Proposal - reform laws on cannabis

[Sharkz]

Take it to vote or something if your really in favour of it. That's the democratic way of doing things rite?

[cookie]

To those who responded to my first post. This group is called the pirate party, not the pirates who smoke cannabis party. If you want to be taken seriously by the mass population then stay away from such touchy subjects as cannabis legalisation. This group was formed for the core values; as soon as you start to deviate from them you give more and more reasons not to support you and only the minority reason to support you. I truly believe this topic will become very important in the next 10 years don't dilute the message.

[bobappleyard]

Legalisation of heroin would be a more pressing concern, to be honest.

Not what this party's about though.

[rancidpunk]

Got that right.

[WilliamFS]

To those who responded to my first post. This group is called the pirate party, not the pirates who smoke cannabis party. If you want to be taken seriously by the mass population then stay away from such touchy subjects as cannabis legalisation. This group was formed for the core values; as soon as you start to deviate from them you give more and more reasons not to support you and only the minority reason to support you. I truly believe this topic will become very important in the next 10 years don't dilute the message.

Thank you once more!
Exactly right, we need focus and prioritise: Our first goal is to maximise our support base, reach out to the general public and try to gather as much support for our core values as possible. All of these other questions and positions on them might be important -- but we have to recognise that to our first goal of expanding they are damaging, divisive, and for those reasons, a big mistake.

[glutamate]

The PPUK will be seen as a one issue party. If that's what the party wants, so be it.

I'll only vote for them out of a lack of alternatives. I'd rather my vote not be a protest and actually count, so I'll vote LibDem or Tory depending on where I live.

[zeocrash]

I think proposing an outright legalisation of cannabis wouldn't be a politically good move.
I personally think it should be legalised and that it should be no business of the government what i put into my body.
If the canabiss legalisation line is one the party will be taking, then i'd sugest it more prudent to say that we will have a complete review/overhaul of the UK's drugs policy rather than trying to be specific and accdently giving out bad press soundbytes

[rancidpunk]

The PPUK will be seen as a one issue party. If that's what the party wants, so be it.

I'll only vote for them out of a lack of alternatives. I'd rather my vote not be a protest and actually count, so I'll vote LibDem or Tory depending on where I live.

That is your choice, of course, but voting for an established party to feel that your vote counts seems a bit illogical if neither party represents your beliefs.

[stever]

Hi

Steve from Transform http://www.tdpf.org.uk here.

Ive read this thread with interest. There are two questions - one concerns the debate around drug law reform, the other whether this new party should adopt a position on this issue (specifically a pragmatic reform one).

It strikes me that this party is, if not single issue, then set up around a specific set of issues, and that taking positions on issues essentially unrelated to that may not be useful for you or your campaign or messaging. In the short term at least. There may of-course be a place for a discussion group or highlighting the connections between some of the personal liberty / regulation issues.

Transform is of course willing to enter into dialogue with any legitimate political party or organisation, even though we do not take political positions beyond our drug policy remit, and f any individuals wish to support us or get involved in the campaign you are ofcourse welcome - please get in touch.

Cheers

http://transform-drugs.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/TransformDrugs

[rancidpunk]

I think proposing an outright legalisation of cannabis wouldn't be a politically good move.
I personally think it should be legalised and that it should be no business of the government what i put into my body.
If the canabiss legalisation line is one the party will be taking, then i'd sugest it more prudent to say that we will have a complete review/overhaul of the UK's drugs policy rather than trying to be specific and accdently giving out bad press soundbytes

Whilst I agree with what you say, it would be better to say neither yes or no than to risk a media campaign against us just as we are starting out. We are trying to let people know that we do have something serious to say about our core policies and using the worldwide Pirate movement to raise awareness through a combination of catchy name and serious, coherent arguments is why the Party has attracted so much success in Sweden and Germany so far. We are the only worldwide Party that has such a hugely recognizable image and the ability, through our technologically aware membership, to get the messages across all borders. The Pirate Bay got very little credit in the media for helping the protestors in Iran to tell the world what was happening, but they weren't out for medals, they just did it because it was the right thing to do, in the same way that I know that the Pirate Party are doing what needs to be done.

[gunfleet]

Hi,

I think a more comprehensive manifesto developed with the consensus of the membership could include an opinion on Cannabis and many other issues. The Green Party have a drugs legalisation policy and would also like to abolish the monarchy, but they are not generally known for these policies, hidden away as they are in the small print of their manifesto.

What is clear IMHO, is that a Party should have an opinion on issues other than it's main core policies, no one expects this on day one, but we should have something in place for the GE.

Regards
Mark

[WilliamFS]

...a more comprehensive manifesto developed with the consensus of the membership

Consensus of what membership? The few hundered current members? Or the thousands of potential members which we will only have if we are strategically wise and don't alienate the crowds by touching divisive issues?

...hidden away as they are in the small print of their manifesto...

We are a new party. For some, as soon as they realise that there is such a thing as small print in the manifesto, side issues, etc. they will dismiss the PPUK for the simple lack of patience to go down to the detail and consider every proposition we are making. To be able to briefly and clearly tell people that x y z is really all that we are about would be a strong reassurance and an important quality to gather support.
--

[gunfleet]

...a more comprehensive manifesto developed with the consensus of the membership

Consensus of what membership? The few hundered current members? Or the thousands of potential members which we will only have if we are strategically wise and don't alienate the crowds by touching divisive issues? --

Policy can only be determined by the founding membership, no matter how large or small, I agree that the core principles are not negotiable and it is those which should be highlighted to potential members/voters. I still think we need to be able to answer questions about other issues, voters concerns etc. some maybe divisive but that is just the nature of politics. If we are not willing to address this then we should revert to a pressure group.

The few people I have told about the PPUK registration today have all been enthusiastic about giving their support/votes, but have then followed this by saying "What do they think about?" free parties, raves, recreational drugs legislation, environment etc etc. Optimistically I responded by saying it's early days, but from what I have seen on this board it would appear there may not be an answer forthcoming.

Regards
Mark

[dbt1984]

Hi

Steve from Transform http://www.tdpf.org.uk here.

Ive read this thread with interest. There are two questions - one concerns the debate around drug law reform, the other whether this new party should adopt a position on this issue (specifically a pragmatic reform one).

It strikes me that this party is, if not single issue, then set up around a specific set of issues, and that taking positions on issues essentially unrelated to that may not be useful for you or your campaign or messaging. In the short term at least. There may of-course be a place for a discussion group or highlighting the connections between some of the personal liberty / regulation issues.

Transform is of course willing to enter into dialogue with any legitimate political party or organisation, even though we do not take political positions beyond our drug policy remit, and f any individuals wish to support us or get involved in the campaign you are ofcourse welcome - please get in touch.

Cheers

http://transform-drugs.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/TransformDrugs

Thanks Steve for taking the time to go over this debate. Keep up the good work you people are doing over there at Transform.

[ashdanchan]

Alls that i can say is that the amount of teens who have smoke cannabis is huge although not ever smoking cannabis myself... well around my area anyways.. if it was legalised at least there would be a control and tax put upon it comsumption.

[subzero69]

I'll put my views in. lol, I can understand that the party wants to stick to there core policies due to it being relatively new, To be taken seriously you will need to start putting more in, as stated that there has been a influce of donations and new members so your growing pretty quickly and at some point you'll need to make a stance on certain issues.

Every party will not get voters take the BNP due to some of there stances on politicle agenders they dont get certain voters that's polictics we cant please every one.

I think the best thing for people to do across the country in there own areas is maybe do some research get out there and ask people there views on certain subjects. Or as some one has said put it to a vote. Thought this party was for the members. But hey ho.

[DavidHenry]

The right to do what you wish in the privacy of your own home or even in public as long as it does not infringe on the human rights of others is a core value of the Piracy Party.

[dbt1984]

The right to do what you wish in the privacy of your own home or even in public as long as it does not infringe on the human rights of others is a core value of the Piracy Party.

Well said!

[ashdanchan]

The right to do what you wish in the privacy of your own home or even in public as long as it does not infringe on the human rights of others is a core value of the Piracy Party.

I could name a long list of offences that do not affect the human rights of other but would still be consider huges offences...

would you sanction for example, child molestaion, prostitution, the abuse of animals, ect.

[jez9999]

The right to do what you wish in the privacy of your own home or even in public as long as it does not infringe on the human rights of others is a core value of the Piracy Party.

That's great, but we're the Pirate Party!

I could name a long list of offences that do not affect the human rights of other but would still be consider huges offences...

would you sanction for example, child molestaion

You seem to have a strange view of 'not affecting the human rights of others'...

prostitution

Yep. Brothels should be made 100% legal.

the abuse of animals, ect.

No, I guess there'd be a number of reasonable exceptions to this rule, one of which would be animal abuse.