Asked how he felt on being released, Shane said, “I’m relieved that the Crown Court has overruled a fairly extreme Magistrates’ Court.
I’m frustrated that 19 small plants have caused 6 court appearances, 5 days in prison and at least 8 police officers’ time, as well as a large waste of taxpayers’ money.
If the Government won’t allow cannabis cafés, the only alternatives are street purchase or home cultivation, neither of which is ideal.
We need legal and regulated cannabis cafes to separate cannabis supply from crack and smack, which are the real problem drugs in society.”
Jenny Jones, the Green Party’s deputy mayor of London, said: "This is ludicrous when we’re on the point of changing the law. It’s even worse when the UK has its highest prison population ever. The criminal justice system is under huge pressure, yet we’re being heavy-handed on victimless crime."
Shane Collins is widely regarded as a strong advocate of liberalisation of Britain’s drugs policy. The Green Party believes that the Home Secretary should be following the lead of forward-thinking Brian Paddick, Lambeth’s ex-borough police commander.
As borough commander, Paddick attracted controversy and huge local support for his unorthodox solutions to tackling crime in one of the UK’s toughest areas. A Mori poll showed that 83 per cent of Lambeth residents supported his scheme. The report also revealed that 1,350 hours of police time were saved, which were re-directed towards tackling hard drugs.
Shane Collins, 41, is the licensee of the 6th Annual Cannabis Festival planned for 1 May 2004.
ENDS