Press release: INTERNATIONAL CANNABIS ACTION MAY 3RD 2003

national | miscellaneous | news report Monday April 14, 2003 13:45 by CIA - Cannabis Ireland Alliance info at CannabisIreland dot com

3rd celebration of civil disobedience in Bushy Park, 2pm Bushy Park, Terenure

The Cannabis Ireland Alliance (CIA) are holding their third annual J-Day celebration in Bushy Park Terenure, in solidarity with demonstrations in over 200 cities around the world. Last year's event attracted over 600 people who spent the day relaxing, socialising and listening to music in the sun.

The CIA is a collection of concerned individuals who are campaigning for the re-legalisation of cannabis in Ireland. We advocate the acceptance of responsible cannabis use and the right of individuals to produce cannabis for personal use. We are calling for an immediate halt to criminal prosecution for possession or cultivation of cannabis; an amnesty for all those currently sentenced for possession or cultivation.

Cannabis accounts for the largest proportion of drug related criminal proceedings in this state. 68% of all Garda drug cases are for cannabis (only 9% are heroin); 43% of all proceedings are taken against people under 21 years old; over 50% against people under 25; 80 % of all drug offences are for possession compared to 17% for supply (*). This is despite the minister Dermot Ahern claiming that the drug strategy is dealing with hard drugs like heroin and admitting that cannabis does not cause harm to society (#). So why does he insist on prosecuting young people for a victimless crime?

Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany and the UK have all made moves to liberalise their drug laws. It is time for the Irish Government to acknowledge that prohibition causes more harm than good, through unnecessary prosecutions. The war on cannabis only serves the criminals who are reaping immense profits from the situation. The war on cannabis is a waste of public funds.

The use of cannabis is a victimless crime, but the laws criminalizing it have created thousands of victims.

For more information:
Phone Mick @ 087 120 7884
Email: [email protected]

Web Sites:
WWW.CANNABISIRELAND.COM
WWW.CURES-NOT-WARS.COM

* Year 2001 Crime Statistics
# "Liveline", RTE Radio 1