Public opinion’s voice is only ever bugled through the lucid tones of media editorial.
For many years the stalemate of cannabis law has boiled down to one thing; a political issue. Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic bow down to lobby pressure and the clamour of the press gang. A misleading stance is perpetuated that cannabis law is fine how it is because the public demand it so, therefore, votes will be won and lost on the basis of policy.
In recent years, and with the wane of forced opinion due to the advent of the internet, the voice of society can make their own position clear without the need for filter.
A case in point for this new brand of free speech is the two polls that demonstrate that the public of Britain and America are no longer happy with the status quo of cannabis law.
In 2010, the Liberal Democrats for Drug Policy Reform commissioned a poll on the merits of cannabis prohibition Vs regulation. When this question is posed - and with the true meanings of the terms explained - the dangers of cannabis prohibition become staggeringly evident. 70% of those polled wished for regulation; a report on the poll can be seen here at Encod.org.
Running parallel to this British poll, the U.S. publication The Economist - and a YouGov poll - has also fired a warning shot at prohibition. 66% wished to end the counter-productive laws on cannabis in favour of a regulatory model where cannabis can be taxed, controlled and with relevant potency and health information. Please view the results here at the Economist.
These figures are a far cry from what we are led to believe. Perhaps this is a sure sign that a communal effort is needed to raise awareness. Make no mistake, this is a battle of attrition, if change is to come about it is going to take every voice to do their part. Perhaps the most confusing part of these results? Why did they not receive the press attention deserved given such a significant outcome?
Monday, 14 February 2011
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Light Up the Sky? - What Is It?
On the 20 April at 21:00 - 21 April at 00:00, ‘Light Up The Sky’ invites the lighting of a beacon in recognition of the counterproductive cannabis laws.
The ‘Light Up The Sky’ movement asks that concerned citizens of the world act in accordance with their own beliefs by releasing an LED balloon, or a sky lantern, in efforts to raise awareness of cannabis prohibition and the human costs.
‘Light Up The Sky’ is non profit making and it is not a campaign group - it is simply a collection of like minded individuals, wishing for their voices to be heard in what has become a political wilderness. Despite all the evidence to the contrary & the detrimental effects, the prohibition of cannabis has become a political garrison and has directly funded terrorism, human trafficking and gang wars the world over. Cannabis prohibition also impedes the protection of our young by allowing a feral industry - which is booming - and directly targets youth culture. The UK alone spends £19billion on the ‘War on Drugs’ with cannabis receiving a large portion of that budget. Cannabis now has an estimated street worth of £5billion which acts as uncapped profits to fuel a perpetual underground. In the U.S, these figures are exponentially greater. The results of cannabis prohibition - as in 1920’s prohibition America - have once more been catastrophic; change is needed.
‘Light Up The Sky’ does not condone or promote the breaking of law, but it does however demand the evocation of the democratic necessity to debate & question law with a view to seeking better policy that shall benefit society as a whole. It is the view of ‘Light Up The Sky’ that the abolition of cannabis prohibition and a regularity system in its stead is the logical step in:
Cutting crime, freeing valuable police resources, implementing age check systems to protect the young & vulnerable, to raise awareness to adequate harm reduction & emplacements of quality control, and to allow the human rights of an estimated 165 million non-problematic cannabis users worldwide.
'Light Up The Sky' invites every concerned citizen to raise awareness and do what they think is just in a night of celebrations befitting of the mutual goal of responsibility; an aim for a carnival atmosphere, and to aid the mutual aim of ending prohibition.
Get involved, spread the word, and find out more on the facebook pages:
Light Up the Sky
ItShould BeLegal
Thank you.
The ‘Light Up The Sky’ movement asks that concerned citizens of the world act in accordance with their own beliefs by releasing an LED balloon, or a sky lantern, in efforts to raise awareness of cannabis prohibition and the human costs.
‘Light Up The Sky’ is non profit making and it is not a campaign group - it is simply a collection of like minded individuals, wishing for their voices to be heard in what has become a political wilderness. Despite all the evidence to the contrary & the detrimental effects, the prohibition of cannabis has become a political garrison and has directly funded terrorism, human trafficking and gang wars the world over. Cannabis prohibition also impedes the protection of our young by allowing a feral industry - which is booming - and directly targets youth culture. The UK alone spends £19billion on the ‘War on Drugs’ with cannabis receiving a large portion of that budget. Cannabis now has an estimated street worth of £5billion which acts as uncapped profits to fuel a perpetual underground. In the U.S, these figures are exponentially greater. The results of cannabis prohibition - as in 1920’s prohibition America - have once more been catastrophic; change is needed.
‘Light Up The Sky’ does not condone or promote the breaking of law, but it does however demand the evocation of the democratic necessity to debate & question law with a view to seeking better policy that shall benefit society as a whole. It is the view of ‘Light Up The Sky’ that the abolition of cannabis prohibition and a regularity system in its stead is the logical step in:
Cutting crime, freeing valuable police resources, implementing age check systems to protect the young & vulnerable, to raise awareness to adequate harm reduction & emplacements of quality control, and to allow the human rights of an estimated 165 million non-problematic cannabis users worldwide.
'Light Up The Sky' invites every concerned citizen to raise awareness and do what they think is just in a night of celebrations befitting of the mutual goal of responsibility; an aim for a carnival atmosphere, and to aid the mutual aim of ending prohibition.
Get involved, spread the word, and find out more on the facebook pages:
Light Up the Sky
ItShould BeLegal
Thank you.
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