Medicinal Cannabis users strongly condemn Police raids

Billy McKee, spokesman for Green Cross, an association of medical cannabis users, is angry about this week’s police raids on indoor gardening shops.

“The drug war has gone too far and Operation Lime was a massive mistake. The mass arrest and criminalising of over 250 people will achieve nothing but harm.”

Mr. McKee has defended the cannabis growers arrested on Tuesday. “Cannabis is an industry just like any other horticultural industry. These people were not a bunch of thugs but business people in the community. They are workers and tax payers with families and mortgages just like you and me. Many were providing a valuable service to medical marijuana users."

The Police could have just warned shop owners supplying growing equipment to stay within the law but they were more interested in waiting two years so they could launch an all out assault on the industry.

Mr. McKee has condemned Operation Lime as fiasco and compared it to the Tuhoe raids. The court cases are going to cost the tax payer a lot of money and will sew the seeds of more animosity and discontent.

"Medicinal cannabis users rely on the medicinal qualities of cannabis to alleviate pain. We try again and again to have a rational discussion on cannabis and all we get is public derision and pointless police raids"

We are tired of people's cynicism. Medicinal users are not looking for an excuse to get stoned. Cannabis has been a medicine in this country since the 1880’s. We have serious illnesses and for our members it is the only medicine that works.

Some of the smaller growers who were arrested on Tuesday were growing for medical reasons. Medicinal users are often on sickness benefits. They have no money. They either grow their own or they rely on friendly growers who supply them at no profit.

“Many of our members will now have to spend time and energy trying to locate another safe supply. This is not easy, especially if you are elderly, and especially in a climate of fear and persecution.”

Cannabis prohibition is a massive mistake and its time to stopped burying our heads in the sand. Green Cross demand the government wake up the reality of our out dated laws. It is time for an armistice in the drug war. It is time we started talking to each other properly.

The Law Commission advocates a regulated legal market for Medical Marijuana It is the only sensible option.

ENDS

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