Cannabis Medicine Backed by Respected Irish Consultant Neurologist

Dr Orla Hardiman , a Consultant Neurologist in the Republic or Ireland, as well as the republic's official multiple sclerosis body 'MS Ireland', have agreed MS patients in the republic are searching out illicit cannabis supplies just to improve the quality of life they endure daily.

But in doing so they face arrest and incarceration just for enjoying the same benefits cannabis delivers to MS sufferers from outside the republic.

Read more Here

Critically ill breaking law by using cannabis for pain relief

There are medical cannabis articles, pages 1, 6 and 7, in the Irish Examiner today. Florian from LCI Cork writes the piece on Page 6.

PEOPLE with crippling illnesses — including multiple sclerosis and cancer patients, — are among those being forced to break the law by using cannabis for medicinal purposes.

Read more Here

(The link is what's on Page 1)

Global policy group urges nations to consider legalising some drugs

A high-level international commission declared the global “war on drugs” a failure and urged nations to consider legalising cannabis and other drugs to undermine organised crime and protect citizens’ health.

The Global Commission on Drug Policy called for a new approach to reducing drug abuse to replace the strategy of strictly criminalising drugs and incarcerating drug users while battling criminal cartels.

Read more Here

FM104 Update - All A Mistake They Say

They meant to say cannabis is 8 times more COMMON than heroin not ADDICTIVE. The mistake was made they say only on facebook and not on air. Though I have emailed asking will they post on Facebook again to retract this message.

Thanks for your mail.

As myself and Adrian were out of the country for the week we've had to check up with people who were back at base
and doing the show in our absence.

We have confirmed that ON AIR, no such statement was made. Greg, the host, was referring to a report carried out by
The Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing which is available on line and showed that Cannabis use
is 8 times more "COMMON" than heroin use.

Unfortunately, the staff member posting on facebook used the word "ADDICTIVE" as opposed to "COMMON". The member
of staff in question has been made aware of this error. Again, just to stress, this mistake did not happen on air just on the facebook page.

Regards,

Jeremy Dixon
Producer
FM104 Phoneshow

FM104's claims about cannabis

The incident began last Wednesday, the 25th of May, when during their FM104 Phoneshow the show made the statement that.

A survey in Australia out today proves that cannabis can be up to 8 times more addictive than heroin. Would you agree with this and is it REALLY that addictive?

Their Facebook page and the comment section for the post, which can be seen Here immediately lit up with a debate on the issue.

Over the course of a couple of days numerous comments from the pro-cannabis side were removed.

Throughout the comment section you can see I and others asking for a link to the study, which 8 days later has not been provided. On the night in question Mel from FM104 messaged me on Facebook and told me the study information would be sent to me. I've still yet to hear anything.

They had the cheek during the course of the comment section debate to link to this site Here which is some scam site, asking you to pay $40 for a cannabis coach to help quit cannabis.

Yesterday and today, I have sent emails to FM104 to numerous departments and also to the specific show in question. Here's the latest I sent.

Hi,
I am writing in regards to the phone in show you had last week and the claim cannabis is 8 times more addictive than heroin. Have you found the study?

http://www.facebook.com/DublinsFM104/posts/201884353188532

Please note if I hear no response within a few days I will take it you have no study and simply made up this news story. In which case you can expect a boycott against your station, and a campaign for you to either release the study or apologise for the false story.

Sincerly
Brian

I shall give FM104 a few days to respond and if I hear nothing then a campaign shall start. I look forward to your support should this be the case

LCI has a growth spurt

I remember four years ago attending my first legalise cannabis march in Dublin, it was the 2nd annual legalise cannabis protest. I had missed the historical year before due to ill health in the family, but had helped promote it via the internet and had expected being there on the day. On that day at the second years protest I met Sean and a few others, who had gotten a bus from Cork to attend. I had a great day as could be expected and decided to become as involved with cannabis activism as I could. I wasn't the only one.

Fast forward one year, Sean and some friends had launched LCI Cork and held their first protest. Over the last two years they've held more protests and continue to grow. I've had the privilege of being involved with the Cork group, both directly and indirectly since its foundation and it's been a great expierence. This year was especially impressive with the guest speakers we had, Luke 'Ming' Flanagan showing up unannounced, and just in general having a great day with those involved within the scene.

Over the last few days we have seen the emergence of some LCI Groups across the country from Carlow to Westmeath. It's great to see people in these counties get involved by setting up their own groups. Having groups around the country means when events like the D.I.D talks take place, we have people on the ground who can look after things and help out. It also opens up the possibilities of coordinated nationwide protests and much more.

One of the next important things are to hold meetings, not only at a local level for the groups to establish themselves, but also on a national scale so we can all meet.

Anyone not involved with their local group, get involved! Check out their facebook page, send a message or and email and take it from there.

If there is not one in your area, then set it up!

For the last three years, two cities, Cork and Dublin have held protests. I cannot wait to see how many cities and towns are involved next year.

Together we're stronger!

List of LCI Groups

Groups Galore!

Before the protests there was the Cork and Dublin branches of Legalise Cannabis Ireland, over the past few days that list has grown. Change is coming!

LCI Groups Now:

Carlow
Clare
Cork
Dublin
Galway
Kerry
Limerick
Louth
Tipperary
Waterford
Westmeath
Wicklow

Read list and get links Here

Politician Contact Info

If you want to get in touch with politicians to share your opinions on cannabis reform and to try and get some feedback from those in power here's how.

You can use the form on Contact.ie to contact TD's, Senators, MEP's and Press Officers of the main political parties

Florian to have Examiner feature

More good news, Florian who's part of Lci Cork will have a 2 page feature in the Irish Examiner in the near future. It will be about his time at WAMM, medical cannabis in general and more.

WAMM was featured in a documentary La Vie en Verte: The WAMM Movie

WAMM stands for Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana and is based in Santa Cruz in California

€150 Fine for one plant!

A 28-year-old Castlebar man was ordered to pay €150 to Down Syndrome, Ireland after he was found in possession of one cannabis plant he was growing in a wardrobe in his home.

Read full article Here

When We Grow, This Is What We Can Do

Just watched this very good documentary from the UK which was done at a cost of £150

You can watch it on You Tube

If you like it, then 'Like' their page on Facebook

Decriminalization vs Criminalisation

Florian, who's part of LCI Cork wrote this.

Taken from Here

According to the Central Statistics Office in the period of 2004 to 2007 there was a 24% decrease in drug importation(likely to the high prevalence of cannabis adulteration, considering that the drug was implicated in 49.6% of drug seizures in 2007 according to the NACD). This has been accompanied by a 14X increase in cultivation/manufacture offences( a shifting of supply), a 47.5% increase in sale and supply offences and a doubling of possession offences(in 2008 75% of cannabis prosecutions were for simple possession).

The European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drugs Addiction reports that the lifetime cannabis prevalence rate for Ireland is 21.9% this comes in comparison to Portugal which has a rate of 11.7%(10.3% below the European average although it favours decriminalisation policies). Concurrently, Portugal has a lower lifetime prevalence rate for cocaine, amphetamine, ecstacy and LSD(all the drugs reported on).

The difference between the two countries approaches. Portugal favours treatment for problematic users. Ireland favours criminalization of all users. Decriminalisation policies favour harm minimisation(e.g treatment, re-integration into society etc.). Criminalisation policies favour harm maximisation(prosecution, incarceration, stigmitisation etc.).

Whilst we argue the moral ambiguity of decriminalising cannabis, patients that are deriving benefit from this plant are treated as criminals, and without a regulated supply they are often victim to criminal enterprises that supply adulterated cannabis. This needs to change.

Vincent Lavery's letter in the Examiner

Vincent Lavery, who spoke at the Cork protest had a letter appear in the Irish Examiner.

Read it Here

The Ming Song

Roscommon band Mythic Shot have released The Ming Song

You can listen to it Here

Customs seize 34kg of head shop drugs

Good Riddance!

Read more Here