At the Cannabis Day protest outside parliament the Telegraph discovers the Green Party has cornered the ‘stoner’ vote.
Despite a noticeable police presence, supporters of cannabis legalisation gathered outside the Houses of Parliament to celebrate ‘420’ day were happy to smoke the class B drug openly.
Around 150 people sat in Old Palace Yard in the sunshine. They had all come to campaign for the legalisation of cannabis and in the last few weeks before the general election, they all felt the Green Party was their best hope of getting the law changed.
“We’ve considered alligning ourselves directly with the Green Party, who within their manifesto have set out something that is very very close to the end result on drug reform that we as an organisation are absolutely looking for,” explained Jonathan Liebling, political director of the United Patients Alliance, which seeks to legalise cannabis for medicinal use.
The use of cannabis for medical treatment was supported by others at the protest, including Penny Fitzlyon, 51, who was diagnosed at 37 with multiple sclerosis. She credits the drug with allowing her to do simple tasks like making a cup of tea, something she says is impossible without the use of cannabis.
In their manifesto the Green Party promise to “Take the £4bn a year illicit trade in cannabis away from criminal street gangs, by decriminalising its possession, sale and production, and by introducing a properly regulated trade with clear age limits.” and that’s a policy that finds a lot of support among those gathered outside parliament.
“Change the people, change the politics”, said 68 year old Anthony Jenkins, he believes that of all the major parties contesting the election, the Green Party offers the best hope for reform.
Many of the protesters say that for too long the main parties in Westminster have refused to acknowledge the demands of a part of the population who consider cannabis to be less harmful than alcohol and in an election where the three party system is fragmenting that could cost them votes.
By Alastair Good
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