News

Fight For Cannabis Cafe

Monday, April 18, 2005

by Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool Daily Post

Liverpool -- Merseyside's first cannabis cafe is open for business.

The Amsterdam-style Tea Cafe in Liverpool is tucked away behind a bona fide cafe and, despite being raided by police last month, is still trading.

Owner Gary Youds was arrested but has now reopened the business in Holt Road, Kensington, and is pledging to fight any moves to close him down.

Mr Youds asked the council for permission to set up the cafe but was refused. He appealed and was refused again but opened up anyway.

The 35-year-old appeared in court and, after pleading guilty to allowing his premises to be used for the taking of a controlled drug, was given a conditional discharge.

Several customers were cautioned for possession of cannabis after the police raid.

Mr Youds has spent UKP 60,000 on his business venture through his company, The Chillin's Rooms Ltd.

Police insist he is supplying cannabis but Mr Youds said his premises were only used for taking the drug and he operated a "zero tolerance" policy on Class A drugs and alcohol.

But he has now been served with a 28-day closure notice by Liverpool council.

The father-of-one from West Derby, said: "I am happy to work with the police and council, allowing them inside for inspections at any time.

"We are doing nothing wrong, all we want is tolerance."

Police are working with the city council to have the cafe closed down, but they cannot obtain an Asbo against Mr Youds because there have been no complaints from residents.

Inspector Kevin Wellens said: "We are committed to enforcing the law and are liaising with the local authority.

"It's not that residents have reported problems associated with the running of the premises, more that they are concerned that something like this is there."

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Local Activism

A hotbed of cannabis activism, Washington State is home to many organizations working to bring about rational drug policy. Here are some things to get involved with:

Cannabis Defense Coalition has been very active lately. They focus on courtroom observation and medical marijuana activism.

The ACLU-WA Drug Policy Project created the Marijuana: It's Time for a Conversation campaign, among other things.

Initiative 75, passed in 2003, deprioritized marijuana law enforcement in Seattle. A final report (2mb pdf) on the law was produced by the city.

The November Coalition, based in Colville, is a national reform group and works with prisoners and families.

SpoCannabis is a medical marijuana activist group in Spokane.

King Co. Bar Association Drug Policy Project has done amazing work educating the "suits" about the failure of our prohibition model of drug policy, and the need for a regulatory model of drug policy.

Seattle Hempfest is the third weekend in August on Seattle's waterfront.

Olympia Hempfest is a week after Seattle's big bash.