Light Up the Sky: Europe

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

Light Up the Sky - Press Release

Lantern release on the 20th April 2011 at 21.00 hrs (LOCAL TIME) to highlight the need for Cannabis to be properly regulated.

In the recent years Cannabis legislation has become more important with more and more people realising the benefits of Cannabis use. With many scientists and health campaigners understanding that the biggest problems with cannabis use result from the nature of the drug’s regulation – contact with criminals, police involvement and subsequent charges and possibly the loss of a job, we aim to change this.

On the back of the oppressive legislation – the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 – Cannabis is seen as having no medicinal use as seen by it being listed as a schedule 1 drug meaning no medicinal benefit. However more and more research has shown that there are many illness/conditions that can be treated with Cannabis, (such as Chronic Pain, Alzheimer’s and Brest Cancer - McAllister SD, Christian RT, Horowitz MP, Garcia A, Desprez PY (November 2007). "Cannabidiol as a novel inhibitor of Id-1 gene expression in aggressive breast cancer cells"), indeed it is being marketed as Sativex, (Sativex is a mouth spray developed by the UK Company GW Pharmaceuticals for multiple sclerosis patients). This misinformation about Cannabis continues to confuse people and prevents proper discussion and, the freedom to use Cannabis for those who feel they benefit from it.

Professor Nutt of Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs was dismissed form his job as he had in his professional opinion and after many years of research concluded that Cannabis use is safer than alcohol use. This dismissal of the chairman of the Advisory Council for honestly reporting his findings effectively shows the British Governments refusal to look at the facts, and indeed appear to be attempting to subvert honest research as a political tool, (much support can be garnered through manipulating peoples fear).

Very often GP’s would secretly advise people if they can access cannabis to help their condition then to do it, again we see medical people recognising the benefits of Cannabis, (1 in 6 people report this in a survey, published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice). How many people suffer needlessly due to the prohibition of Cannabis?

Many economists believe that the taxation garnered from legalising Cannabis to be worth millions to the British economy and this money can be used in the NHS, Education, or to help stop some of the massive cuts that are being made at the moment. Also the legalisation would SAVE money. Much is being spent each year policing illegal grows and events. Time is taken up in court, with costs in solicitors’ judges and all the ancillary staff. And our already overcrowded prison system is struggling to deal with proper criminals who are a danger to people, why are we adding to this by imprisoning people who are using Cannabis for themselves and not harming anyone?

In the US up to 1 Trillion Dollars have been spent on the war on drugs with little impact, in England for policing Cannabis, (not taking into consideration the Customs & Excise), amounts to at least £50 million a year (including sentencing costs), and absorbs the equivalent of 500 full-time police officers, (source South Bank University’s Criminal Policy Research Unit). At such a time of economic hardships can we still justify this outrageous expenditure?

We as a group of Cannabis users understand the nature of Cannabis and wish to highlight some of the reasons why we believe Cannabis should be made legal. We are organising a lantern release on the 20th April 2011 at 21.00 hrs (LOCAL TIME) to highlight the need for Cannabis to be properly regulated. We have a face book page under the name Light up the sky, and a website -

http://lightupsky.blogspot.com/

- with links to cannabis information and information about the lantern release. We urge all people who are interested in civil liberties, the health and welfare of their loved ones, those who want to protect their family from crime and see a more rational approach to Cannabis to get involved in spreading the word about this up coming demonstration.

Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Tuesday, 15 February 2011

Light Up the Sky - Press Release