Daily Post, May 21 2002: 'Police will have final
say on cannabis cafe'
"THE Home Office will not
put pressure on North Wales Police to close down a
cannabis cafe if a scheme in Rhyl goes ahead, the man
behind the venture has been told.
In February Denbigh businessman Jeff Ditchfield wrote
to the Home Office seeking clarification on various
matters to do with enforcement and the proposed
reclassification of cannabis as a Class C drug.
Among the questions he asked was whether it would be
a matter solely for North Wales Police to close down
such premises and, in the event of the police
deciding to monitor the situation, whether the Home
Office would demand its closure.
Mr Ditchfield pointed out that Britain's first
cannabis cafe, The Dutch Experience, in Stockport,
was still open despite having been raided four times
by Greater Manchester police.
The owner, Colin Davies, is facing a Crown Court
trial and Mr Ditchfield faces a charge of supplying
an MS sufferer with a piece of cannabis chocolate.
His trial is in September.
Home Office spokesman Chris Kottler said opening a
cannabis cafe would contravene the 1971 Misuse of
Drugs Act but any action would be an operational
matter for the police.
"The investigation of alleged crime, and the
decision as to whether, on the evidence which is
available, charges should be preferred, are matters
for the chief officer," he said.
Richard Brunstrom, Chief Constable of North Wales,
has said that if a cannabis cafe were to open he
would ensure it was closed down within five minutes".
http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/regionalnews/page.cfm?objectid=11888996&method=full&siteid=50142
