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Cannabis is a stimulating-hallucinogenic depressant with anti-psychotic properties, it's not your normal run of the mill drug.

UKCIA is a law reform, specifically an "anti prohibition" site. You don't have to be a cannabis user or even like cannabis very much to understand the harm prohibition is causing to individuals and the wider society and to want to do something about it.

Actually, Cannabis is not a drug as such, it's a plant which grows widely all over the world. Some forms of the plant contain a substance known as THC which, together with certain other chemicals contained in the plant, produce an effect on perception known - in the UK - as "getting stoned". THC is rightly called a drug, but cannabis isn't just THC

This property is well known in British society and many millions of us have experienced it, but it is an experience which carries a prison sentence of five years simply for possessing a sample of the plant, trading in cannabis can land you with a 14 year stint inside which is more severe than you can expect for violent assault.

The aim of this law - called prohibition - is to prevent the use of cannabis through a deterrent effect provided by legal sanctions. It doesn't work and the result has been to create an illegal, uncontrolled and unregulated trade which employs hundreds of thousands of people and reaches into every corner of society. The dangers created by prohibition are outlined on this site and they far outweigh anything the plant could do.

Nothing on earth is "safe", especially things we all enjoy doing for fun and cannabis is no exception. But prohibition prevents any rational, informed debate about or study of the real dangers cannabis may or may not be capable of. Instead we are fed a diet of hype, misinformation and downright lies. Even to the extent that this illegal, uncontrolled and unregulated substance is called a "controlled drug" by politicians and police. "Controlled", of course, is the one thing that cannabis is not. Indeed, many of the dangers the law claims to exist to protect us from are caused by the law in the first place.

UKCIA is here for you to use. Get informed and when you hear stupid people saying stupid things about cannabis and put them right!

Please use our Forum to talk about issues, or tell us what you think with the Feedback Form.

The message from UKCIA is simple: if you want change, it's up to you to make it happen. The first step is to get informed and that's what this site is here for, please use it.

Pragmatism
UKCIA, the what and the why

Whatever politicians and the police might try to tell you, cannabis is not really a "controlled drug", prohibition prevents any real controls.

A pragmatic approach to law reform challenges this use of doublespeak. Instead it argues that the potential risks should form the basis of the regulatory approach.

UKCIA is a pragmatic cannabis law reform campaign for a drugs policy based on proper control and regulation of the commercial supply, coupled with effective harm reduction measures.

Cannabis pragmatism and the case for law reform

Newsblog
News and comment on the unfolding story of cannabis law reform

Follow UKCIA on Twitter

Your Freedom The government is asking for your views on laws that should be repealed. There are already a number of posts demanding cannabis law reform, please go to the site an add you views. Lets make ourselves heard! Go Here

Latest UKCIA blog - 30th August 2010. The Beckley Foundation: Global Cannabis Commission Report. Written in 2008 this report is now available online. It outlines the changes which can be made under international treaties and what changes are really needed. Government consults on the new drugs policy – after deciding what it will be of course. Yes it's another sham consultation about drugs policy - this time from our new coalition government. Please visit the Home Office site linked from the blog and give them your thoughts. Cannabis and cancer – Another “wrong” result! - … current knowledge does not suggest that cannabis smoke will have a carcinogenic potential comparable to that resulting from exposure to tobacco smoke (research). MSers new medicine – Sativex. Hash oil made from skunk served up in a spray, and about time too. Cannabis and mental health - two new studies give the "wrong" results! So cannabis causes mental illness and makes it worse does it? Not according to these studies from the USA.

Readers in the USA - Vote YES to legaize marijuana - Prop 19 in California November 2nd

Digital Drugs? Shock Horror! Virtual cannabis - now all you need to get stoned is an i-pod! Well... maybe Click here!

Skunk Panic!

We're told cannabis has increased greatly in strength in recent years, just what is the truth behind the hype?

THC, CBD and the misleading concept of "potency" - why potency is not strength.

The Home Office potency study 2008 - the "evidence" that cannabis has changed and the unscientific way it was collected.

Toke pure

Perhaps the most important cannabis use information there is - DIY harm reduction: say "no" to tobacco! Tokepure

Cannabis History

Listening to the politicians you might be forgiven for thinking cannabis is a new drug being introduced by evil pushers. The truth couldn't be more different as the history section demonstrates

Cannabis timeline
The history of cannabis at a glance

Indian Hemp And The Dope Fiends Of Old England
Sean Blanchard and Matthew Atha.
The drugs history of colonial Britain, is examined in this article, including the rise of the prohibitionist movement, and their battle with the free-trade movement. Also featured is the background to the famous Indian Hemp Drugs commission.

Marijuana - The First Twelve Thousand Years
Ernest L. Abel
The complete history of the cannabis plant and it's relationship with mankind
The Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs
Edward M. Brecher and the Editors of Consumer Reports Magazine, 1972
Drug prohibition, an examination.

Law Library

The UKCIA law library contains the full text of the most important legislation governing the use of drugs, including cannabis in the UK. Please note this information is given for guidance only and should not be taken as authoritative. If you have legal troubles, please do not rely on the information given here for your defence.

Please consult a law professional for any questions on the legislation and interpretation of drug laws!

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
The main Act governing the usage of 'illicit' drugs in the UK. Updated to take into account changes in legislation.

UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961

UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971

UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988

Human Rights Act 1998
This is the Act which a number of people have been trying to use as a defence against punishment for cannabis possession. Is it compatible with the 1971 MoDA? (86k)

Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001
The regulations banning cannabis from being medically prescribed under any circumstances, despite its proven effectiveness.

Drug Trafficking Act 1994

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UKCIA Research Library

The UKCIA research library contains links to important articles and reports on subjects relating to cannabis, it's one of the largest publicity accessible collections of cannabis research in the UK.

In the interests of truth and objectivity, we are attempting to present the available research without bias. The intention is to spread knowledge about cannabis because we believe that knowledge is the best weapon against prohibition.

We hope the result is a useful resource for researcher and campaigners alike.

Full text search - to search for keywords in the main body text

Pot Culture
By Russell Cronin

Cannabis and popular culture

This is a major article on the influence of cannabis on music from the 30's to the 90's, from the days of "Reefer madness" to the Acid house dance culture revolution at the end of the 1990's.

If you thought "jive" was a dance, click here

Drugscope Daily news