach Stage 3, the 'Executive Complaints Unit'. From: Peter Reynolds Sent: 22 September 2017 17:05 To: '[email protected]' <[email protected]> Subject: Request to review complaint CAS-4563673-ZNGCG0 Dear Sirs, 1. Please review the decision made in respect...

12:15 / Complaints & Representations / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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21 Sep 2017

Probably The Biggest Breakthrough Yet For Medicinal Cannabis In The UK.

UPDATE. Friday, 22nd September 2017.  The Royal College of General Practitioners Council today approved CLEAR's proposal to publish guidelines on medicinal cannabis. As ever, the UK's stubborn, anti-evidence government remains intransigent on permitting legal access to cannabis, even for medicinal use.  This despite an overwhelming tide of reform across the world and the reality that perhaps one...

11:03 / Medicinal Campaign / Medicine / News / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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08 Aug 2017

The Shame Of Drugs Minster Sarah Newton MP.

Sarah Newton is MP for Truro and Falmouth. Since July 2016 she has been Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office. Her responsibilities include drugs and alcohol. During last month's drugs debate Mrs Newton caused uproar in the House of Commons when she said she "would not agree that alcohol is the most dangerous drug" and that "alcohol taken in moderation is not a harmful drug". Both these statements are, of course, directly contradicted by a vast quantity of scientific evidence...

16:22 / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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01 Aug 2017

UK Drugs Policy Equivalent To A Grenfell Tower Tragedy Every Fortnight, Yet Ministers Prescribe More Of the Same.

The scandal that is UK drugs policy deepened last month as the Home Office published what must be one of the most irresponsible government reports ever. The 2017 Drug Strategy adds nothing of any significance to the same document published in 2010. Since then, deaths from drug overdose have reached an all time high of 2,479 (latest 2015 data). There has been an explosion in highly toxic new psychoactive...

15:49 / Medicinal Campaign / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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13 Jul 2017

New Drug Strategy Promises More Death, Misery And Ill Health For UK.

The long overdue update to the UK Drug Strategy is published today by the Home Office.   A copy may be downloaded here. Sadly, as expected, it is nothing except more of the same.  It offers no new ideas worthy of any note and reinforces the failure of existing policy by further embedding an approach which has already been conclusively proven not to work. The UK has become increasingly isolated in its approach to drugs policy and now that both Ireland and...

23:10 / News / Politics / Peter Reynolds
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