Surrey Cannabis Club staging protest 'smoke-up picnic'

Dozens of people are expected to attend the event, while police officers will be keeping an eye on the activity

Police have said they "will not tolerate the use of illegal drugs" as pro-cannabis campaigners prepare to stage a protest and 'smoke-up picnic' in Guildford on Saturday (August 30).

Members of the Surrey Cannabis Club, who are fighting to have the class B drug legalised, will congregate at Stoke Park for the second year running.

Their six-hour 'picnic', starting at midday, follows a similar event held recently in Brighton.

Last year's Stoke Park protest was attended by more than 100 people, with the same sort of numbers expected this year.

Surrey Police has warned it will not tolerate any illegal activity and that officers will take action against anyone found to be breaking the law.

Alan Pravia, 36, from the Surrey Cannabis Club, claimed that if the drug was legalised and regulated, the financial benefits could help the UK's economic situation.

He said: "We also want to highlight the hypocrisy of UK legislation and the unlawful restriction of cannabis as a medicine to patients that it clearly benefits.

"Now is the time to push even harder for full legalisation and especially the cannabis social club model.

"With so much limelight currently on the topic both globally and in the UK, we need to maximise the effectiveness of these efforts.

"One of the aims of this picnic is to provide an open forum which anyone can attend to discuss any of the issues surrounding cannabis, both positive and negative.

"We want to actively encourage non-consumers of cannabis to attend this event so they can inform themselves of the issues and how they are affected by prohibition, ask questions and interact with members of the pro-cannabis movement."

Surrey Police said safer neighbourhood officers would be attending the event on Saturday.

Sergeant Helen Budd said: "While everyone has the right to make a peaceful protest, Surrey Police will not tolerate the use of illegal drugs."

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/surrey-cannabis-club-staging-protest-7689574 29/08/2014