The End Prohibition Party

“New LCA” is in the process of drafting its constitution and revising its aims and principles in accordance with the results of the leadership election.  The immediate plans following the election are set out here. http://peterreynolds.wordpress.com/2011/02/17/immediate-plans-following-my-election-as-lca-leader/

The management committee is considering a new name which will better reflect the aims of the party.   Nominations are invited from everyone.

This is not a competition and there are no prizes, guarantees or rewards.  We are looking for suggestions and ideas.  The committee will decide the name that it will recommend to the membership as part of the new constitution.

Via Peter Reynolds

 

My idea is the End Prohibition party

 

Clark French

Why should the weak suffer for the mistakes of the strong?

 The most needy in our society are targeted as a demogarphic of people who not only need the most help, but can offer the least resitance to the cuts proposed.

The current cuts to the Disability Living allowance and incapacity benefit have recently emerged from the ConDems. Plans to cut the DLA mobility allowance for those in residential care is in my opinion, highly wrong especially when you consider the reason for these cuts, which is of course the recession which the banks are of course the main culprats( – spelling mistake intended) of creating the current economic downfall.

 

The disabled take a 20% cut in benefits and those in residential care are set to loose the mobility component of their DLA  –  while the Banks still get their Bonus’

In a civilised society the strongest have a moral obligation to protect the weakest and the new Condem plans make a mockery of this. They erode at this most basic of principles.

 

Remember the very basic benefits given to the disabled, such as the mobility component of the DLA is designed to help people get about and live more meaningful lives. To take this away from severely disabled people can dramatically reduce their quality of life, the bankers earn thousands and thousands of pounds, i ask do they really NEED their bonus’  the way in which a severely disabled person needs their electric wheelchair? – because this is exactly what the new proposals will do, take away the electric wheelchair’s that some people get fromt he mobility componant  of some in care homes  to the most needy in our society.

 

Im all for getting the disabled working,  there are a lot of jobs that disabled people can contribute well in and be active members of society.  but severely disabled people simply need this money to stand a chance of living a decent quality of life.  After all has life not delt them and their families enough to deal with?

 this amouts to nothing more then Discrimination.

Clark French

The Cannabis movement in the UK

Here in the UK we seem to be very behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to the level to which cannabis has become accepted, not just as a recreational past time but as a safe and effective treatment for a whole range of serious illness’ – it would be much quicker to do a list of the illness’ it doesn’t treat in comparative length to the ones it does.

With proposition 215 – medical use in California in 96, and now 15 US state enacting medicinal acts,  it begs the question, why are we so behind our north american cousins? 

Is it a case of  British stoicism? Keep calm and carry on? After all we have a reputation for a “stiff upper lip”  for never backing out of a fight – even if its an illegal one,  diplomacy or public opinion never swaying the minds of the decision makers at number 10.

I wonder why we can follow the Americans around in their illegal wars, but when it comes to the health and rights of our own citizens, were very much behind.

Even our European friends are far ahead of where we are in the UK.

The Dutch were always ahead of the game – sadly that all seems to be going down the drain with the new government,  however there are causes to celebrate still at the ingunity of some of our closest neighbours.

Portugese decriminilisation and The

emmergance of cannabis clubs in spain all are paving the way for sensible drug policy in the EU

The question we must all ask ourselves now is – How long till our government finally see’s sense?

They wont do it out of kindness

We have to stand united and fight this Tyranny.

If you believe that the prohabition of cannabis is wrong, now is the time to get involved in the UK especially with the L.C.A re registering as a political party and the current wave of BBC attention putting the issue of cannabis firmly in the publics conscious.

Clark French

My BBC debut.

My BBC debut.



Yesterday ( 15/02/11)  I went to the BBC Radio Berkshire head quarters in Caversham.

I had an amazing time on air speaking about Mstival, the BMSTC and other organisations im currently working with

you can hear the interview on BBC I player here – im on about 2 hours into the show

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00dh028/Anne_Diamond_Stand_up_for_Comic_Relief/

I hope you all let me know what you think about my Debut on the BBC

I have been asked back as a panelist, so this wont be the last you hear of me on the BBC 🙂

🙂

Clark French

September 12th. A Song, A Protest.

i have been busy writing lyrics for my new Progressive Metal Band Inanimacy.

here are the finished lyrics for September 12th – i wonder if you can guess which injustice in the world im talking ab0ut? although my last Blog Kinda gives that away 😛

here is a link to the music on our soundclick account –

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10000918

and heres the lyrics.

September 12th

We will be forever stood on the shoulders of our ancestors
will we learn from their mistakes?
such a choice for us to make
time will teach us that our fates our in our own hands
will you take what’s yours and run with it?

would we be lost without the signs
delivered by our for fathers?

civilisations fall to ashes
but our species lives on

its taken us to long to say
we need it to be the way
the way It used to be,
will we all realise our mistakes?
or will we take our chances in this unforgiving world?

the sun rises across the empire of the wealthy
they hold our hopes and dreams in the palms of their hands

what can we become if we don’t fight the good fight
what can we become if we refuse to live our lives

Photo of me preforming with my old band, supporting Devil Sold his Soul at Noisefest.

Clark French

The Legalise Cannabis Alliance, a one issue party?

My thoughts on the LCA

A vote for the LCA is not a one issue vote, cannabis legalisation covers all aspects of political legislation.

This is what cannabis legalisation means for the different aspect of British society in the forefront of voters minds and on the main political parties manifestos every year.

Crime

• more police time to spend on the streets to fight serious and violent crimes.
• Freeing up of prison services – allowing space for serious criminals to serve longer.
• major reduction on court times, saving valuable time and money.
• possible reduction of violent crime as much is alcohol based, and cannabis legalisation would promote harm reduction by making the choice a free one, instead of pushing people to the more dangerous of the two drugs.

Health

Cannabis is proven to be an effective treatment for many diseases and ailments. For many of these ailments it is the single most effective treatment, the introduction of sativex in the UK testifies to the beneficial effects of cannabinoods on multiple sclerosis.

Even opiates such as morphine and drugs that can kill you are offered to people dying of horrible diseases, why not a plant thats proven to have beneficial effects with little or no side effects, it certainly hasnt killed anyone in recorded history

Less time spent in hospitals for patients medicating with cannabis

• freeing up of hospital beds
• reduction in hospital waiting lists
• some patients can once again work when they previously couldn’t.

Harm reduction

could lead to less tobacco smoking – the number one killer in the UK

No gate way to hard drugs that prohibition creates ( dutch cocaine use at 2% with decriminalisation of cannabis, America’s at 15% despite some of the harshest drug laws)

Unemployment

the legalisation of cannabis brings with it a whole new industry creating much needed jobs for British citizens from across the whole country, jobs would be created in the following sectors

• medical Cannabis dispensaries
• medical cannabis growing facilities, so patients know they are getting a safe and regulated product.
• hydroponic shops
• head shops that sell cannabis related products
• tourism
• seed and genetic companies
• cannabis based education – “cannacollege”
• coffeshops/cannabis clubs
• media- magazines, films, documentaries, Television, books etc
• manufacturing. – toys/games/paraphernalia

the L.C.A would also strive to see the introduction of hemp as a staple of the British farmer which could help to alleviate the damage done by global warming by our oil based consumption.

Education

studies show that cannabis use in early on in children can be damaging to some aspects of their development – this is why a system of regulation needs to be put in place. As it Is much easier for a 15 year old to buy cannabis then it is for them to buy alcohol from a shop – simply because of regulation

• reduce the harm to young people
• increase awareness of the dangers of using at a young age, similar to the warings of cigarette packets.

Economy

-an estimated 6 million people use cannabis in the UK – the UK cannabis market is big business for increasingly violent and dangerous criminals. With legalisation Billions of pounds would be taken out of the hands of these criminals and put into the budget by a system of regulation similar to alcohol and tobacco.

• creation of cannabis based businesses – paying taxes to the treasury
• similar tax system to petrol, alcohol and cigarettes, UK TAX is added to the cost of the product. Possibly adding billions to the treasury.
• Net Vat increase from cannabis and cannabis based products
• budget savings from : Law enforcement, Court fees, Prison costs, healthcare/NHS costs, reduction in alcohol related crime such as vandalism.
• Billions of pounds can be created to help our failing economy

that money saved and earned can be spent on healthcare, infrastructure and education. Creating a better future for all.

With the legalisation of cannabis the cuts themselves could be CUT

Clark French