I AM a law abiding, tax paying, responsible individual. I have worked extensively in my local community, I recycle and I try to treat everyone I meet with respect and understand their viewpoints even when they radically conflict with my own. Basically, I consider myself to be all right.

I smoke cannabis on a regular basis, have done so for years and will continue to do so. I feel it has made a positive and almost spiritual impact on my life. It has helped me to avoid problems with that other social drug, alcohol. It hasn't negatively affected my health and I have never used heroin.

For this activity the authorities would put me in jail. When I see the police (which I help pay for) on a lonely road at night I don't feel safe I feel paranoid. When I hear most politicians talking about drugs I don't feel that they have something sensible and informed to say, all I hear is ignorance and misinformation. And they expect me to vote for them when they want to deny my freedom and take away my life for smoking a herb.

And the big news! There are an estimated 7 million cannabis users in this country - more than 10 per cent of society. That's 7 million alienated, uninterested voters who politicians would have locked up.

The common philosophy amongst us smokers is not that cannabis is really illegal because its considered bad for us, but because the alcohol industry and the drug barons are the ones who have the greatest to lose by a more liberal approach to drugs.

For some of us it's the one issue that needs resolving before we can ever take an interest in party politics again. Its a vote winner. It just takes someone brave enough then maybe one day we can get together and develop sensible, informed drug strategies that work.

Until that day many sons, daughters, colleagues and relatives will remain branded as criminals.

Johnny V

via e-mail

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.