Thursday 28 July 2011

An Unaffordable Prejudice – A Report To The Home Affairs Committee Concerning The Cannabis Laws « Peter Reynolds

Peter Reynolds

The life and times of Peter Reynolds

An Unaffordable Prejudice – A Report To The Home Affairs Committee Concerning The Cannabis Laws

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Probably the worst part of becoming leader of Cannabis Law Reform (CLEAR) has been learning how to deal with the abuse and vitriolic jealousy that has been directed at me.

In fact it started even before my election when I set up the British Medicinal Cannabis Register (BMCR).  Immediately, some individuals accused me of being an undercover cop, of trying to cheat medicinal users into incriminating themselves.  I was astonished at the divisiveness, backstabbing and bitterness within the cannabis community.  I was accused of making money out of it and exploitation – ridiculous ideas to anyone with an ounce of common sense

You will know the rest.  It got even worse.  A Peter Reynolds “hate site” was set up by a psychotic breakaway from UK420 which made a series of completely ludicrous and false allegations about me.  Everything I had ever said about myself was untrue, apparently.  I was said to be a fascist, a Jew hater, a racist, etc, etc, etc.

I published evidence of my previous work and the trolls and numpties faded away – but not completely.  Even in quite close proximity, some who you might expect to be supportive of the progress we have achieved recently, have grumbled and groaned and suggested that I have not been truthful about my record in the cannabis campaign.  Those who prefer to look backwards rather than forwards continue to quibble.

Last week my ex-wife cleared out her loft.  My sons salvaged a copy of the report I submitted to the Home Affairs committee nearly 30 years ago.  It was in 1983, not in 1978 as I had said previously -  which will probably bring yet  more accusations!

So here it is, printed on a daisy wheel printer, with finger marks and smudges intact.  It’s amazing really because this was written even before the discovery of the endocannabinoid system and that is the only real difference in the argument I presented then from what I would say today.

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