Inside The Movement: UK Cannabis Community Protest Outside Parliament
Last Friday, 14th January, marked the first cannabis protest of the new year, as members of the UK cannabis community rallied together outside the House of Parliament in London. The gathering was sparked by the scheduled second reading of Labour MP Jeff Smith’s ‘Medical Cannabis access’ private member’s bill.
The bill is aimed at “opening up access to medical cannabis for patients on the NHS” by allowing GP’s to be trained and authorised to prescribe ‘cannabis-based medicines’ on the NHS. The proposed legislation would “set up a commission to propose a framework for the assessment of cannabis-based medicines and their suitability for prescription in England to sit alongside the existing MHRA processes for conventional pharmaceutical drugs.”
The first reading of the bill was conducted back on December 10th, but was filibustered after the government instructed its backbench MP’s to ‘talk out’ the 5-hour session – a common tactic now often deployed in modern politics. Despite refusing to meaningfully answer any questions, the government spent the session reaffirming its position: that the current legislation provides ‘sufficient access’.
Groundhog day for cannabis reform
This may all seem rather familiar. Back in October 2017, hundreds of members of the cannabis community gathered to support a similar, arguably more progressive private member bill: Paul Flynn’s ‘Legalisation of Cannabis (Medicinal Purposes) Bill.’ The bill didn’t pass this second stage before the tragic death of its patron.
Unfortunately, as private member bills are read on a Friday, a day that most MP’s are returning home to their constituencies, attendance, participation, and progression are typically rather low. This can make the requisite 12 steps to make a bill law a rather arduous, sedate, and unattainable pathway towards any meaningful legislative change.
On the morning of the protest, an article appeared in Business Cann, proclaiming that Jeff Smith’s private member bill would not be read and that it was ultimately “destined to fail.” The reporter sighted an email exchange with a senior aide of the MP in which he said that; “It almost definitely won’t receive any further parliamentary time or be able to progress any further. Unfortunately, the Government was not forthcoming with any proposals that they’d be able to support, and we were not able to convince them to support the ones outlined in Jeff’s Bill.”
The cannabis community fights back
It is this shambolic situation of scientific stagnation and political stalemate that inspired approximately 50 cannabis advocates, prescribed patients, and adult consumers from across the country to travel to Westminster. Protestors congregated on Parliament Square from noon to demonstrate and voice their frustration and anger towards the current restrictive and intentionally underdeveloped ‘prescription cannabis’ system.
Cannabis activists make their protest known. Photo: Bristol Cannabis Club
The protesters were met by a dozen or so members of the Metropolitan Police Force shortly after they descended on the square. A video from the protest shows a MET police officer interacting with several protesters. This interaction revealed a few rather interesting things. The video began with the officer saying;
“Having talked to our drugs focus desk and our central drugs team what they’re saying is essentially there’s some guidance published by the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) because obviously when cannabis prescriptions came out it was recognised that this was going to cause problems for the police.”
“So apparently there’s a system called Cancard which some of you may have heard of where you can prove your prescription. So our approach at the minute and what the officers are doing is approaching persons and asking them to prove their prescription, initially through Cancard.”
The officer then goes on to state that “it’s one way we [police] can prove a prescription..” before the individual filming the event pointed out they were again mistaken. The officer’s statement is factually inaccurate as the Cancard system isn’t a “proof of prescription.”
Cancard can provide police proof of individual eligibility for prescription cannabis, but does not indicate somebody has a prescription. Its founders market the card specifically for people who would be elibile for a prescription, but who can’t afford to pay for a private script.
The police officer then went on to say that they [police] would be “Asking them [protesters] for details of the GP who issued the prescription” before again being corrected by the individual filming the interaction. They go on to correct the officer saying that; “GP’s do not prescribe cannabis, specialists do.”
GP’s being provided adequate training in order to be able to prescribe cannabis is essentially the whole point of the bill, and by extension one of the reasons for the protest.
Overall around 15 MET officers attended, as activists celebrated their favourite flora. Over the course of the day, each officer was afforded a personalised education on the history of cannabis prohibition, current cannabis laws, the myriad therapeutic uses, and commercial applications of this humble plant.
Protest attendee and Seed Our Future founder Guy Coxall told Green Queen: “I think (the event) went really well considering it’s just after Christmas, on what was a cold day. It was great to see everyone and spend the day talking about cannabis in a passionate, peaceful, and respectful way.”
“The Seargent we spoke with understood why we were there and although his officers were ignorant of the law change in 2018, there were no arrests after police checked a few prescriptions.”
When I asked what motivated his attendance, Guy explained:
“The fact that the government in collaboration with big pharma are now poised to take control of the prescription cannabis sector, not in the public interest or for the millions of people that use it, but for its own greed. Unless we do something about it!”
After several hours of community camaraderie, cannabis celebration, and competent confrontation the police left and the protesters dispersed. The heritage warden on duty at the time, ‘Sue’, commented on how polite, tidy, and respectful the gardening enthusiasts were to the grounds she is tasked with maintaining.
While no humans were arrested or detained, several officers confiscated a young cannabis seedling from the stone arms of Indian pacifist leader, Gandhi by several officers. Thankfully their brave and heroic actions meant that the ‘dangerous plant’ was removed before anyone was injured.
A young cannabis seedling is confiscated at the protest. Photo: Bristol Cannabis Club
The cannabis community’s resentment, frustration, and anger all stem from injustice. From the racist and classist origins of prohibition. From the contradictory scheduling and belief that cannabis is somehow both a ‘lifesaving and quality of life-improving medicine’ under schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, and a ‘dangerous and addictive street drug that has no ACCEPTED medicinal value’ under the outdated Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Injustice is the intentional handicapping of healthcare professionals, denied a basic education about the endocannabinoid system and a safe, natural, and effective tool to improve and save lives. It is the continued criminalisation of millions of cannabis consumers who should have the lawful right to access cannabis for therapeutic use on prescription.
Ultimately, the community wants the freedom to choose and the end of criminalisation. This is not just a pipe dream. A full-spectrum policy that includes CBPM’s, cannabis prescriptions, and MHRA regulated products; can also include ubiquitous decriminalisation, cannabis clubs, and the lawful right to grow and consume as autonomous adults… if we fight for it.
The next potential reading of the bill will be this Friday: January 28th. It is likely that the bill will again not be heard in the House of Commons – for similar reasons as last week’s delay. But this will deter these protesters who have already begun planning. The fight is on.
Written for Green Queen Magazine by Simpa
