Cannabis Law Reform

Political party in the United Kingdom

Cannabis Law Reform

Cannabis Law Reform

Leader| Peter Reynolds
Ideology| Legalisation of cannabis
Drug policy reform
Colours| Green
Website
http://clear-uk.org

* Politics of the United Kingdom
* Political parties
* Elections

Cannabis Law Reform (CLEAR), formerly the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, is a United Kingdom lobby group which campaigns to end the prohibition of cannabis. The group was founded in 1997 and reformed as CLEAR in 2011. It campaigned in a number of elections until it was statutorily de-registered by the Electoral Commission in November 2013.

## History

[edit]

### Legalise Cannabis Alliance

[edit]

2005 election campaign logo

The Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) campaigned for the legalisation of cannabis for all purposes, including medicinal use, as biomass, hemp-based products, and recreational drug use. They fielded candidates in elections to the House of Commons and local government.

The party had origins in a pressure group formed in Norwich. It was registered as a political party in March 1999,[1] after Howard Marks had stood as a Legalise Cannabis candidate in four different constituencies at the 1997 general election:[2] Norwich North, Norwich South, Southampton Test and Neath.

The party used a Cannabis leaf image as its emblem and Cannabis : legalise and utilise[3] served as its election manifesto.

The first official LCA candidate in a parliamentary election was former mayor of Carlisle Colin Paisley in the November 1999 by election in the Kensington and Chelsea constituency. He took 141 (0.7%) of the votes.[4] The second was Derrick Large in the May 2000 Romsey byelection, who took 417 (1.1%) of the votes.[2]

In local elections in 2000, the party stood five candidates in Norwich and one in Peterborough,[2] and the party stood frequently in local elections.[5]

In the 2005 general election the LCA stood 18 candidates in 21 constituencies.[2][6] This was eight more than in the 2001 general election, but included only six that had been contested in that previous election. In all these six constituencies the LCA suffered a fall in its share of the vote, and the average share across 21 constituencies was well down from that across the previous 13. Their best results were in Orkney and Shetland, Worthing East and Shoreham and Leigh. The LCA also stood in seven Welsh constituencies. As well as calling for the legalisation of cannabis, the manifesto in Wales included campaigning against GM food, for lower fuel tax for haulage and transport firms, and support for recycling and renewable energy.[7]

The party met with then Home Secretary and Norwich South MP Charles Clarke in March 2006 to put their case for the legalisation of cannabis.[8]

### LCA election results

[edit]

Election  | Constituency or constituencies  | Candidate or candidates  | Votes  | Share (%)  | Change

|
|
|
|
|

1999 Kensington and Chelsea by-election | Kensington and Chelsea | Colin Paisley  | 141  | 0.7  | N/A
2000 Romsey by-election | Romsey | Derrick Large  | 417  | 1.1  | N/A
2001 general election | Braintree | Michael Nolan  | 774  | 1.5  | N/A
Calder Valley | Philip Lockwood  | 672  | 1.4  | N/A
Carlisle | Colin Paisley  | 554  | 1.6  | N/A
Chelmsford West | Herb Philbin  | 693  | 0.9  | N/A
East Worthing and Shoreham | Chris Baldwin  | 920  | 2.1  | N/A
Edinburgh South | Margaret Hendry  | 535  | 1.4  | N/A
Kingston upon Hull North | Carl Wagner  | 478  | 1.7  | N/A
Milton Keynes South West | Patman Denning  | 500  | 1.1  | N/A
North East Fife | Leslie Von Goetz  | 420  | 1.2  | N/A
Norwich South | Alun Buffry  | 620  | 1.5  | N/A
Penrith and the Border | Mark Gibson  | 870  | 2.0  | N/A
Romsey | Derrick Large  | 601  | 1.2  | +0.1
Workington | John Peacock  | 1040  | 2.5  | N/A
2005 general election | Canterbury | Rocky van de Benderskum  | 326  | 0.7  | N/A
Carlisle | Lezley Gibson  | 343  | 1.0  | -0.6
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr | Sid James Whitworth  | 343  | 0.7  | N/A
Carmarthen West and Pembrokeshire South | Alex Daszak  | 343  | 0.6  | N/A
Conwy | Tim Evans[9] | 193  | 0.6  | N/A
East Surrey | Winston Matthews  | 410  | 0.8  | N/A
East Worthing and Shoreham | Chris Baldwin  | 677  | 1.5  | -0.6
Great Yarmouth | Michael Skipper  | 389  | 0.9  | N/A
Kingston upon Hull East | Carl Wagner  | 182  | 0.6  | N/A
Kingston upon Hull North | Carl Wagner  | 179  | 0.6  | -1.1
Leigh | Thomas Hampson  | 415  | 1.5  | N/A
Neath | Pat Tabram[10] | 334  | 0.9  | N/A
Norwich South | Don Barnard | 219  | 0.5  | -1.0
Orkney and Shetland | Paul Cruickshank  | 311  | 1.8  | N/A
Penrith and the Border | Mark Gibson  | 549  | 1.2  | -0.8
South Dorset | Vic Hamilton  | 282[11] | 0.6  | N/A
Swansea West | Steve Pank  | 218  | 0.7  | N/A
Vale of Clwyd | Jeff Ditchfield  | 286  | 0.9  | N/A
Workington | John Peacock  | 381  | 1.0  | -1.5
Worthing West | Chris Baldwin  | 550  | 1.2  | N/A
Ynys Mon | Tim Evans  | 232  | 0.7  | N/A
2012 Corby by-election | Corby | Peter Reynolds  | 137  | 0.4  | N/A

### CLEAR

[edit]

The members of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance voted to re-register to contest elections in February 2011. Proposals for a new identity and constitution were put to a referendum of the membership and passed in separate two votes. The party re-registered with the Electoral Commission under its new name of CLEAR Cannabis Law Reform.[12]

The party commissioned a report by the Independent Drug Monitoring Unit, published on 14 September 2011, stating that a taxed and regulated cannabis market would save the exchequer £6.7 billion.[13]

Peter Reynolds stood as CLEAR candidate in the 2012 Corby by-election, taking 137 votes (0.38%).[14]

The party was statutorily de-registered by the UK Electoral Commission in November 2013.[15]

As of 2014, the party states on their website: "We are not presently registered with the Electoral Commission as we are not currently intending to contest any elections.[16]

## See also

[edit]

* Cannabis classification in the United Kingdom
* Cannabis in the United Kingdom
* Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol
* Cannabis political parties
* Drug policy reform
* List of political parties in the United Kingdom

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "BBC News - E-CYCLOPEDIA - Namesakes: A close call in politics". news.bbc.co.uk.
2. ^ a b c d Pilcher, Tim (2005). Spliffs 3: the last word in cannabis culture?. Collins & Brown. ISBN 1-84340-310-2.
3. ^ Cannabis : legalise and utilise: a manifesto and information document 2006 (PDF) (Second ed.). Legalise Cannabis Alliance. 2006. ISBN 0-9535693-1-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
4. ^ "Fears for safety of missing former Carlisle mayor Colin Paisley". News & Star. Carlisle. 12 September 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-09-15. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
5. ^ Boggan, Steve (2 May 2006). "It's my party ..." The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
6. ^ Grant, Wyn; Justin Greaves (2005). "Pressure Politics: Business as Usual but an Expanding Private Sector" (PDF). The Palgrave Review of British Politics.
7. ^ "No campaign let-up as poll nears". BBC News. 23 April 2005. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
8. ^ "Clarke agrees to meet canabis group [sic]". Norwich Evening News. 4 March 2006. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
9. ^ "From puppets to politics in bid to legalise cannabis". North Wales Daily Post. 7 April 2005. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
10. ^ Morris, Steven (11 April 2005). "Cannabis pensioner takes on Hain in Neath stronghold". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
11. ^ "Knight 'inspires' swing to Labour". BBC News. 6 May 2005. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
12. ^ "{title}". Archived from the original on 2013-12-15. Retrieved 2013-12-15.
13. ^ Ltd, IDMU. "Taxing the UK Cannabis Market". Archived from the original on 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2011-09-14.
14. ^ "By-elections: Labour takes Corby from Conservatives". BBC News. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
15. ^ "Register of Political Parties - Registration Cannabis Law Reform". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
16. ^ "About Us | CLEAR". Archived from the original on 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2013-12-15.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* The History of the LCA
* Why The Legalise Cannabis Alliance is now CLEAR, Peter Reynolds, Know Drugs website Archived 2011-04-23 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 11 October 2011

* v
* t
* e

Cannabis in the United Kingdom

By location|

* Bermuda
* Cayman Islands
* Gibraltar
* Montserrat

Legislation|

* Cannabis classification in the United Kingdom
* Indian Hemp Drugs Commission
* Sweet v Parsley
* Operation Keymer
* Runciman Report
* Wootton Report

Organisations|

* Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol
* Cannabis Law Reform
* NORML UK
* GW Pharmaceuticals

People|

* Stephen Abrams
* Black the Ripper
* Walter Douglas
* Clare Hodges
* Howard Marks
* Don Barry Mason
* List of British politicians who have acknowledged cannabis use

Works|

* Ali G Indahouse (film)
* The Beach (film)
* Drugs Live
* Grass Roots (film)
* Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
* Mr. Nice (book)
* Pass the Dutchie
* Saving Grace (2000 film)
* The War We Never Fought

* v
* t
* e

Cannabis

* Outline of cannabis
* Recreational and medical applications
* Industrial applications

General|

* Autoflowering cannabis
* Cannabis
* indica
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* Chemical defenses in Cannabis
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* Glossary
* Names (cannabis, dagga, ganja, marijuana, slang)
* Strains
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Usage|

| General|

* Cannabis use and trauma
* Medical cannabis
* Cannabis product testing
* History
* In the US
* Medical cannabis card
* Religious and spiritual use
* Chalice
* Drug testing
* Marijuana Anonymous

|

Hemp|

* Hanfparade
* List of hemp diseases
* List of hemp products
* hempcrete
* jewelry
* milk
* oil
* paper
* rolling paper
* List of hemp varieties
* Hemp for Victory
* Hemp Industries Association
* The Emperor Wears No Clothes

Variants|

* Cannabis edible
* Bhang
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* Joint
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* Quasi-psychedelic
* delta-3-THC
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* THC
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* THCH
* THCP
* Other
* CBD
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Effects|

* Amotivational syndrome
* Cannabis in pregnancy
* Cannabis use disorder (CUD)
* Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS)
* Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome
* Entourage effect
* Endocannabinoid system
* Impaired driving
* Time perception
* Long-term effects
* Occupational health concerns
* Medical cannabis research

Culture|

* 420
* Budtender
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* List of cannabis hoaxes
* Films (Stoner film)
* High Times
* Music
* Religion
* Restaurants
* Sports
* Smoke-in
* Stoner TV
* Video games

Organizations|

| Cannabis rights|

* ACT
* ALCP
* AMMA
* ASA
* CAN
* CBN
* CLEAR
* CRC
* Dagga Couple
* DFCR
* DPA
* ENCOD
* FAAAT
* FCA
* GLM India
* GMM
* LEAP
* MAPS
* MPP
* NCIA
* NORML
* France
* NZ
* UK
* SAFER
* SCC
* SSDP
* VMCA

|

Science|

* IACM
* ICRS
* ICEERS

Demographics|

* Adult lifetime use by country
* Annual use by country

Politics|

| General|

* Activists
* Bootleggers and Baptists
* Cannabis rights
* Capital punishment for cannabis trafficking
* Centenary of Cannabis prohibition
* Effects of legalized cannabis
* Global Marijuana March
* Legality of cannabis
* Internationally
* Regulatory agencies
* 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
* Article 2 paragraph 9 on non-medical uses
* 1971 Vienna Convention on Psychotropic Substances
* 1998 UN Convention on Illicit Trafficking
* In the U.S.
* Legal history in the United States
* Marihuana Tax Act of 1937
* Timeline of cannabis law

|

Major legal
reforms|

* Treaty law: Rescheduling of cannabis in 2020
* Canada: 2018 Cannabis Act
* Germany: German cannabis control bill
* UK: Return to class B
* Uruguay: Law No. 19172
* US:
* Legalization of non-medical cannabis in the US
* Rescheduling per the Controlled Substances Act
* Hemp Farming Act of 2018

Politicians
and parties|

* Cannabis political parties
* of the US
* of Minnesota
* of Spain
* List of British politicians who have acknowledged cannabis use
* List of American politicians who have acknowledged cannabis use

Legal cases|

* Ker v. California (1963)
* Leary v. United States (1969)
* Kyllo v. United States (2001)
* Gonzales v. Raich (2005)
* ADPF 187 (2011)

Related|

* Drug liberalization
* Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cannabis industry
* Substances
* Cannabinoid receptor antagonist
* Endocannabinoid enhancer
* Endocannabinoid reuptake inhibitor

* Cannabis portal
* Category

* v
* t
* e

Drug policy interest groups (non-nicotine and non-alcohol)

General|

* Drug policy
* decriminalization
* prohibition
* Drug policy reform
* demand reduction
* harm reduction
* liberalization
* International drug control conventions
* 1961 Narcotic Drugs
* 1971 Psychotropic Substances
* 1988 Drug Trafficking
* Centenary of Cannabis prohibition
* Cannabis in the UK
* reclassification
* Cannabis in the US
* reclassification

Organisations
supporting
prohibition|

| North
America|

* International Narcotics Control Caucus
* Le Dain Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs
* Office of National Drug Control Policy
* Above the Influence
* Drug Abuse Resistance Education
* Smart Approaches to Marijuana
* War on drugs
* Winners Don't Use Drugs

|

Elsewhere|

* Anti-Narcotics Force
* United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs
* International Narcotics Control Board
* Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking
* Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking
* United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Organisations
supporting
legalisation or
harm reduction|

| Global|

* FAAAT think & do tank
* International Network for People who Use Drugs
* LEAP
* SSDP

|

North
America|

* ACT
* AAMC
* ASA
* CAN
* CRC
* CSMP
* DanceSafe
* DPA
* DrugWarRant
* High Times Freedom Fighters
* MPP
* Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition
* NCIA
* NORML
* November Coalition
* PoT
* SAER
* VMCA
* VANDU

Europe|

* British Legalise Cannabis Campaigns
* Cannabis Law Reform
* Drug Equality Alliance
* European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies
* Finnish Cannabis Association
* Metzineres
* NORML France
* NORML UK
* Release Drug Policy Foundation
* The Loop (Organisation)

Elsewhere|

* Cannabis and Hemp Association of Namibia (CHAN)
* Fields of Green for All
* Otago NORML
* NORML New Zealand

Cannabis
political parties|

| North
America|

* Bloc pot
* British Columbia Marijuana Party
* Freedom Party of Manitoba
* Grassroots–Legalize Cannabis Party
* Legal Marijuana Now Party
* Legalize Marijuana Party
* Marijuana Party (Canada)
* Marijuana Reform Party
* Saskatchewan Marijuana Party
* United States Marijuana Party

|

Elsewhere|

* Ale Yarok (Israel)
* Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (New Zealand)
* Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol (UK)
* Cannabis Party (Spain)
* Dagga Party (South Africa)
* Cannabis sans frontières [fr] (France)
* Legalise Cannabis Australia (Australia)
* Legalise Cannabis Queensland (Australia)
* Luz Verde (Spain)
* Representación Cannábica de Navarra (RCN-NOK) (Spain)

Research and
medical groups|

* Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics
* Beckley Foundation
* Drug Science
* Heffter Research Institute
* International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines
* International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service
* Lindesmith Center
* Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
* Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative
* San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club
* Society of Cannabis Clinicians
* Trans-European Drug Information network

Portal:

* Cannabis

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